[Verse 1]
It's the illin' empire, mid 90s
I'm close to a cypher, it ain't hard to find me
Kids claimin' they freestylin' but they just reciting lines
Especially this Snoop Dogg wanna-be beside me
On a normal Tuesday, I'm walking down the block
I heard a song from a truck that made my body stop
I'm like that ain't Pac, that ain't Big, that ain't Nas
I gotta figure out who this is
Yeah... it got me pickin' up the phone callin' the homies at home like
Have you heard this song it went "you got money, get ya hands in the air"
Oh snap he on rap city now with Joe Clair
Boy was dope like a breath of fresh air
When he told a story, I felt like I was right there
I asked pop for ten bucks, he's like boy that's nonsense
I don't work hard to buy you explicit content
I'm kinda scared to go to the store and steal it though
You know a brother broke so I just dub it from the radio
But the homie came through the next night
With a album that became the soundtrack of my life
[Hook]
Yesterday I fell in love, yesterday I...
Tomorrow came I've had enough
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
Everybody make noise for that real hip hop
[Verse 2]
I'm a little older, I'm in college now (yeah)
And you know my favorite artist still holdin' it down
Any time we argue best rappers alive
He's easily number 1 in my top 5
The more I steal his style I feel credibility
Cuz every college dude just wants an identity
If he's describing his life, well that's how I act
If he has an opinion where I don't then insert that
But now insert the Lord (I'm changed now)
Because I have different views I find myself even caring about stuff on the news
My heart aches, with these current affairs is harder to enjoy
"You got money, get ya hands in the air"
The more I listen the more I feel a mental battle
I recognize that his worldview is really shallow (dang)
His lexicon is money sex and cars, that's all we get
He kills on records then he says it's entertainment really quick
That's pretty dangerous when you break it down
Plus I notice even his music has the same sound
It's not much depth to his content and art
Me and my favorite artist are now growin' apart, dang
[Hook]
Yesterday I fell in love, yesterday I...
Tomorrow came I've had enough
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
Everybody make noise for that real hip hop
[Verse 3]
Now I'm a grown man with new burdens to bear
And this dude still rappin' about "you got money, get ya hands in the air"
Friend get outta here with that mess
There's a million other things that you can address
This cat is close to 40 and he's still thuggin'
Well at least that's the perception that he gives in public
I mean I enjoy life like the next brother
But it seems he ain't growin' up with the rest of us (come on man)
Sometimes I just wanna know the truth about who's copyin' who
Cuz instead of reachin' 'em I think he'd rather be the youth
I wouldn't trip but this is more than just a trend
Cuz this music and its brand promotes irresponsible men
Cuz they never had a father who could walk 'em through the content
Teachin' them the skill to discern all of the nonsense
They need extended adolescence so they can blow up
Hip-hop you're close to 50, when can we grow up?
[Hook]
Yesterday I fell in love, yesterday I...
Tomorrow came I've had enough
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
We want that real hip hop, that real hip hop
Everybody make noise for that real hip hop