[Barack Obama]
The thing about hip hop today is it's smart, it's insightful, the way that they can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable. And a lot of these kids, they're not going to be reading The New York Times. That's not how they're getting their information. The question, then, is, what's the content? What's the message?
[Verse 1]
This the kind of song that'll probably get backlash
I'm tired of the radio telling me stack cash
They steady skipping levels they look for the fast pa**
I'm in a marathon, they running a fast dash
These hashtags, don't pa** cla**, ain't nobody going
They tell 'em move white, got it looking like it's snowing
Only way to make it out the hood is a jumpshot
Or a gunshot or you better get to flowing
I'm an omen, at least that's what they tell me now
So I pray these feet don't fail me now
Seem like everybody only want to tear me down
And if I blow it all today, who gonna bail me out?
So tell me how you n***as define a real n***a
Is this the same n***a that run up and k** n***as?
Shuffling do a dance, we strutting but field n***as
Martin had a dream, but some of us still n***as
And I am not anti-black, I'm anti-dumb
And if that's a good time, I'm anti-fun
Asking the question, "Why can't I run?"
All your constructs of conduct are Manti's hun: fake
Wait, let me sit back
Wait another second 'til you get that
And if you do recognize it's true
Pa** it on homie, we just gotta give back
[B.O.]
Hip hop is not just a mirror of what is, it should also be a reflection of what can be. A lot of times folks say ‘Well, I want to keep it real' and ‘I want to be down.' Then we're just trapped in, you know, what is. The question is, imagine something different
[Verse 2]
This is truth, in fact
I never spit a bar without proof to back
So you never hear me flowing how I shoot the gat
We just some young brothers bringing music back
Refuse to rap 'bout stuff that I know that I ain't doing
These youngins out here flaugin, just know that they ain't shooting
But we steady obliging, know that the game's ruined
But we don't really care as long as the ba** booming
I guess, but we looking for the real, though
Me and my homies don't feel that
I'm just looking for what's authentic
If it ain't you can k** that
Real rap, we ain't trying to preach
I'm just holding up the wall that you trying to breach
We see through it, you faking is not healthy
Living out a lie, just hoping to get wealthy
In a drop, in a six, in a Lambo
Just because you rich, doesn't mean you ain't a sambo
Blackface all up in this rat race
You gonna need a back brace when they hit you with that anvil
Handful, yeah I know I be
I'm just trying to make music like I'm No I.D
But I can't ignore the stuff that I know I see
It's appalling what these kids all know by three
[B.O.]
I love the art of hip-hop; I don't always love the message of hip-hop. Art can't just be a rear view mirror. You know, it should have a headlight out there pointing to where we need to go
[Interviewer]
So hip hop needs to have the audacity of hope
[B.O.]
The audacity of hope