I got to hit you up with a homage to the best
Originators and creators whom i got to give respect
When Kool Herc threw house parties in the Bronx
And mixed the drum break of two different songs

This way the drum break continuously played
'Hip hop' was created by the DJ
Herc got upon the mic and kept the crowd going
Before you know it other MC's started flowing

Flash & the 3 Emcees in the mid 70's
Kurtis blow Red Alert, Lovebug Starski
Granmaster Kaz, Bambaata, Busy Bee
Theodore the Wizzard with the scratch technique

By the time '79 Furious Five and Lady B
Grandmaster Flash Superrappin' to the beat
With Rapper's Delight Sugar Hill got the cake
In 1980 Kurtis Blow brought the Breaks

This was nineteen eighty one and this story isn't done
Cuz by the time the year eighty-two had begun
Afrika Bambaataa started to have a little fun
the planet rocked and beats were st8 up bangin out the slum

Then came The Message of Grandmaster Flash
Rhyming was expression not only for the cash
One year later Rockit on the album Future Shock
Was dropped by an artist known as Herbie Hancock

This was eighty three the year that you can also see
It's like that by Run DMC
On Sucker MC's breakdancing to the beat
'84 Ice-T Reckless and Beat Street

Eighty Five LL Rocked The Bells up at the party
when Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick would sing Lodi Dodi
In eighty-six the spices went into the mix
The year Salt-N-Pepa was Ah-tssh-Pushin' it

I was born this very year that it got real
I came into this earth with a License to Ill
Also Doug-E-Fresh Boogie Down and Public Enemy
Eighty-seven oldschool like KRS in Elementary

At Six in the Mornin' - I Ain't No Joke
Schooly D - PSK - Smell the crack smoke
So long live the Kane, Livin' Large Gettin Paid
We about to enter nineteen-eighty-eight

Strictly Business on CD of EPMD
Straight Outta Compton G's said 'Fuck the Police'
This aint no typical type of Children's Story
You can catch a Critical Beatdown in the wrong territory

Nineteen eighty-nine paved the Road To The Riches
When Kool G Rap & Polo were getting all the bitches
Biz Markie said eyyo it's called The Vapors
And The D.O.C. Premiers in Deep Concentration

In the Nine-O Cube was Rollin With Da Lench Mob
G Rap & Polo were On The Run from the real mob
At Your Own Risk with King Tee - Gettin Stupid
In this era PARIS dropped The Devil Made Me Do It

Straight Checkn' ninety-one Growing Up In The Hood
How can I Just Kill a man - Cypress Hill, understood
De La Soul knows that I'm Keepin The Faith
While i'm jumping on Just To Get A Rep with the bass

GZA got down with the words from a Genius
Ice-T O.G. you best believe this
The year you got fucked with No Vaseline
Main Source lit up the BBQ with gasoline

The beat of The Scenario would splash your spleen
and Pac's Words of Wisdom shook up the scene
Niggety ninety-two got diggety Dead Serious
Mecca and the Soul Brother - (yo I know you're hearing this)

You could hear Outta Here by Diamond D
Deeez Nuts Dre, Snoop n Nate D-O-double-G
EPMD the headbanger with Funk Docta Spot
And Ill Street Blues made the block rock

Cops went to Hell when the Mobb was blastin
Redman told em it was 'time Time 4 Sum Aksion'
Life is Too $hort in Oakland on the westside 'cuz,
to stay alive, Only The Strong Survive

Enta the stage of nine-three Illmatic Til' Infinity
Bacdafucup Doggystyle Still Nighteen Naughty III
Bush Killa Sound Of Da Police That's How I'm Livin'
Play MC breed or Masta Ace Cold Chillin'

Nine-Four Word...Life D Original Mass Appeal
I came to Bring The Pain cuz I'm packing Blue Steel
Party and Bullshit Whutcha Want I got the Nine
the Clan In Da Front and we Ready To Die

Put It On Nine-five as we spark Mad Izm
Infamous Rappaz R.N. Dainja the Proof is Livin'
A.G. Wreckonize Smif-N-Wessun Got The Flavor
RZA GZA did a Lik-wit the Killahs 4th Chamber

Earlier this Group Home'd in on Cuban Linx
How High are we entering nineteen ninety six
Now The Score was Lost Boyz, all that Legal Drug Money
Jeru said One Day in Da Storm of O.G.C.

Calling Heltah Skeltah asking what's The Place To Be
P - said: Who Dis, too early, call me Nocturnal-ly.
Flipmode and Def Squad around Slum Village
California Love for Hell on Earth is a Stark-Killah

Now from nineteen ninety-seven i'ma have to leave you guessing
This is where I end my little history lesson
But 'hip hop', will never come to an ending
One love to the headz forever representin'