In Pursuit of Perfection: Hip Hop

I've been talking to my 13 year old son about old school rap. It's been fun introducing him, to what is for him, a whole new generation of hip hop. Back in the day, my brother and I were big time fans of Kung Fu Theater every Saturday morning. (I grew up in Niagara Fall, N.Y.) I know you'll recall this karate laced video from Jeru the Damaja.

Some people act as if consciously responsible hip hop is hard to find. Either they don't want to find it, or they are looking in the wrong places. Check out the lyrics below. Then stop by Jeru's site and hit him up.

Here's a blast from the past...big ups to Jeru, keep holding us down with more like it!

You're Playin' Yaself

Intro: Jeru

Yo are you a pimp a hustler?
No I'm not.
Are you a man and can you stand alone like a man has to sometimes?
Yes I can.
Are you willing to go out there and save the lives of our children
even if it means losing your own life?
Yes I am.
I believe you Jeru you're ready.
*You've no no nothing to worry about*

Verse One:

Now I don't push a Lex
Others had their turn to flex, Jeru is up next
All, these so called players up in the rap game
Got brothers on the corner selling cooked cocaine
It used to be LaToya and, jim hats
But now it's uzis macs and, g-packs of cracks
Everybody's psycho or some type of goodfellow
But me I keep it real that's all swine like jello
Don't drink Cristal, and I can't stand Mo
Never received currency for moving a kilo
Or an ounce, make em bounce to this fake-pimp free flow
I never knew hustlers, confessed in stereo
Or on video get caught you'll know who turned State's
Evidence, murder weapon, confession and fingerprints
Mama always said watch what comes out your mouth
Tight case for the DA from here to down South
Knowledge wisdom understanding like King Solomon's wealth
You're a player but only because you be playin yourself

Chorus:

With all that Big Willie talk, hop, you're, playin yaself
With all that big gun talk, bop, you're, playin yaself
With all that rah rah rah, you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

With all that rah rah rah, you're, playin yaself
With all that big gun talk, bop, you're, playin yaself
With all that Big Willie talk, hop, you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

Verse Two:

Now these ladies is lookin pretty from city to city
I refined a few I met, around the country
The nitty gritty, it's all reality, no question
Actual fact like tight jeans cause yeast infections
And sisters with good minds, get no respect when
Their ass is all hangin out, playin the bar section
of the club shake what your mama gave ya, back to the lab
I drop the truth, cause rhyming is more than just my craft
Or a way to get ass, or fast cash, or blasted
Black women, make sure you're respected
When niggaz is kickin that old off the wall shit, let em know
from jump: "Dead it", you're not ignorant
Knowledge wisdom understanding is the key to wealth
Put some clothes on that ass if you respect yourself

Chorus:

With those hooker type wears hon you're, playin yaself
With those skin tight jeans baby you're, playin yaself
Everything all exposed you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

Everything all exposed you're, playin yaself
With those skin tight jeans baby you're, playin yaself
With those hooker type wears hon you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

Verse Three:

Now, I don't bust a tec, bubble drugs
in the projects, or use mics to sell sex
Niggaz, nowadays is all about this
So much ying yang, it's ridiculous
If you got so much cheese where are the black distributors
And these record companies shake em down like mobsters
But impostors, like commercial locks are not rastas
Always fakin moves, never, makin moves
Asses shake, bottles pop, the government is breakin down
you fools, you work all week and give the devil back his loot
for jewels, and the steak on your plate is filled
with chemicals, still, brothers leave brothers
all battered and bruised, on the streets
Won't see snakes on my feet
The race is on, but I won't compete
In this competition, because I have a greater mission
I hope that you listen
Knowledge wisdom and understanding brings, long life
and health, think anything else and ya playin yaself

Chorus:

So all that Big Willie talk, hop, you're, playin yaself
And all those skin tight jeans hon you're playin yaself
And all that rah rah rah, you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

And all those hooker type wears baby you're playin yaself
And all that big gun talk money you're playin yaself
Everything all exposed you're, playin yaself
You're, playin yaself, you're, playin yaself

*Posdnous: "I don't play