Hip hop, a way of life

Chosen by the ghetto youth out of necessity

It involves graffiti, deejaying, breakdancing and emceeing

Which all rely on raw, artistic skill

You know, they used to tell me that this music would never last

Now look at it now, it influences all music here today

So either you respect it we gon' take it back



Hip hop, the voice of the street, the voice of the youth

The voice that you hear, the voice that only we produce

The way that we salute that makes the wildest niggas start to shoot

The voice that recoupes only 12% of the loot

The voice of the groups, like OutKast, LOX and The Roots

The voice of the truth, that no society can ever mute

The voice of the men and women who gave their lives defendin

The God-given rights, they had no choice but to fight

The voice of the black, latino and the white

The voice of the club that makes the freaks come out at night

The voice of the thugs who pop champagne and rock ice

The voice of the shorties who wear tight shirts and talk sheist

The voice of the shook who look one time but not twice

The voice of the crooks at gambling spot with hot dice

The voice of the church, mosque, synagogue and temple

The voice of your soul, your body and your mental

The voice that says "rap!" when I hear a instrumental

The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple

The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple

The voice that don't, d-d-don't, d-don't...



Yo, we live that life that you call hip hop

From the bottom straight to the tip top

Hey Rawls, we got em while them others did not

So if you with the LC, nigga, lick shot

If you live that life they call hip hop

Worldwide everyday tic-toc

This life is like nothin to play with, ock

That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"

That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"

That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"

That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot"

That's why when I say "shit" -



[excerpt from the movie _Wildstyle_]

[Double Trouble]

Cause here's a little story that must be told

About two cool brothers that were put on hold

Tried to hold us back from fortune and fame

They destroyed the crew and they killed our name

They tried to step on the ego and walk on the pride

But true blue brothers stand side by side

Through thick and thin, from beginning to end

This battle we lost, but the war we'll win