Once a rapper puts something on wax, for better or worse, it lives in the ether forever. Sometimes this results in the artist spitting out lines that have lost their staleness over time, sometimes making them look silly. Instead, sometimes hosts drop bars that are as aged as fine wine and almost prophetic.
In 1998, Jay-Z addressed his dramatic lifestyle in the song “Money, Cash, H*es” from Vol 2…Hard Knock Life, a collaboration with DMX. Especially when there are some bars like Nia Long whose accuracy is outdated.
“Damn, I live a life that could write a book,” Hov raps on the Swizz Beatz-produced track. “Sex, murder, mayhem and romance in the streets/Man, I’m telling you, this is going to be a bestseller.”
Twelve years later, Giga did co-write the 2010 memoir “Decoded.” The autobiographical book, co-written by author Drem Hampton, did reach the top of the New York Times bestseller list shortly after its publication.
In 2022, it seems like Drake is still your favorite rapper’s favorite collaborator. That year, he teamed up with Jack Harlow on the single “Churchill Downs” and rapped: “Luckily, the guys that ain’t gonna hang out with me/Gonna hang out with the guys that ain’t gonna hang out with me Fuck me /This shit is getting ugly.
Time will prove that Aubrey’s lyrics are correct, as he was joined by several rappers and a producer on the Future and Metro Boomin albums “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust,” In defensive mode in the first half of 2024.
From the broad to the oddly specific, rappers spit out lyrics that have dated 11 times.
