Way of Life
Fourth Disciple Lyrics

Hip hop is a way of life, it's in my breath
Hip hop is more than just a genre of music, it is a lifestyle that is ingrained in my very being

The way I, breathe and step, not the way I dress
My hip hop identity is not defined by the clothes I wear, but rather by the way I move and the values I embody

East to west, throw your arms right to left
Hip hop is a universal language that unites people from different regions and cultures

Give me a mic and a crowd, and a turntable set
Performing in front of a live audience with a microphone and turntables is the ultimate expression of my hip hop spirit

Alotta niggaz turned thugs, after 2Pac died
After the tragic death of Tupac Shakur, many individuals began to emulate his tough persona and adopt a more aggressive and violent lifestyle

Puttin' dust in they weed, after they heard How High
Inspired by the film How High, some individuals started adding PCP (dust) to their marijuana to enhance the high

KRS was the main one, I heard Stay Wise
KRS-One's music promoted consciousness and wisdom, advocating for social and political change

Before, N.W.A., you never thought of drive-by's
The gangsta rap group N.W.A. popularized the concept of drive-by shootings, previously not a common occurrence in mainstream music

Slick Rick was the kingpin of all fly guys
Slick Rick was the epitome of cool and stylish, embodying the essence of hip hop fashion and culture

Rakim kept it civilized, now it be Nas
Rakim's music was known for its smooth and intelligent rhymes, paving the way for Nas to follow suit with his own introspective and thought-provoking lyrics

cool G. Rap made rhymes for the organized crimes
Kool G Rap's lyrics often chronicled the exploits of organized crime syndicates, portraying a gritty and sometimes violent underworld

On the Road to they Riches, selllin' nickels and dimes
Kool G Rap's debut album, Road to the Riches, paid homage to his humble beginnings in drug dealing

Cypress Hill made you feel, How Can I Just Kill a Man
Cypress Hill's music was often characterized by dark and haunting themes, as showcased in their hit song 'How Can I Just Kill a Man'

Niggaz turned killers after Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan's aggressive and confrontational style influenced many young men to adopt a more violent and gangster-like persona

Startin' formin' into groups, so they can put on they fam
Hip hop groups emerged as a way for artists to showcase their skills and support their families and communities

Puff Daddy had you samplin' old records to dance
Puff Daddy's music relied heavily on sampling classic songs and remixing them for a younger generation to dance to

Biggie Smalls made you ball after One More Chance
The late Biggie Smalls espoused a lavish and extravagant lifestyle in his music, inspiring many to pursue wealth and luxury

The radio promotin' death, until there's no more fans
Mainstream radio stations often played music with violent and negative themes, contributing to a desensitization towards death and aggression in society

Alotta playas want to play, but the game is advanced
Many aspiring musicians are attracted to hip hop's glamour and status but fail to realize the challenges and complexities of the industry

The true culture of this hip hop, let's spread it to France
Hip hop culture should not be limited to the United States but should be shared and celebrated in other parts of the world as well

M.O.P., kept it hardcore, from Onyx to DMX
M.O.P. and other artists like Onyx and DMX were known for their hardcore and aggressive approach to hip hop music

Now it's on Soundscan sells and BDS
Hip hop artists now rely on Soundscan and BDS to track their album sales and popularity ratings

When the Fat Boys, to Big Punisher and Fat Joe
From the comedic stylings of the Fat Boys to the raw talent of Big Punisher and Fat Joe, hip hop has had a range of artists with diverse styles

EPMD, to me was, the best duo
EPMD, consisting of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, was one of the most acclaimed hip hop duos and had a significant influence on the genre

Nah, Run-DMC, still be number uno
Despite the rise of new artists, the pioneering hip hop group Run-DMC still holds a special place in the hearts of many fans as the greatest of all time

Now every artist that you know, want to drop solos
Many artists in hip hop aspire to have successful solo careers, pursuing their own personal brands and creative visions

Half naked to sell records, in magazine photo's
Female artists often resort to using overtly sexual and revealing imagery to generate buzz and sell records, perpetuating harmful objectification in the industry

Back to '83, the era of the Treacherous Three
The early 1980s saw the emergence of groups like the Treacherous Three, who helped to shape and define the sound of hip hop

When the Cold Crush, bumrushed the Force MD's
The Cold Crush Brothers and Force MDs were two of the pioneering groups in the early days of hip hop, both showcasing their unique styles and techniques

Now the pussy is free, but the crack cost money, oh yeah
While sexual promiscuity may be more accepted in contemporary culture, drug addiction and the crime associated with it continue to plague many communities

Melle Mel, brought the mentals, but we couldn't digest it
Grandmaster Melle Mel's lyrics were complex and often dealt with social and political issues, challenging listeners to think critically about their world and the systems that govern it

Cause all the niggaz in the eighties started gettin' arrested
Police brutality and over-policing in minority communities led to a disproportionate number of black men being arrested and incarcerated during the 1980s

Sugar Hill caught an ill deal, Rapper's Delight
Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight' was one of the first hip hop hits, but the group's lack of control over their own music and finances led to exploitative contracts

Back when artists got signed just for grabbin' the mic
In the early days of hip hop, talent and skill were the most important factors in getting signed, often leading to talented artists being discovered through live performances

Kangols and rope chains, this when LL came
LL Cool J's fashion sense, which included his signature Kangol hat and thick rope chain necklaces, was instrumental in defining the hip hop style of the 1980s

Ain't nobody had a metaphor like Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane was known for his clever and intricate wordplay, incorporating complex metaphors and similes into his lyrics in a way that few others could match

Public Enemy was deep before Do the Right Thing
Public Enemy's music was highly political and socially conscious, tackling issues of racism, poverty, and police brutality long before Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing brought these issues to mainstream attention

MC Shan had Queensbridge under his wing
MC Shan, hailing from the Queensbridge housing projects, had a major impact on the hip hop scene of the 1980s and helped to put his neighborhood on the map

Marley Marl did The Symphony, it blew instantly
Marley Marl's production credits include some of the most iconic and influential hip hop tracks of all time, including 'The Symphony,' which quickly became a classic

Made hip hop history, now it's industry
Hip hop's early pioneers and innovators set the stage for the genre's commercial success, transforming what was once a grassroots movement into a multimillion-dollar industry

Everybody either look alike, or sound gimmicky
In today's hip hop landscape, many artists try to conform to a certain aesthetic or sound, leading to a lack of artistic diversity and too many imitators

Not noticin' the energy was hid' in Tennessee
Despite the tendency towards superficiality and consumerism in modern hip hop, there are still pockets of the genre that retain an authentic spirit and artistic energy, as exemplified by hip hop communities in Tennessee and other states

Never thought they ever see a young black Master P
Master P, one of the most successful and influential figures in hip hop history, rose to fame in the 1990s as a young black man from the projects of New Orleans, overcoming incredible odds to achieve his dreams

Go to France and see a white boy blacker than me
Hip hop has become a global phenomenon, with artists from all over the world embracing and contributing to the culture, such as the emergence of white rappers in France

Suge Knight or Eazy-E, had black labels
Suge Knight and Eazy-E were notable for their roles as founders and owners of successful hip hop record labels, with Knight founding Death Row Records and Eazy-E founding Ruthless Records

Why the rest eat the crumbs off the master's tables
Even as some hip hop entrepreneurs and artists achieve great success, many others are left behind or exploited, left to scrape for whatever success or recognition they can find

[Chorus: x2]
The chorus repeats the message that hip hop is a way of life, a deeply ingrained aspect of an artist's identity that goes beyond just the surface level aspects of the genre