Tag Archives: 1980s Hip Hop

Profound Hip Hop Quote #46: It’s Like a Jungle Sometimes, So Listen for the Message

3 Dec

“Don’t push me ‘cuz I’m close to the edge
I’m trying not to lose my head
It’s like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under
It’s like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin’ under “

—“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

The MessageWho hasn’t heard the statement “It’s like a jungle sometimes?”  Released over a three decades ago, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s  rap song, “The Message” still reigns true today and is a timeless classic; why would it not be profound?  Of course, some of the references made in the song may not apply today or may have evolved into other issues, but most people who grew up in the 80s or even the 90s are familiar with the hook and sing along passionately as they swing on vines and vines of problems and truck through the muck and the mire of life.

There is a sense of urgency and intense emotion expressed in the hook.  “Don’t push me ‘cuz I’m close to the edge.”  How do people really know when they are “close to the edge?” Most use their intuition and draw conclusions based on how they are feeling, what they can see, how their current circumstances look and sometimes what others tell them?  Why do some people invite the “edge” and view it as an opportunity to improve their survival instincts rather than a frightening ordeal where they will not survive should they be “pushed” over the edge?

If you agree with the statement, “It’s like a jungle sometimes,” then why not plan accordingly?  If you see the “edge” coming or know that its approach is imminent, why not strategize how you will handle it?  Will you jump to the nearest vine, try to back pedal in hopes of preventing the inevitable, jump clear over the edge because you just can’t take it anymore or do nothing and pretend that the edge does not exist, resulting in your eventual downfall?

We all have our own jungles involving work, school, finances, relationships, family, etc. Our survival instincts are what keep us “from goin’ under,” but it is our preparation and intense training for the “jungle” that not only makes life bearable but challenges people so that they cannot only see what they are capable of handling but to help them get to the beautiful aspects of this “jungle.”  Who do you think would be the most industrious and resourceful and manage to fair well in life: the person who has tackled the swamp, quick sand and crocodiles of life head on or the person who constantly complains and is too scared to face the challenges presented, focusing more so on the gooey swamp water rather than how they are going to successfully get to the other side by finding a vine? How are you surviving in this jungle of life?

Please feel free to share your though

~Anonomz aka Tanya H. Franklin

Bonus English Lesson:
The Message uses the simile, “It’s like a jungle sometimes”  to demonstrate how difficult and challenging life can be.  To use a jungle indicates that it is quite likely that only those who have survival instincts will make it through.  Also, the song uses an idiomatic expression which contains a hyperbole.  “Don’t push me ‘cuz I’m close to the edge.  I’m trying not to lose my head…”  Of course, there is not a literal “edge,” but the phrase suggests that he is unable to endure any more of the circumstances of life and that the next issue may result in a nervous breakdown.  Furthermore, a person cannot actually lose his or her head, unless there was a guillotine  or another sharp instrument involved, but a person can lose his or her mental capacities due to being overwhelmed by stressful situations.

Take a look at my rendition of “The Message” for my students.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #44: Nobody’s Safe Chumps: Serious As a Heart Attack!

19 Nov

“I must stay focused and keep my mind open
The world’s mass confusion, there’s mad guns smoking
For punks trying to get respect and yearning
Mess around and catch a bad one from Erick Sermon”

—“Nobody’s Safe Chump” by EPMD

EPMDEPMD: Erick and Parrish Making Dollars was and still is one of my all-time favorite hip-hop duos.  It is all about the business with these guys who actually have an album scheduled to release in 2012.  However, being all about business often causes people to neglect other areas of their lives and may eventually present problems that “nobody’s safe” from: health issues.  Last Saturday, November 12, it was reported that Erick Sermon, of EPMD suffered from a heart attack.  Even though he is expected to recover, he is only in his early 40s and should not have to worry about having a heart attack.  This news comes shortly after the untimely death of Heavy D.

With these two incidents so close together and with both of them being fully aware of the  risk of being unhealthy, overweight or obese, I thought it would be good to reflect on how nobody’s safe from a heart attack, cancer, diabetes or any other ailment; however, there are so many steps that we can take to either lessen our chances of having a health problem or at least lessen the severity.  I’m no doctor, but it should be obvious that if you eat junk food regularly, do not exercise, smoke and drink excessively and even have toxic relationships, then you are increasing your chances of dying young or experiencing a painful death at the hands of a heart attack due to the decisions you are making.

