"I think the essence of what Hip Hop is about, I mean, I think you people can attest to it, you people that are here, it’s not about money, cars and diamonds and giving the negative images to our kids and making them believe that they have to walk around with a gun and shot it just to feel validated. You know what I mean. Or they have to strive to be drug dealers. You know what I mean. That’s not what it is, that’s not what it is. So if you do anything, remember that hip-hop is not just about the music, I mean, it's about a way of life, and our whole culture, and it didn't start with the Sugarhill Gang, and as much as I love Jam Master Jay it didn't start with Run DMC.
Before Rap was game before Hip Hop was a Nation,
Before Lauryn Hill began her miseducation.
Before Milk was Chillin’ or PE Brought the Noise,
Before Heavy D and the Boyz.
Before the roof caught on fire,
Before fresh was the word.
Before Whodini and Friends and Roxanne’s Revenge
Before the freaks came out at night.
Before Say “HO”,
Before the Crash Crew was rocking on the Radio.
Before Whitney, Mariah and Brandy and Janet,
Before, Bam and the Soul Sonic Force Rocked the Planet
Before these are the Breaks, and
Before Hard Times.
Before the Gang, King Tim and Before Super Rhymes.
Before Reagonomics,
Before Rapper got shot in there stomachs.
Before you found Hip Hop in comics.
Before Gee’s ,
Before we was Trees.
Before going raw dog gave you a deadly disease,
Before Haters,
Before Thugs and perpetrators.
Before the Alphas and
Before the Betas.
Before beeper, cell phones, retrogards, FedEx, Food Stamps and Metro Cars
Before Gatz, or Cops were 5-“O” and
Before Gatz was answers and
Before the B-Boys turned into break dancers
Before Legs was Crazy,
Before Al turned to Swayzy,
Back Before my man “L” said its Hot and its Humid and its Hazy.
Before trends and tattoos,
By know means get this twisted,
My name is HIP HOP and I’ve always existed.
In this physical form or in the essence of rhyme
Grandmaster Caz Baby greatest of all time”
- Grandmaster Caz