Ruthless Records, 1988
Express Yourself
(Ice Cube)
[Dr. Dre]
Yo man there’s a lot of brothers out there
flakin and perpetratin but scared to kick reality
[Ice Cube]
Man, you been doin all this dope producin
You ain’t had a chance to show ’em what time it is
[Dr. Dre]
So what you want me to do?
{Express yourself!}
[Dr. Dre]
I’m expressin with my full capabilities
And now I’m livin in correctional facilities
Cause some don’t agree with how I do this
I get straight and meditate like a Buddhist
I’m droppin flava, my behaviour is hereditary
But my technique is very necessary
Blame it on Ice Cube; because he said it gets funky
when you got a subject and a predicate
Add it on a dope beat; and it’ll make you think
Some suckers just tickle me pink – to my stomach
Cause they don’t flow like this one
You know what? I won’t hesitate to diss one
or two before I’m through, so don’t try to sing this
Some drop science; while I’m droppin english
Even if Yella, makes it a-capella
I still express, yo, I don’t smoke weed or sess
Cause it’s known to give a brother brain damage
And brain damage on the mic don’t manage – NUTHIN
but makin a sucka and you equal
Don’t be another sequel.. {Express yourself!}
{Express yourself!}
{Go on and do it..}
{Express yourself!}
{Express yourself!}
{Go on and do it..}
[Dr. Dre]
Now, gettin back to the PG
That’s program, and it’s easy
Dre is back, new jacks are made hollow
Expressin ain’t their subject because they like to follow
the words, the style, the trend; the records I spin
Again and again and again – yo, you’re on the other end
Whatch a brother playin dope rhymes, with no help
There’s no fessin or guessin while I’m expressin myself
It’s crazy to see people be
what society wants them to be, but not me
RUTHLESS, is the way to go, they know
Others say rhymes which fail to be original
or they kill where the hip-hop starts
Forget about the ghetto, and rap for the pop charts
Some musicians cuss at home
But scared to use profanity when upon the microphone
Yeah, they want reality, but you will hear none
They’d rather exaggerate a little fiction
Some say no to drugs, and take a stand
But after the show, they go lookin for the “Dopeman”
Or they ban my group from the radio
Hear N.W.A. and say, “Hell no!”
But you know it ain’t all about wealth
As long as you make a note to.. {Express yourself!}
{Express yourself!}
{Go on and do it..}
{Express yourself!}
{Express yourself!}
{Go on and do it..}
[Dr. Dre]
{Express yourself!} .. from the heart
cause if you wanna start to move up the chart
then expression is a big part of it
You ain’t efficient when you flow, you ain’t swift
Movin like a tortoise, full of rigor mortis
There’s a little bit more to show
I got rhymes in my mind, embedded like an embryo
or a lesson – all of ’em expression
And if you start fessin, I got a Smith and Wessun for ya
I might ignore your record because it has no bottom
I get loose in the summer winter spring and autumn
It’s Dre on the mic, gettin physical
Doin’ the job, N.W.A is the lynch mob!
Yes I’ma climb, but you know you need this
And the knowledge is growin just like a fetus
or a tumor, but here is the rumor
Dre is in the neighborhood and he’s up to no good
When I start expressin myself, Yella, slam it
Cause if I stay funky like this I’m doin damage
Or I’ma be too hyped, and need a straight jacket
I got knowledge, and other suckers lack it
So, when you see Dre, a DJ on the mic
Ask what it’s like – it’s like we’re gettin hyped tonight
Cause if I strike, it ain’t for your good health
But I won’t strike if you just.. {Express yourself!}