Of course, it is difficult for many to be health nuts, but “you must stay focused and keep your mind open.”  I’ve never smoked, consumed alcohol or used drugs before; however, I have battled with junk food.  For the past few years, I’ve been on a serious health kick but allow myself to have pizza, a slice of cake or any of my other vices in moderation.  The issue for most is “out of sight out of mind.”  If our skin was translucent and we could see the damage we were doing to our organs and how we were damaging our bodies, I think more people would be more conscientious when it comes to their eating habits and willingness to live sedentary lifestyles with little to no physical activity. I know it certainly does help me when I think in those terms.

Having a heart attack has to cause “mass confusion.”  I do not know what Erick Sermon’s eating habits or lifestyle is, but he, as well as Parrish Smith are one of my favorite rap duos of all time.  I hope he uses this brush with death to promote healthy living so that his loyal fans will be able to enjoy the upcoming album.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

~Anonomz aka Tanya H. Franklin


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Profound Hip Hop Quote #42: He Had His Own Thang “RIP Heavy D”

9 Nov

“Don’t clock anybody, let them all clock you
Don’t be down with anybody, let them all be down with you
Stay self-managed, self-kept, self-taught
Be your own man, don’t be borrowed, don’t be bought
Started with a pow and I’m going to end it with a bang
We’ve got our own thang” 

—“We Got Our Own Thang” by Heavy D and the Boyz

Heavy D And The Boyz Dwight Myers…The Overweight lover…Heavy D!  If you grew up listening to rap music in the late 80s and 90s Heavy D. and the Boyz should have received some play in your tape deck or CD player. Promoting positive and fun-loving messages, this group was a breath of fresh air, and Heavy D. proved that overweight brothers had something to offer and could get down and dance with the best of them.

Upon hearing about Heavy D’s untimely death, in pensive mood, I thought about what made him and his lyrics so special.  Then it came to me.  The title of one of his very songs sums up what it was: “We Got Out Own Thang.”  During the early 90s gangsta rap started to become more prevalent and devastated the market of fun, light-hearted raps with uplifting messages.  Despite the shrinking fan base or potential promotion from record labels, artists such as Heavy D and the Boyz, Fresh Prince and Kid and Play kept going strong.  In “We Got Our Own Thang” Heavy emphatically wants listeners to be themselves and not succumb to others or fall victim to peer pressure.  “Don’t clock anybody; let them all clock you.  Don’t be down with anybody, let them all be down with you.”

Furthermore, Heavy addresses those who want to be nothing more than carbon copies of the originators as well as those who are willing to perpetuate false personae if the price is write.  Perhaps some present day  entertainers who call themselves “rappers” should take heed to this advice.  “Stay self-managed, self-kept, self taught.  Be your own man, don’t be borrowed, don’t be bought.”

Heavy D indeed did “start with a pow and end with a bang” and went on to be a quite successful record executive and actor.  It truly saddens me that Heavy D. and the Boyz have yet to receive praise during one of the Hip Hop Honors award shows.  Let’s not allow those other artists who have paid the way to go unacknowledged and then receive homage posthumously.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

~Anonomz aka Tanya H. Franklin

Bonus English Lesson:
Heavy D uses slang to drive his point homethe word “clock”  In this instance, it is similar to “jocking” or fawning over a person.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #28: Ready to Self Destruct?

16 Jul

“I don’t understand the difficulty, people
Love your brother, treat him as an equal
They call us animals mmm mmm I don’t agree with them
I’ll prove them wrong, but right is what your proving them
Take heed before I lead to what I’m sayin’
Or we’ll all be on our knees, prayin’.” 


—Stop the Violence Movement, formed by KRS One, quoted lyrics by Heavy D “Self Destruction”

Self DestructionAccording to the homicide statistics from the Philadelphia Police Department, there have been 176 homicides this year (including July 15, 2011).  (Crime Maps & Stats)
Of course, this data does not account for other violent crimes such as armed robbery, rape and aggravated assault.   Is there something about the summer or hot weather that causes people to be even more violent than in the winter?  Is it that more people are just outdoors, so they are bound to resort to violence to address issues of contention they may have.

