Joe Budden - Who Killed Hip Hop? Lyrics

[Intro:]
Yeah, I'm doin all these interviews
Everybody wanna know what I think about the state of hip hop
Wheather I think it's dead or not?
The question ain't wheather it's dead, It's more like, it's more like,
Who killed it, and when?

[Part 1:]
Can anybody pin-point the day it went wrong I mean I use to blame reggeton'e
I can't front I thought all that was corny
Was it ja's fault Lil' mo said she ain't get paid for put it on me
Look Bring it up and dude's get on some coise shit
Was it t-pain with that funny voice shit?
Or was it lil' wayne with that funny voice shit?
The whole game did grown that funny voice shit
I can't tell when it happend,
Was it when lil' jon show dudes you could sell without rappin
Was it laughy taffy I thought that they was kiddin
Shorty loe said they no I didn't
Dancin became cool again then came walk it out
But I ain't know what the f*ck nigga's was talkin bout'
Unit' kicked game out they ain't give a f*ck
Then we seen the same shit happen to buck
It was a few year's ago but I remember the summer
50' made fan's start lookin at the number's
A&R's won't take risk's they won't sign nigga's
The worst swag came out started to blind nigga's
Rap dude's want reality shows and my dumb ass is thinkin that reality sold
Did it start with the ipod? or when rappers had to pay dj's for them to do they job?
I mean All the content is the same it won't differ
Everybody sold some drugs and pulled triggers
The more you think about it you just gon' get sicker
And why the f*ck nas wanna call shit "nigga" Nigga
Was it when the wu broke up?
Pac, big, pun, went to sleep never woke up
Lupe was doin a tribute and choked up
And some of these stupid ass fan's like so what
Some of them they ain't educated
And f*ck blamin the south we ain't segragated
I mean... was all good around the kiss and beans shit
Took a left turn around the kiss and green shit
Maybe it all started when rock-a-fella parted
Way's... it's natural the shift talk fame
How must everyone one last one of dude's shit on dame
Kinda got that in common I can dig that pain
When they gave jay a desk and suit
They finally gave a rapper a chance to come exucute
But something told me the suits at the tables was hurtin
They fired everybody labels started mergin
As far as sales the decline is strong
Ask the experts they'll say that the climates wrong
I mean some nigga's pride is gone
I peeped it when nigga's started puttin fake diamonds on
You can tell a dude I spit better than you
But then he'll say I'm richer for whatever I do
I seen all this comin I knew what we was in for
Back when eric sermon had jumped out the window
Was it when mase retired and couldn't hack it
Tip could he just needed some more ratchets
Dj's, producers, one's that get us the farthest
Said f*ck rappers and they became the artist's
I gotta talk candid
Did we start havin issues around the same time jimmy and cam did?
Was it when chingy thought he ain't need ludacris?
The Next album found out that that was ludacris
Papoose and clipse both survived inked it with jive then gettin jived
Then the man j-hood rep the d-block gang
Then I seen dude draggin his d-block chain
Or did one hit wonder's change it all along?
They made labels only wanna sign a dude's song
And you really don't know shit if you think the fans pick the video's on 106
I'm just statin the truth...
Did it start when fox stayed in the news more than she did the booth
Or was it when lil' kim stop explotin sex?
And what the f*cks up with dmx I hope dude's straight
Have an opinion and they gonna say you hate
I can't front I'm missin the old' clue tapes
The underground sunk further
The fed's was on irv so the inc dropped murda
I never blame fab, jeezy, rick ross
This shit get lost when shyne went up north
I'll never understand the hip hop police
When hip hop is what hip hop need's to police
These blaent ass radion attempts sound so bland
Twista kept tryin to re-create slow-jams
Did we send the wrong message with our slang?
As broke nigga's blowin they rent to make it rain
So you walk in give a bitch a few 20's
And she'll smurk her face up lookin at you funny
This chick told me she only take new money
"NAH" I snatched my shit back so fast
Or did it start when rappers said f*ck it?
Sacrificed music started rapin they budget?
Nothin wrong with dudes bein candy and pop somethin
It was wrong when JOC hit the candy shop!
We buyin our own records maybe no-one's to blame
Or we a buissness that we can't afford to maintain
The 2nd week show that boy that numbers ain't high
I hate to break it to ya numbers always lie
Or when ortiz signed to aftermath?
And now he's feelin the aftermath
Was it fight klub f*ckin with them battle rap's?
But not too many of em' gettin signed after that!
I mean... some can stay aflot
A million busta albums he still not mentioned with the g.o.a.t
F*ck lookin for answers time will tell
Was it when def jam didn't wanna re-sign L?
A 15 year old told kass was ass
Rather than spaz all dude could do was laugh
Or was when the whole east coast fell off?
Or got comfortable maybe dude's was too well-off
The more nigga's said that they ain't write down lyrics
The more it started to sound like they didn't
But do whatever you can to keep the light's on
But dumb it down just became the dylan
Honestly I ain't know what to think?
