Hip Hop Poem by Christopher Biddle

This is hip hop, lil Goofy's version
Cause Hip Hop represents me as a person
My life, My outlook, My essence
My integrity, My honor, My blessings
The way I act and the way I look,
The way I react and the roads I've took.
It all comes back to the culture I've adopted
Not co-opted
This is not an experiment, phase or project
This is life, at least as I see it
Too many people jumpin' on bandwagons, talkin' but not bein it
It's got nothing to do with trying to be cool
Nothing to do with being new school
Alot of so-called hip hoppers don't know or care about the history
And that is the kind of stuff that pisses me off and puts me into misery
Thinking your 50's and Dips represent the whole picture
The whole view, and if you do to you
Then we know who's playin' the fool.

Too many people use it as a ploy, a joke and pretend
But they don't care what happens to it come day's end
Trying to steal an image and play the role
Using parts of it, but never the whole
They call it the game, but it's a serious thang
It's not just jewels, fat chains and diamond studded rings
It's not just slang It's not just fame
It's not just having a cool sounding rap name
Its a way of conducting your behaviour, and living your life
It's the feelings and emotions you convey when you pick up a mic
Or a pen, a pad, even a notebook
Writing for enjoyment, not trying to sell a catchy hook
It's not even about money, honey's or cars
It's about struggle, and what you can achieve if you willing to try hard
It's about your code of ethics, the rules you live your life by
The honor you hope people say you had when you die
The way you look at things, your entire outlook
Someone creating poetry even though they grew up without books
It's why I dress the way I do, it's not about looking like a rapper
That's not the look I'm after
It's about a type of vibe I'm trying to capture
I'm not anti-gangsta, but these wannabe thugs look like actors
Always bandana's and jerseys, standard phony attire
Please just retire that stuff it's so tired
Hip Hop's about originality, not being a clone
That's why I don't care if your rims are chrome
Why I don't care about the size of your home
Why I don't believe you when you say you'll stick a gun to the side of my dome
Seriously tho, the frontin? Let me sum it all up like this:
It really don't make sense to me
To be talkin' bout Bentley's when you cruisin' a Buick Century
So please, don't disprespect this culture that I've taken to heart
Be a a part of the whole, instead of just playin' a part

I know myself and I stay true/
But can you say the same for you? /
This aint a game, ain't nothing new/
Listen ya'll, this is HIP HOP but is it you?

Peace to the real heads...
LiL Goofy