What about when it comes to people of color?  Are some people innately more violent than others, or does the environment in which people are raised or presently residing play significant roles in how they behave?  Last year, there were 306 homicide victims, as reported on Philly.com. Interestingly,  60 of the homicides involved people who were classified as white, and 242 of the homicides involved people who were classified as black.  This means that nearly 20% of the senseless deaths were white people, and nearly 80% were black people.  I am no sociologist or statistician, but this information is alarming.  In regard to neighboring counties and townships, many of them do not have “murder maps” because homicides at the rate they are occurring in Philadelphia would be considered an anomaly in those areas.

What conclusions would you draw if you just went according to the data and did not get to really know the people involved, their plights and struggles? (Not that this in anyway justifies the actions of these violent acts)  “Self Destruction” is a classic rap song where KRS One brought together some of the most renown rappers of the late 80s and early 90s for the “Stop the Violence Movement.”  Even though some of the slang terminology utilized in the song and some of the allusions may be dated, this song sadly still reigns true today.  Most people have heard the phrase, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.”  Heavy D uses this very same message in his lyrics, “They call us animals mmmm  mmmm I don’t agree with them. I’ll prove them wrong, but right is what you’re proving them.”  I’ve heard people refer to blacks and latinos animals.  There are even teachers who do not think twice about using such a derogatory term.  Perhaps you don’t care about what “they” think, but do you care about your family, friends, classmates, colleagues, neighbors, etc. who may eventually wind up on their knees praying and mourning the loss of a loved one?  We’re all in this together, or at least we should be.  Don’t let our people, neighborhoods, towns, cities and nations self-destruct!

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
Heavy D chose to drop the “g” from the words “sayin” and “prayin” for dialectical and meter  purposes.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #22: Rappers Need Love Too

4 Jun

“When I’m alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall
and in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call
Telling me I need a girl who’s as sweet as a dove
for the first time in my life, I see I need love“

—LL Cool J, “I Need Love”


There’s no denying that rap music and rock n’ roll are both synonymous with sex, drugs and money, so it is quite refreshing when a rapper pours his or her heart out on an abstract topic from time to time.  In a little over two months from now, I will be getting married.  With the feelings of love and excitement increasing, I thought, “Why not put together a compilation of some of the best rap love songs of all time?”

LL Cool JOf course, I must start off with a classic from my childhood when I first starting having crushes on boys and thinking about how it would feel to be in love.  Any female who was around during the late 80s who was into rap music more than likely had a crush on LL Cool J, and I was no exception. Enormous posters of him, along with a few of my other crushes, covered  my bedroom wall, and when he released the song, ” I Need Love,” I would often gaze at his pictures totally mesmerized and  fantasize about being the girl in the video.

LL’s song presents a thought-provoking revelation that most people will have at one point or another in their lives.  To begin with “When I’m alone in my room…” may involve some deep meditation.  In 2011, nearly 25 years later, there are a plethora of technology and media outlets to distract us from being pensive and thinking about what we really want and need out of life.  LL is “staring at the wall…” not texting, tweeting, updating his facebook status or checking the status of others.  When is the last time you had some “alone” time to think about what you really want or need in your present or future relationship or life for that matter?  It’s extremely difficult to “hear your conscience call” if there are too many distractions let alone brain chatter.

Even though I am no expert, as a result of being in a long term relationship and observing the relationships of others, I’ve learned that everybody is not looking for the same attributes in a significant other.  Over time, people may even realize that what they previously wanted is not what they presently need in a relationship.

Studies have shown that love is a necessity, and it actually plays a significant role in how healthy people are and even their ability to recover from illnesses.  It does not necessarily have to be romantic love, but being in love, feeling love or even giving love can add years to one’s life. Have you experienced love or being in love?  When is the last time you displayed love to those who matter most in your life?  We all need love!

