Original rap/poetry by Larry Montague. Copyright © 2012 Larry Montague. Permission required for reproduction.

"not affluent"

hop off the bus, drop my books—now it’s time to learn
i put in work for the credit that is hard to earn
and dwell in realms not connected by a hallway
i thought about this beat all day
when i was younger i was cool with buildin blubber as i hit the couch
thinkin ‘bout a pretty chic and how to unzip the blouse
then i plugged the headphones in and took the mic out its pouch
and though i went on hiatus i was never in doubt
‘cause i am dead without this outlet
i let out the rage and learned reliance was the key to get out the cage
stuck harmony and harm on the same page
and grew into my stage name before i hit the tender age of twenty
think i care at all about money? that’s funny
i’ve never known dead presidents to uphold your rights

i say whatever and rhyme on straight loops, fuck it
i’m gonna pour it on before i kick the bucket
fresh brew, thick and unfiltered
a lyricist who be in the wilderness—it’s got you bewildered
revitalized 4/4 time, this is two brothers coming from the right angle
complementing one another
and though the net cost of life piles up
we serve this racket simply for the love

oh well, another story to tell
rapper-guy took a trip and settled right where he fell
in grade school i never really learned to type very well
so discover what’s under that funky-colored marble cover
i’m a lover of wonder and what’s a big dharma bummer
is going against the grain like a saw cut through hardwood lumber
so i try to go with the flow
the difference is i make my own flow and travel below in the muck
and i’m the only one here. aw shucks...but i open ears
so if you’re looking for a big-faced watch full of rocks
you should watch someone else rap ‘cause this is not that
this is a rebellious ploy to bring hip hop back
how are we doing with that?

with no allusion to a fortune or fame
we join those rich in zeal to end the corporate reign
get in tune, i’m so down i turn the track blue
so i wrote this while i’m walkin’ down the avenue
with rhymes so wild they call my notepad the jungle book
speakin’ my mind is just an itch i gotta scratch like baloo
the bear necessities are all i can approve
i ignore the glitz ‘cause my interests are not in orbit
boredom makes absorbent kids a market
they haven’t got a clue ‘cause they don’t make an app for it
i’ma slap corporate execs, get the poor people vexed
put pens in their hands and watch the corners connect
a complex intellect perplexed by a world that breaks up in a text
what is love? whoa, hold up. this is when i blow up
get real uncool and throw up this cluttered-mind-muttered-rhyme flow stuff
hop on a bus and head left
get high off of beats and go deaf ‘cause i don’t know my limits
and sometimes i forget to take a breath