Deathmatch Counter-headbutt: Best rap lyrics

I'm not gonna lie, this was a struggle. With my preference for socially-conscious hip hop and the fact the "Make It Rain" was taken -- not too mention the fear of commenter wrath due to possible misspellings of Olde English brand malt liquor -- much self-medication (and Old English) was needed to make up the mind.

So I channelled my inner angry black man, realized if I was born brown in the projects I'd be dead by now and came up with this list.

Three 6 Mafia - Stay Fly

Gotta stay fly-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i
Until I Die-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i


With lyrics like those, its really no surprise these guys are the only oscar winners on this list.

But seriously...

NWA - Fuck the police

Fuck the police comin straight from the underground
Young nigga got it bad cause I'm brown

This opening salvo from the original gangsta-rappers forced countless whitebread middle Americans to sit up and take notice of the true problem facing the nation's urban areas. Not crack, gang-violence or shitty schools -- but Ice Cube's lack of respect for the law.



Eminem - Who Knew?

Fuck shit ass bitch cunt, shooby-de-doo-wop
Skibbedy-be-bop, a-Christopher Reeves
Sonny Bono, skis horses and hittin some trees



Marshall Mathers first two albums have some of the most innovative/make-you-think lyrics and flows to hit mainstream rap since Wu Tang's 36 Chambers. Like a hip hop South Park from 8 mile, pushing the limits of obscenity just because he can. This isn't even close to the most disturbing lyric the came up with (For that look to 97 Bonnie and Clyde, an entire song based on Will Smith's "Just the Two of Us" where Em tells his daughter about killing her mother). But for pure vulgarity and shock value it's hard to top.


Wu Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.

Cash, Rules, Everything, Around, Me
C.R.E.A.M.
Get the money
Dolla dolla bill y'all



With all apologies to when RZA says "And the survey said -- ya dead," I'll go with the chorus from arguably the best song off the East Coast hip hop collective's seminal album. RIP ODB.


Dead Prez - Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)

Got me flippin burgers with no power
Can't even buy one off what I make in a hour

With Dead Prez, revolutionary but gangsta (RBG), its tough to narrow it down to just one lyric. One track will say how you need "be careful how you season and prepare your foods, cause you don't wanna lose vitamins and minerals" and the next will talk about "runnin up on them crackers in they city hall."

But as far a profound statements go, the "flippin burgers" line is the kind that cuts deep so anyone can understand it. Plus that track has verses on robbing the pizza boy and committing credit card fraud. Fuck it here's the video.