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
LL Cool J experiences an epiphany in his rap song “I Need Love.”  He proclaims,  “For the first time in my life, I see I need love…”  An epiphany is a moment of sudden revelation or insight.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #17: Homage to Philly Edition

30 Apr

“Smashing those who stand in my path;
counting ’em down like math.
planning, mapping, rapping them down,
from my part of town! 

—Tuff Crew, “My Part of Town”

Tuff CrewClick here to watch the video!!

It’s the end of the month, and I am still paying homage to some of the Philly rappers from the past who have made an impact on this culture and on me. Who knew there were so many from the late 80s and 90s.  When I think about a rap group  who not only put Philly on the map on a national and even  international level but also put my “town” on the map, I think of Tuff Crew consisting of Ice Dog, L. A. Kid, Monty G, Tone Love, and DJ Too Tuff.  I was in middle school when I was first heard, “My Part of Town.”  Not only were the lyrics and delivery on point, but  what really put this song on my radar was the tantalizing hook.

What is it that makes these specific song so profound?  It’s a combination of the music itself and the content.  Scratching and mixing it up on the “wheels of steel” was highly regarded in the 80s and early 90s, and DJ Too Tuff was a beast on the turn tables enticing all party goers to jump out of their seats and hit the dance floor to prove they were “So damn tuff!” The members of Tuff Crew were culturally and ethnically diverse and commanded the attention and respect of all who listened as they claimed what was theirs while fully displaying their machismo.  It takes courage and confidence to be willing to “smash those who stand in your path” as you represent where you are from and what’s most important to you.

Even though this behavior can potentially have an adverse effect, leading to gang turf  mentalities, it can be positive as well. Most people take pride in where they are from and will even give back to the community or put forth their best effort because they know that they are representing more than just themselves.  They may be representing a street, a neighborhood, a town, a city or even a nation.

Who or what do you represent?  Do you take pride in where you are from? Are you putting forth an effort to improve “your part of town?”

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
Tuff Crew uses a simile  to stress their point about taking out all competition and opposition: “Counting ’em down like math.” Both similes and metaphors are excellent ways to demonstrate a point because it offers comparison to ensure that the lister has a clear understanding, and it also presents the information in a way that requires some critical thinking on behalf of the listener rather than stating it plainly.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #16: Homage to Philly Edition

23 Apr

“Oh Ohhhhhh
You got it!
The glamorous life!”

—Cool C, “The Glamorous Life”

Cool C Glamourous LifeClick here to watch the original video!!

The homage to Philly rappers continues.  There truly are so many talented Philly rappers, past and present, who have made an impact on this culture and on me.  Last week, I discussed Three Times Dope, so of course I must acknowledge EST’s rival at the time, who came out with a song “dissing” EST’s philosophy on “Funky Dividends,”  Cool C (Christopher Roney) with his song “Glamorous Life.”

“Glamorous Life” is definitely a classic party song with a chorus that beckoned all listeners to sing along.  The “oh ohhhhh” is even still utilized by some party goers today, some twenty years later.  Are these specific lyrics actually profound?  Not quite.  But they speak to a deeper societal issue that apparently plagued Cool C later on in his faltering rap career.   Also, so many of us are willing to compromise our ethics and will stop at nothing to attain this appealing “glamorous lifestyle.”

In 1996, Cool C was involved in a botched bank robbery in Philadelphia where he brutally shot a female police officer, Lauretha Vaird, resulting in her death.  Cool C proclaims to be innocent  though the evidence against him proves otherwise.  He was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in 2006 but was granted a stay of execution.  “How glamorous is it to take another person’s life for riches?”

What is the “glamorous life” anyway?  Is it wearing only designer clothing, living in a luxurious home, driving a fancy car  and attaining all of the materialistic items you desire?  Of course, I admire those people who have worked hard, paid their dues, and are now reaping the benefits of a fabulous lifestyle where they want for nothing, but what about those who are willing to rob and kill to attain them?

