Am I still Hip Hop?

I wont apologize because I don't wear my jeans baggy enough for you to see my butt...
I respect women, make an honest livin, I dont watch television...
Through my years I've become humble and modest...
A goal that wasnt accomplished in a prison.
Am I still Hip Hop?
If not I understand...
I have separated my self from a generation of exposed underpants...
Meaningless facial tattoo, obnoxious rap grooves, gaudy jewelery, no self respect, & reckless attitudes...
I still burn up cyphers though, word play is crazy, im nice with the flow.
Peep it..
Even Jesus would preach this thesis to students and teachers. I was cursed as a fetus to hear the truth, blurt and repeat it. Watch me put these words in a sequence to ignite a surge, that will even give courage to the weakest, so they can face their fear and defeat it...
Yea I know I can spit...
I can hang with the best of em.
but I dont rap about my chain or my gun...I dont have one
no cars, no "bitches", no cribs, no riches...
I just have these bars that are the opposite of fiction...
Am I still Hip Hop?
If not its cool...
On my block we go to school
maybe three gun shots a year, and it was probably by a fool with something to prove...
The police are actually bored around my way, so yes the black youth is still harassed and unjustly tried..
Out of boredom of our law enforcement...
Nothing to do, they were picked on in school, beat up, ignored, and had no girl...
so they grew up, got a gun & a badge and took their frustrations out on the world...
I still dont like the police...
now if that isnt hip hop, I dont know what is.
Hip Hop gave us a righteous voice at one point and time.
We'd have our choice of rhymes, and we would actually make a point.
now it seems that voice is muffled, screaming so loud from the underground.
But the sound cant reach past the clouds and into the stars and speak loud enough to make a change.
Is that Hip Hop?
Or is that a culture divided, manipulated, and blinded?
A way to feed babies taken for granted.
A way to give the jobless jobs, and even make a way for your grandkid's grandkids
see...you got me preachin...
but thats all I know how to do when im disgusted with the current state of things...
I have this mic, and no other way to make a change.
I AM HIP HOP
I'm the MC that you doubt...
Never thought lil ol James would have an opinion or an identity...the boy got skills...
thats a given, most definitely...
Or am I just delusional, a wanna be...lol either way I love me...
I "speak proper", im not a pimp, I wear what I want and my sneakers are still hotter!
I can burn up 99% of you artists and still care enough to pick you up after I knock you down.
lift you up, wake you up, and build you up, cause you to realize that you look like a clown...
guess im just the modern day conscious MC, honest and aware of the way I live
so if its life or the mic, either way I Love Hip Hop...
Now Playing: Right On by The Roots ft Joanna Newsome & STS