A few years ago we had the young kids wearing PINK
I can't blame the fans for not knowin a damn thing
When we trained them to be this way
I mean showed whatever to sell with no limits
Since the early 90's sold em' a false image
And when some shit come that don't fit the mold
It's like a mole nigga you won't even do gold
They watch the videos...
See you on the corner with a whole bunch of people and think that you hood
They turn on the tv and see these video pigeons
And they think these niggas girls really look that good
I mean they get so many free verses
When the album drop's shit is more like a bonus
Why pay for it? why tape own this?

[Part 2:]
With one click of a ouse they could own it
I mean some of them are fooled so easly
By whatever we say or show em' on tv
But that was all part of the plan
Or was it when eminem made stan I swear some of these fan's
They put they whole life on the line
It's like they can't like more than one rapper at a time
Less about the product more about the digits
Is it buissness we got less fans and more critics
Maybe we at a cross
Canibus made one of the dopest diss records but some still say that he lost
I ain't believe my ears when niggas tried to tell me
That krs wanted a rap beef with nelly
If rap was alive we be tryin to be the best rappers ever
NOT THE BEST RAPPER ALIVE!
But you won't get accepted at all if you ain't street tough
Onyx was the hardest till' sticky got beat up
Now I'm a thug how's I gotta behave
If I wanna be paid if I wanna see praise
You know somethings wrong when nigga's is gettin shot
And you gotta sit and wonder if the whole things staged
IT AINT REAL NO MORE
Or did we just expand on our audience maybe we appeal to more
Or do we just think that ya'll gettin dumber
We tried to make gettin older gettin younger
Did we lose our hunger somethings gotta give
Did we out grow our selfs is hip hop for kids
If it is...
They turn on mtv cribs and think that's where these motherf*ckers really live
Or was it when lauren hill dropped a classic
So did the fugee's till wyclef tapped it
Songs don't do nomore this shit's shockin
Seen it when lean back had the whole world rockin
Now it's f*ck the bars if your hook is fly
So we look at crooked I with a crooked eye
Us dope ass rappers ain't seein no dough
If everythings commercial wher the f*cks the show
But anybody makin a dime I'm gonna wish well
Still we took a big L losing big L
Or was it when you tube came in the game
Now nobody's from they livin room can make a name
Or when the indies like koch came and blew up
Nigga's at the majors they litteraly threw up
Too some it ain't fun no more
You know it's f*cked up when dmc don't talk to run no more
Too many ego's like we ain't one no more
Shits predictable niggas ain't stunned no more
We startin to see shit we never seen before
At one point we even had the magizines at war
Or was it street dvd's like smack
Showed just how stupid your favorite rapper would act
This shit get lifeless when mtv made a list of the hottest and ignored the nicest
Changed the whole stee-lo
I mean the average fan never heard of a goodie-mob or a cee-lo
But they heard of gnarlys barkley
And dr. carter still say we got a heartbeat
I ain't gonna lie I was scared to death straight up
Started hearin rumors of an outcast break-up
I was that ain't true it sounds desperate
Then started seein big boi and 3k seperate
Had periods we was drier then the desert
Are we all killin this shit is it a group effort
Are we alive and well or barely survivin
Is it RnB's fault them nigga's is thrivin
Then alot of people go and blame limewire
I don't think it's downloadin dog the limes tired
The the fans just get tired of the outcome
One dope single and a bullshit album
So they share albums with each other
Or was it master p with them ugly ass album covers
Or when we started appearin in the news
Timberland said they ain't want black nigga's wearin they boots
I mean... I know it got foggy atleast blurry
When the label dude got knocked out by keith murray
Or was it when we became obsessed with the brand names
Had the kids tryin to buy shit that they can't name
And some think the evidence is ample
Did it start when puff took advantage of the sample
Is it all water downed with no fire
If you had enough money you could buy a ghost-writer
Or the diamond district jacob the jewler
Had to buy his watch to be looked at as cooler
And f*ckin with them trends
Our stupid asses wasted a hundred grand on shit that ain't even in
Look is the game now as bad as it's ever been
It's not ringtones just the songs that they represent
I heard all em'
Sad part I wouldn't reckonize most of these niggas if I saw em '
I can't explain it I don't know what to tell ya'
Now goin gold is looked at as a failure
Maybe old cats in charge just wern't able
Dj's is spinnin now with no turn table
Maybe the fans are just bored of us
Or maybe there ain't enough room for all of us
It's like even a friendship will stop at a point
Mike jones went platinum off of slim thugs joint
But there's so many ways to get f*ckin rich
Superhead caved off by just suckin dick
Did we sell out just to get into demand more
Did we go against everything we use to stand for
Both the likely
There's two sides of the coin who you rollin with soldier boy or ice-t
Some niggas wanna sit around and complain about
Id rather analyze see how it came about
If we could rewind the world
We wouldn't have to watch flava flave try to find his girl
Look today it's all about marketin a promo
I remember VH1 was just for old' folks
But no ma'am
If I ain't know better I would think that mix show is now programmed
We let the power of a dollar anilate us
How the size of our chain gonna validate us
It's too simple they can't think that we really deep
I JUST HEARD CHRIS BROWN ON THE A-MILLI BEAT
Saw a video corny lookin ass niggas
Grabbed the remote tired of lookin at niggas
But that let a nigga know that if we ain't dead
That we just half alive maybe brain dead
Did it start when capone left nore
Nah he went to jail that's a whole different story

[Part 3:]
Or maybe somethings really wrong with our ears
Obie trice got dropped so much for cheers
Females emcees they don't ever hit the target
Somebody said they seen amill workin at a target
The sad part is we already lost remi
Or did we go wrong when evey eve got skinny
What's up with jackie o rah digga that I can't figure
Trina ain't been the same since "Nan" nigga
I know it had to do somethin to his heartbeat
When lady a rave started doin steve harvey
I know we caught a little trauma
Somewhere between yo yo boss and lil' mama
Alotta females found another way to extort
Most of our video models have turned escort
Do anything to see dough...
