Dear Hip Hop,

I’m sorry I’m not saying this to your face

It’s just that lately you’ve been scaring me

I wish I could say it’s not you but me,

But,

It’s definitely you

You’ve changed

Gone deranged

Rearranged

In a way that is making me feel increasingly

Strange

I mean 50 cents is good for pocket change

But what are you really trying to say hip-hop?

Stop

Don’t talk

Let me reflect on the poetry

You once were

Holding a hairbrush

Microphone

Rhyming with Rakim

And KRS-one

Really hip-hop

How could you cheat on me with Lil’ Jon and Cash

Money

Funny

There isn’t that much money where we come from

Just machines tapping out drums

But some of us were to broke for that

So we made the music with our mouths

Now it’s just about the bizz

That dollar,

Dollar

Bill y’all

Holler for a thrill y’all

You need to slow down with Brand Nubian

Or just chill

With EPMD

Stop copying fallen legends

Re-releasing their remix

So Diddy

Can keep from being a relic

I mean bling-bling is the sound of locks

On an apartment door

Can’t we talk about that hip-hop?

Stop

We can’t talk

Communication is gone

I’m severing this relationship

Because now it’s just time to move on.

1.

I had a beer with President Obama

Couldn’t do that with Bush

Talked Basketball and Jay-Z

Seriously

2.

American pride

Flag dyed on skin

Inked black

White House Black

Dad is watching

3.

Shirts worn proudly

Dreams decorating sleeves

Tears roll across rivers

Wind swept masses making the moment

Hope came to those who can

4.

Fox News shows the speech of the fallen

He does not drink beer

He has never seen the house Laura picked out

Seriously

5.

Aretha sang an American spiritual

On the day my America became spiritual

The day my Irish self

Found

My reflection

In my African self

Against Orlando Magic

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