Perhaps you haven’t robbed or killed anybody , but you have been perpetuating the image of this so-called “glamorous life.” Has it caught up with you as a result of the recession?  Naturally, people want to feel good about themselves or simply want to attain the “dream” of having it all: who doesn’t?  But how glamorous is it to have designer clothes but still live with your parents at 40?   How glamorous is it to receive an eviction or foreclosure notice on a place that is well beyond your means or to to have this wonderful place but only have enough money to pay the mortgage and can’t keep the lights or heat on regularly?  How glamorous is it to see your fancy car being towed away by a repo truck or to not be able to drive it because you can only afford the car payments, not the insurance or gas to fill the tank?

The term glamorous is relative to whom you ask.  Nevertheless, something to consider is once “you got it,” whatever that “it” might be, will you truly be happy?

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
Cool C employs an excellent technique to engage listeners and party goers in the chorus of the song “Glamorous Life.”  Chants are common in many African cultures and are usually quite rhythmic.  “Oh ohhh….You got it!  The glamorous life!” is by far one of the most memorable examples of a chant from the late 80s early 90s Philly rap vault.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #15: Homage to Philly Edition

16 Apr

“EST is the one that’s so original 
The boy so live should have his name on your cereal 
Instead of Swatch you wear a sinister watch 
Worn by the suckers who be swearin they clock 
Cause ain’t nobody takin’ my place, you know what I mean? 
Instead of Guess you wear some ES jeans 
Tight around your putang, so when you shake that thang 
Everybody wants you shake it again !”

—Three Times Dope, “Greatest Man Alive”

Three Times DopeClick here to watch the original video!!

This month, I would like to pay homage to some of the Philly rappers from the past and present who have made an impact on this culture and on me.  When I think about a rap group  who not only put Philly on the map on a national and even  international level but also put my neighborhood on the map, I think of Three Times Dope consisting of EST (Robert Waller), Chuck Nice (Walter Griggs) and Woody Wood (Duerwood Beale).

I was in middle school when I was first introduced to this “Acknickulous” trio, and I loved their style while many guys tried to don EST’s hair cut.  As a result of the members being from my neighborhood, the anticipation of possibly meeting them was something else.  Classmates and friends would often claim to be their relatives or neighbors.  These guys really made me feel proud to be from Logan.

Three Times Dope released the song, “Greatest Man Alive ” around 1989, and it was an instant hit and party song.  The beat was booming, and the lyrics and delivery were tight.

What is it that makes these specific lyrics so profound?  It’s the content.  EST was so confident and put forth an entire song full of bravado which was way before it’s time.  In the late 1980s and even early 90s most rappers would simply brag about what type of designer clothing they are wearing lining the pockets of many companies giving them free advertisement in their songs.  But EST cavalierly states that in being the greatest man alive that people should don clothing and even eat cereal with “his” name on the label.  “Cause ain’t nobody takin’ his place!”   Now, almost every rapper has either a clothing or footwear line or perfume or cologne.  The artists are starting to get it!  No if only the rest of us would.

What makes you the greatest “man” or “woman” alive?  Is it what you wear, what you eat or how you present yourself?  Do you follow what the masses do, or do they follow you?  Who’s setting the trends?  EST even embraced being the “unusual” fellow or the “original” while many people just want to fit in with the crowd and sheepishly follow the herd.  Are “you” the greatest man or woman alive?

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
EST of Three Times Dope uses a double negative to stress his point which is commonly used in raps songs, “Cause ain’t nobody takin’ my place, you know what I mean?” It is not uncommon for rap lyrics and many types of creative writing, to use a specific type of vernacular or common day speech because it is the voice of the writer or the persona or it has a better flow or sound because of the syllables or meter in the line. Keep in mind that many rappers who are well-versed and considered lyricists tend to familiarize themselves with the standard grammar rules prior to breaking the rules in their lyrics.

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #14: Homage to Philly Edition

9 Apr

“The most original, amazing, astounding, miraculous
remarkable, startling, sensational, stupendous
music, that has ever been created
is ours – but believe me it was complicated
But we have done it, so now we can breathe
a long awaited sigh of relief
This isn’t a publicity stunt
It’s the raw untouched, pure, hard brand new funk!”

—DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, “Brand New Funk”


This month, I would like to pay homage to some of the Philly rappers from the past and present who have made an impact on this culture and on me.  When I think about a rap group  who really put Philly on the map on a national and even  international level, I think of DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeff Townes) and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) without hesitation.

