All I ever needed to know...

...I learned from hip hop.

I love my brother, and I respect his career choice, I'm even more impressed that he can make money at it. He does hip hop...my brother is a rapper. And he's good too. Now, rap isn't my music of choice, but I have heard enough to know my brother is talented, and I'm not just saying that because he's my brother. Well, maybe a little bit. His "name" is Sapient, and he came to Phoenix last night as part of the tour he is on. You can find out more about his tour, his music, and download free music here. (I have no idea what's up with the psycho smoking gun-toting cat)

We had the "pleasure" of listening to 6 other rappers before Sapient, and as a teacher I figure any situation can become a lesson learned, so I took the liberty of writing down some of the lyrics I heard last night and I am going to share with you what they taught me.

Lyric: don't no stop
Lesson: hip hop, like poetry, doesn't follow the rules...don't be afraid to be creative

Lyric: real hip hop...it don't stop
Lesson: if it sounds/feels like you want it to stop, it's probably not real hip hop...or worth listening to

Lyric: Get your dream on (homie) you can go a lot further if you think strong
Lesson: if you want to live it, you've got to dream it. This is basic motivational speaker stuff.


Lyric: This ain't funny, so don't you dare laugh
Lesson: If somebody says this to you you're either about to get you A$* whooped, or it really IS funny and the person saying this will laugh about it too...someday

Lyric: push like a mother giving birth...when it hurts I'm gonna push
Lesson: any hardship you are enduring in life can be compared to childbirth, because having a baby is the hardest thing anyone can do in life

Lyric: you make me wanna BREAK SH#*T BREAK SH#*T BREAK SH#*T BREAK SH#*T!
Lesson: People are angry


Lyric: if we don't make then we don't eat so we don't sleep
Lesson: if you want to get anywhere in life you gotta work hard and pay your dues

Lyric: if mama said there'd be days like this I wouldn't have grown up
Lesson: life is hard