[Intro]
Yo this is Substantial here with [?] Johnson and we'd like to dedicate this song to all of you who think that hip hop's dead. This is for you
[Verse 1]
You can rot in hell Hip-hop's alive and well
At least that's the word that I've heard from over thousands of my clientele
I excel very far beyond just rhyming well
Labels no I don't wear a sign saying I'm for sale
Devils aren't built for this watch the God fire hell
A path of bodies leading to my throne for those that tried and failed
You're softer than Cottonelle belong in a garbage pail
Throwing stones at French women's the only way you'll rock the bells
You ain't good at nothing else so you gotta sell
But you ain't good at this either far as I can tell
Give it up like prom night I bomb mics
Still stay cooler than Snoop in Antarctica eating Klondike
On any given calm night I will reek havoc
And make your top 5 MC's look like weak rappers
10 year vets sounding like they need practice
Take 'em to school and you know I really teach cla**es
[Bridge #1]
Hey [?] do I know man. You know not exactly the nicest guy doing it, but then again I'm far from the wackest guy doing it too, you know?
[Verse 2]
I'll show you why everything I touch is critically acclaimed
Feeble spitter reconsider before dissing me again
I stay mentally advanced though we're physically the same
So a battle's pointless not to mention literally insane
When it came to moving units I sold a fraction of most
But on the great paper chase you know who captured the most (Me)
Mostly because I paid attention in math cla**
And I won't let a record label pimp my black a**
Scratch that we ain't the same don't embarra** me
Quality music nowadays is a rarity (true)
That's all I want to make until the day they bury me
Rather be a great artist than a celebrity
Sounds weird but good like PB and celery
Am I less real because I never got a felony?
My goal isn't to rest in the hills of Beverly
But make these hell like hoods a little more heavenly
[Bridge #2]
Hey, man everybody like a little slice of the good life, but you know.. sometimes reality kick in and you gotta do that 9 to 5 grind until everything else pop off. What can you do?
[Verse 3]
Yeah I'm known to get it live and still work a 9 to 5
But you never take a job that don't benefit your company
Pimp them ba*tards [?] till their a**es had enough of me
Laughing in their faces while they're thinking that they're f**ing me
Luckily it's temporary because I'm a visionary
Getting paid for using slang you won't find in the dictionary
Bama a**es take that to your grammar cla**es
Spitting diction that you couldn't envision with MC Hammer's gla**es
Meanwhile this jam surpa**es any and all preconceptions
And you thought it wouldn't happen like Bush's re-election
Genius 4 more years of him and the penis
Won't break the focus of most of the cats that I'm teamed with
So in this selfish game we remain self-contained
Rest of ya'll getting shaft bet'cha a** in hella pain
Get a brain pathetic lame I'm something you'll never tame
Substantial's the effin' name, and it's time I let it reign forever!
[Scratches/Cuts by DP One] x4.5
"And if you don't know, now you know"