Macklemore - Welcome to the Culture lyrics

In life, seven going symphony
I orchestrate my music willingly
Like emus? making history
Mentally we’re manipulated by
The music industry
It’s conference, chivalry, creativity
Lyrically step up and take a stand
But, if you over-stand
Linguistically then represent
For it is evident that the dead president is
Taking our culture out of it's element
And my testament is to get it back
Take propaganda and insert facts
Starting a positive revolution within
The rap, clash, and that’s vain called
Jewelry ice and money and women
Don’t mean a thang
It’s a shame what we listen to
"In actuality it’s hurting who?" Me and you
Originating a negative that America
Looks up to and we think it’s cool


But in reality it’s whack
And the media associates hip
Hop with commercialized rap
I’m taking it back to the positivity
Provocative productivity
Rebelling against this industry
Drop if it’s hot, drop it if it’s pop
Doesn't pop and lock? Then it
Really ain’t hip hop so don’t cop it
But this is the only way that
We are going to stop it
If they don’t make a profit then
There won’t be a market do the math
Listen to the music that comes from the soul
Most quote, unquote MC’s are in it
Strictly for the bankroll
And have no mind control
Behold, when the trend ends, they get back
Silly bitchin' for the check
What the fuck did you expect?

Welcome to the culture
If you don’t know it’s called hip hop
If you knew, sorry for the review
But it looks like a lot forgot
We bomb cities, pop and lock
Spinning our records as we rock
To the beats on the streets
Kicked over a beatbox intellectual evolution
Consciousness distribution
Substitution soul speaking sound service
Is my solution strictly b-boy
No decoy hot boy stuck in irrelevance
Hip hop prolonging the art
Bringing it back to the elements

Let’s get back to the basics
Step one, knowledge of self
If you don’t know yourself you won’t
Be content with evil wealth
Many seek to find a peaceful state of mind
Assuming that finances verbalize
But you walk the line? Ignorance is bliss
Surprise so if you are stuck
On manatary? Monetary mersany?
You will never learn that the best
Things in life rest eternally
I don’t put music out of my purpose
And my service to my mental, well folk
Without it the other steps are worthless
Shining, shimmering light
Despite counterclockwise movements
So I listen to my intuition
And let my eternal ways
And release my inking in
Fluent congruent fashion
Pardon the provocative exceeding
Ear drum boundaries, i’m lasting
So the fakes get crossed out
Because we don’t need ya
I’m second cheese wannabe MC’s end
Up taste-testing for Velveeta
Y'all some bitch made
Paper-weight, deteriorate
On the couch ejaculate i got to regulate
Innovate, operate, and never do shit
All you talkers make me sick
Thinking that smoking weed on
Your couch is gonna
Get you a record exec on yo dick, and
Get you a deal?
Look in the mirror and honestly tell yourself
That you are Keeping it real, but you lying
Listen to your heart and
Hopefully you will learn
That your actions speak louder
Than your words

Welcome to the culture
If you don’t know it’s called hip hop
If you knew, sorry for the review
But it looks like a lot forgot
We bomb cities, pop and lock
Spinning our records as we rock
To the beats on the streets
Kicked over a beatbox intellectual evolution
Consciousness distribution
Substitution soul speaking sound service
Is my solution strictly b-boy
No decoy hot boy stuck in irrelevance
Hip hop prolonging the art
Bringing it back to the elements
Welcome to the culture
If you don’t know it’s called hip hop
If you knew, sorry for the review
But it looks like a lot forgot
We bomb cities, pop and lock
Spinning our records as we rock
To the beats on the streets
Kicked over a beatbox intellectual evolution
Consciousness distribution
Substitution soul speaking sound service
Is my solution strictly b-boy
No decoy hot boy stuck in irrelevance
Hip hop prolonging the art
Bringing it back to the elements

The drum of the heart was the start
The civilization to embark
So our art’s origin is the drum
Our cerebrum is our brain
Our body is the temple
And you treating that right
Yo that’s essential to yo mental
And I wanna preach
But I figure MC’s have the power
And if they have the talent
They can reach ya audience
Without displaying cockiness
Hopefully you gain insight to real but
Demo bumping' progress Of the occupants
Because this is rhythm
If it comes from the soul
Your skills shall unfold
And the truth shall be told
Bankrolls and hoes show cultural neglect
Let’s prolong this art
And show our culture respect

Welcome to the culture
If you don’t know it’s called hip hop
If you knew, sorry for the review
But it looks like a lot forgot
We bomb cities, pop and lock
Spinning our records as we rock
To the beats on the streets
Kicked over a beatbox intellectual evolution
Consciousness distribution
Substitution soul speaking sound service
Is my solution strictly b-boy
No decoy hot boy stuck in irrelevance
Hip hop prolonging the art
Bringing it back to the elements
Welcome to the culture
If you don’t know it’s called hip hop
If you knew, sorry for the review
But it looks like a lot forgot
We bomb cities, pop and lock
Spinning our records as we rock
To the beats on the streets
Kicked over a beatbox intellectual evolution
Consciousness distribution
Substitution soul speaking sound service
Is my solution strictly b-boy
No decoy hot boy stuck in irrelevance
Hip hop prolonging the art
Bringing it back to the elements