Riches, Royalty, Respect
The Fix
Kool G Rap
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
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AB: So who does Gang Starr listen✦ to?
G: I listen✦ to slow jams from the old days. I listen✦ to the new school slow jams to. I chill with my crew in an ‘86 Cadillac—it isn’t no new one. We just chill. Just because✦ I don’t rhyme with all the curses✦ and what they call “Gangster✦ Rap,” I don’t feel I have to talk about✦ it because✦ I been through a lot of it. All that does not impress a real person✦ who has been through it
AB: Who do you listen✦ to in Hip Hop?
G: It started✦ with the old school. A lot of rappers be tryin’ to act like the old school does not matter.✦ I give credit✦ where credit✦ is due. Like the old school movies✦ like Wild Style. They had my man Busy✦ Bee in there rockin’✦ the mic. He spelled a big B on the bed at his hotel✦ with the dollars he made at the show! I listen✦ to "Double Trouble." Run-DMC, they changed the format.✦ Kool G Rap - the first original gangster✦ style, ever.✦ You talkin’✦ about✦ Gangster✦ Rap. You over✦ here talking about,✦ “We did this, we stole this from the next man.” He ain’t tryin’ to hear all that! His lyrics,✦ and the way he displays his lyrics✦ show that. He has a lisp like my man [Erick Sermon]✦ in EPMD. It does not matter,✦ look at his styles✦ and the way he flips his lyrics✦
People often✦ ask me what I think of N.W.A. “since you’re positive.”✦ If I was "Mr. Positive,"✦ I’d say “Let’s all hold hands.” But I don’t rhyme like that. I write about✦ street shit, but in a different way. All I say is that they are another✦ voice. Rap is an expression✦ of Black urban✦ life today.✦ Urban✦ Life. It’s just an expression✦
AB: I notice✦ you did not swear on Step in the Arena.✦ Was that a conscious✦ decision?✦
G: No. I mean, I’ll say a "shit" or a "fuck" if I want to. There was one on "Who’s Gonna✦ Take the Weight," and one on "Step in the Arena."✦
AB: Who was that at the beginning of "Who’s Gonna✦ Take the Weight"?
G: I don’t know. He was introducing [Minister Louis] Farrakhan, but I’m forgetting his name right now. But can I talk about✦ something? Can I talk about✦ religion?✦
Since I did "Manifest," everybody was asking✦ me if I was Five Percent [Nation✦ of Gods and Earths] like groups like Brand Nubian,✦ Rakim,✦ King Sun, Poor Righteous✦ Teachers.✦ I love what all them brothas✦ are doing. But I’ll put it to you like this: A lot of my boys are [Five Percenters], I know a lot of people that are. But I do not practice that doctrine. I do know one thing. When the brother✦ that started✦ it [Clarence✦ 13 X] went out into✦ the streets and started✦ this kind of stuff in New York, this stuff was mainly✦ in New York. They call Jersey✦ "New Jerusalem," Brooklyn is "Medina,"✦ "Mecca"✦ is Harlem,✦ Queens was ummm
AB: What’s "Divine✦ Land"?
G: That’s the projects where Poor Righteous✦ Teachers✦ are from. But I was up on it. The brotha✦ did that so that the mindstate could change. Tryin’ to have self-esteem. If you feel like you got your knowledge of self together, then give it to the next man
Brothas✦ get divided. “Oh, you this kinda✦ Muslim,✦ you that kinda✦ Muslim.”✦ They got more than six types✦ of Muslims!✦ Christians don’t want to talk to Muslims.✦ Buddhists are spiritual people too. They may not believe in God the way someone else might see it. But it’s a mystic✦ law that means being a good person✦ and what you do comes✦ back on you! All of that is to say that I support✦ all of that. I support✦ anything✦ that uplifts✦ the humanity and uplifts✦ the black man. Don’t trip on what I am or anything✦ like that
That’s why I’m called✦ the Guru.✦ My sister’s Buddhist, my cousin✦ is Muslim.✦ They got me outta✦ a lot of trouble when I was wildin’✦ when I was younger. They brought Islam to me. They brought that to me to get me on the right path
Then I studied a bunch of other✦ stuff to. So, that’s why I call myself✦ the Guru✦
When I went to Morehouse✦ College in Atlanta, I had one of the most profound religious✦ teachers,✦ Dr. [Lawrence]✦ Carter.✦ He taught us about✦ all the religions of the world, and how we’re separated over✦ silly✦ superficial reasons
Technical Breakdown
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Production
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