Video: Writer Jones - I Am Still Hip Hop (Lyrics)

I was exposed to this spoken word poem from Writer Jones earlier this week and well it is freaking awesome.

Writer Jones is spoken word artist from Portsmouth, Va and he is a contributing journalist for Because I Love Hip Hop.

"I Am STILL Hip Hop" is a moving three minute poem that showcases Writer's appreciation of hip hop. The Portsmouth, Va poet recently released a project called Intellectually Street that you can purchase on iTunes.

Writer Jones was kind enough to send me the lyrics to "I Am Still Hip Hop," I hope you enjoy the depth of lyricism from Writer Jones.

Lyrics for "I Am STILL Hip Hop"

So yeah I am STILL Hip Hop
I'm still graffiti laden backdrops with cardboard dance floors
Still an avid supporter of the grassroots campaign for the art form
That held precedence way before the labels took control
And made it so rappers could have more
Disposable funds provided the chance for more fun but less interesting concepts
More cars and trips to rhyme about but less truth from loose lips
I'm still a fan of methlodic musical manuscripts
Missiles used to sink ships whenever there was a challenge
I'm not a fan of the way that there's no visible balance
between party rhymers and full time punchliners
between skinny jeaners and dominant loose leafers
9th said most of the generation has given up on believing in the culture
and I say he's right because we need more real mcs skilled enough to puncture
the bubble where most new cats nowadays survive and
live shows in the past meant one man, one DJ, and a mic stand
and not 40 people on stage who jumping around who need to pull up their pants
And that's in the literal sense
I know my two cents might not get them to change but at least I'm willing to speak up
and that's how I plan to keep showing my love for the game
my fondest Hip Hop memories involve listening to Rakim and Eric B
dropping classic albums that raised the degree of difficulty
Made it so the ABC lyrics where no longer sufficient and if MCs wanted to stay relevant
shit it was imperative that you mastered that element
Right now a simple conversation about where you went on vacation
or how many chains you rock can get you played on every station
It's like the situation is no longer about how you've developed your craft
and when you try to mention it to the youngsters they suck their teeth, bounce to trap beats
hop on their swagcycles and laugh
Being so Hip Hop I long for the day when pioneers are celebrated
and the issue is no longer any debate about whether they’re too old to rock a crowd
I'm sure the majority will still stand proud and be happy to continue
the same way the Stones and Aerosmith still sell out at home and at international venues
It’s a damn shame how our culture is so one sided
Man I still throw on Criminal Minded and become blinded by the way
KRS took gangster rap and defined it, made it not something to be chastised for
but raised the level of awareness, made it something that should be heard more
And showed that Hip Hop music really was something that we all should applaud
Boys, girls, and parents the same turned something without a name
into something that catapulted inner city poets to fame
I swear to you that I won't change
My age does not dictate my musical taste and the place where I am in life
will not diminish my love for hearing a dope MC demolish a mic
Even through spoken word I will continue to serve the Hip Hop Gods
and if that seems odd to you
then there's really a good amount of soul searching that you might need to do
Claiming the true school era as your own but only showing love for it
when tucked quietly away at home, behind closed doors you rock Award Tour
but out in the street you walk to a different beat
R&B is cool but don't try to fool the people who know you
I know you still love Rob Base's It Takes Two but it’s gonna take me
and the millions of others who/ grew up with this culture like it was a sister or brother
to help bring it back and without the loyalty from one another
It will just fade away and that's the part that smothers my conscience
Com Sense expressed how he used to lover her, but now she's a promiscuous demon
content with screaming about scheming and murdering motherfuckers
I ride the coattails of Straighten It Out and Black Moon tunes
A Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the New School
these new fools don't understand how rich the history is and I understand that
anything that gets big enough people tend to wanna get their share of the ends
but since it’s now the main influence again I'm asking that you recognize
the skill it takes and the happy go lucky fake gangsta rap, help me put an end to it
I am STILL Hip Hop y'all and I'm right here for us all to enjoy
FOREVER