So they'll exchange sex with an artist or director for a lead role
Or should we get back to basics
Where's the rakims or the master ace's
The big daddy caines or did we never recover
From dre' not bein on the side of ed lover
Or when rap dudes started signin they friends
Instead of goin out and tryin to find nigga's with skill
Seen it when d-12 put out purple pills
And while the whole hood laughed them niggas sold a mill
Some of us ain't prepared for somethin so lukerative
I just heard yung berg say some stupid shit
Like we almost took one in the torso
When each bone thugs member took they own crossroads
Some disagree some gotta see the same
Or maybe hip hop died on aaliyah plane
If it relocated where did it move too
I still love her the way commom use too
Or did bill o'riley come f*ck up the spirt
With negitive remarks about everybodys lyrics
Spend all this time dissin us
Nigga you 95 years old motherf*cker shouldn't be a listener
Lost jam master who was tougher then leather
Or did it start when trench was f*ckin pepper
As our jeans got tighter and our tee's got longer
I'm tryin to figure which age group do we belong ta
Or did we all go astray the second dr dre left n.w.a
In my opinion we was on easy street when he was beefin with eazy-e
Or did we get f*cked up when producers found a way to cheat
Signin unknown niggas to start makin they beats
If you sell your own shit it gotta go for cheap
Let's put my name on it so the price increase
Or is it cause ery'body so self centerd
Is the reason itself that hip hop ain't centerd
Or had we already seen this shit with our own eyes
When rico suave, hammer and vanilla ice
Everybody want in the game So in return...
Got label executives f*ckin they interns
And anybody lookin at that new vibe bracket
Should see that they don't know a thing about this rap shit
Or maybe we should have stopped bein proud...
When there was no more raukus and no more loud
Tried to get conscience around voe to die
So they made it look like all our vocals lies
As the years go on it's like we keep gettin more voids
We got lost when we lost one of the lost boys
I knew we was impersonanatin the frauds
Then kay slay slapped my man at the awards
Regardless it's all for this artist
Runnin with awnin rodgers who act like they never left the projects
Who do we wanna target...
Will they put an uncle murda cd in a wal-mart or a target
We got the nerve to not wanna hear ras-kass
Or f*ck with vick get silly and act trash
I fel ashamed when j-kwon told me he don't like raekwon cause he stole his name
Was back when everybody in the club got tipsy
Now every contract gotta be 360
So f*ck eatin better scrape the plate
Now every beat gotta have atleast an 808
Did the lights get dim when we first heard MIMS and said
Another new york rapper on the souths tip
Is it over-crowded...
They keep sayin if it's so f*cked up then do somethin about it...
I doubt it
It's just one thing they don't understand
That job is way bigger than just one man
Or maybe all of these pleas that it's deceased it falls and this shit is right where it needs to be
Maybe we built on somethin that will last forever
Seen face and ghetto boyz just got back together
Maybe no one can stop us...
Even other genres now jock us we even do songs with the rockers
How's that the feelin...
Kanye is amazing wayne just sold a million we closer to a ceilin
God we in a coma...
But we the only buissness you can excell with no diploma
Technologyu changed made everything simple
Myspace is now a dude bio slash demo
Aside from this fact we generating more money
We took it global and penetrated other countries
So let's celebrate sip some criss'
Some more shit we embrace just to end up diff
Go and buy the bar out so we can all get bent
Let go cop a bunch of cars just to still pay rent
Or here's another bright idea to entertain
Let's go and put our face on the bottom of a chain
Or some of us just nigga rich with nigga money
Well jews keep laughin look at these niggas dummies
So hip hop should be a steppin stool
Till we find another road we can step into
Some of us doin movies as a matter of fact
But some plan to never stop life after rap
I mean AH...
As a whole did we stop movin further
Around the time snoop dogg went on trial for murder
Or was it scarface creatin these clonies
30 years later everybody still tony
Maybe anybody complainin is deranged
Can you expect somethin to grow and not change
We socially acceppted deviated our own route
It's simplified we all sold out
I think I figured out who's to blame
We started out obama ended up mccain
So we kurt kobained ourselfs if we defeated
So next time they ask who killed it tell em' we did