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Break it Down

The lyrics and videos of mainstream hip-hop often present a world of violence and drugs, new-found wealth and materialism, homophobia and misogyny. It doesn't have to be that way. Express your own ideas about what hip-hop should be, take a look at the songs below and let us know what you think.

Warning! The following pages contain sexual imagery and strong language. Contains explicit lyrics (included for critical review and commentary).
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By tyler
I sit upon a cloud looking down amongst a war/
some call for help pleading for the ones that just ignore/
do you see it have you awakened are your breaths taken in freedom/
can you love your enemy learn the lesson shake hands and then redeem them/
do you live life conciously manifesting . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By Anthony Rubalcava
The revolution wont be televised, instead ill make it melodized
then ill put a beat behind the words
and make sure it speaks to all the world
cuz were going through the same things
and u can try to blame me,
but plainly, its just inevitable
too many people only talk about berettas they pull
why u . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By Jac drive 10
Now if youll give me a little time to catch some wreck

Ill show how we in the vt do this here so mic check

we warm it up like big daddy kane

we slam around like onyx we are going insane

smooth it out and remenisce with pete rock and cl

and . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By Soul LinQ
Song Title: All Over The Place
Artist: D Mawl
Producer: CordaCo (ASCAP)
Writer: Dee Muldrow (BMI)
Label: Soul LinQ

Verse 1
So we woke up, I told my baby girl to go and dress, she couldn’t find her shoes so, she began to get stressed. She said look, my cloths are real wrinkled where’s the ironing . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By a. que martin
THE IF IN LIFE



If you could have ya cake n eat it too
What would ya do
Would you be a fool, jump in the pool
Knowin ya can’t swim or be cool
Get an education, be enlightened or
Just take classes in Life school
Where emotions rule n bulls do what
Most animals do, wreck havoc . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By a. que martin
OCCUPATION

Like a military occupation
Under the auspices of religion
Civilizin heathens, non believers was ya reason
For deceivin, trickin us into conceivin like treason
The question of bein a step up from bein pagan
They came to save us, but instead enslaved us
Cause they didn’t understand us or cared bout our human status
How can you . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By a que martin
ASYLUM



Wit legalized poison killin us softly
Illegal drugs are makin us off beat
Floodin our streets, providin a way to eat
If they are legal, then we all can compete
N nobody’s a refugee, in a society
That doesn’t want to be, but is so street
As we complete the circle
The cops are robbers n the . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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www.myspace.com/chrisriser
By Chris Riser
Ancient Future
VERSE 1:From South Bronx to Southwest PDX the cable stretches, from an era of unrest to the postmodern matrix. In an act of space-time collapse these two ends become braided. I, today, can take youback to tenements vacated by the b-boys we celebrate on fade t-shirts, degraded to . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By KOKAYI
THIS BIZ IS LIKE THE LIFE OF CHRIST AND THUS
YOU GET YOUR SHOT TO SHINE AND ONLY RISE ONCE
EVERYTHING AFTER THAT'S A COMING REVELATION
40 DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS AND ALL TEMPTATION
THEY OFFER THE WORLD THROW PALMS ON THE ROAD
YA MAN'LL DENY YOUR THRICE WHEN YOUR STAR GETS COLD
COMBACK FROM THE . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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By david marshall a.k.a lil d
im the one you can find rockin them air force ones yeah im the one who you can find on your courner spittin out rhymes like a machine gun yeah im the one who got all them dime pieces calling me honey bun yeah im the one lil d who . . . READ MORE LYRICS »
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