I was in grade school when I was first introduced to this magnificent duo, and they were actually artists played on the radio who my mom even liked.  Of course, some people may complain that Fresh Prince’s lyrics were squeeky clean or “bubble gum” raps, but what’s wrong with that?  I was a little kid and loved his music.  He got the most air play at the skating rink when I was younger.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince released the song, “Brand New Funk” around 1987.  Even though the song was released during the summer, I will never forget the first time I really began listening to the lyrics rather than simply bopping my head to the beat.  My art teacher would allow students to bring in music to listen to as we worked on our classroom projects, and this kid Bernard brought in DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.  The delivery of the lyrics  had me entranced so much that I learned the song line by line.

What is it that makes these lyrics so profound?  Two words:  vocabulary enhancement!  I have always loved learning new words, and “Brand New Funk” helped me to expand my vocabulary.  In many of Fresh Prince’s songs, I’d learn a new word.  There was something “miraculous” about his style.  He was beyond simply using slang and a handful of curse words.  He is one of the reasons I started writing raps.

When is the last time your vocabulary was enhanced as a result of listening to a rap song?  Do you ever look up words recited in rap songs that you don’t know, or do you just sing along never knowing what you’re actually saying?  Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince released many catchy songs throughout the 1980s and 1990s, but this song in particular will always be a classic to me.  How “stupendous” is it to be able to dance to a rap song with a “funky” beat and get a vocabulary lesson simultaneously?

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
Fresh Prince employs a couplet rhyme in these lyrics; however, some of them are actually slant rhymes focusing on the assonance (vowel) sound within the word, such as “breathe” and “relief” or “stunt” and “funk.”

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Profound Hip Hop Quote #13: Homage to Philly Edition

2 Apr

“PSK, we’re makin that green
People always say, “What the hell does that mean?”
P for the people who can’t understand
How one homeboy became a man
S for the way we scream and shout
One by one I’m knockin you out
K for the way my DJ kuttin
Other MC’s, man, they ain’t sayin nothin
Rockin on to the brink of dawn
I think, Code Money, yo time is on”

—Schooly D, “PSK, What Does It Mean?”

When people think about the origins of hip hop music, they immediately think of New York.  Of course, much respect is due to New York; however, there were and are many talented rappers who hail from Philadelphia.  This month, I would like to pay homage to some of the Philly rappers from the past and present who have made an impact on this culture and on me.

I was in grade school when Schoolly D released the song, “PSK, What Does It Mean?” in 1986, yet I will never forget the first time I heard it.  While I was outside playing, this guy walked by with a huge boom box on his shoulder with the base blaring for all to hear.  The instrumental was alluring, and the way the guy was rapping over the beat was so mesmerizing; I couldn’t help but bop my head and try to sing along to the catchy hook.  Even though the song was not played within my household, I heard it booming from people’s cars and radios at school, in the neighborhood and at the park.

Are these lyrics the most profound; not quite, but it’s the hidden message behind the entire song that is extremely notable. When I was very young, I learnt about acronyms and thought it was so cool that this guy was using them in a song.  Years later, I learned that PSK did not stand for what I thought it stood for: according to the song.  It actually represented the Park Side Killas, a street gang from West Philadelphia.  I grew up in a neighborhood called Logan, in Northwest Philadelphia and was only a naïve sheltered child, so I knew nothing about  gangs nor West Philadelphia.

In researching further, I found that Schoolly D’s song  is often recognized as one of the most influential gangsta rap songs and played a significant role in the molding of future gangsta rappers such as NWA and Ice-T.  PSK is a perfect example of how some people become so attracted to the beat that they either do not take the time or just are not mature enough to know what the song is really talking about.

When is the last time that you did more than listen to the beat an actually analyze the song?  Do you just automatically sing along or hop out on the dance floor without knowing what the artist is really saying?  Even though I do consider the song to be a classic, Schoolly D taught me a valuable lesson; a song is more than a solid beat and words.  Dig deeper to find the true meaning.

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
An acronym is a word created from the first initials in a series of words such as PSK which means Park Side Killas.

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