Step Up Nobody
Linkin Park Lyrics

Watch as the room rocks men only moon walk
Observe the room as it sways to the rhythm, with dancers showing off their moon walk skills

Mixed media slang, banging in your boom box
Different forms of media and new terminologies are being embraced and played loudly in boom boxes

Verbal violence, lyrical stylist
The song has sharp and penetrating lyrics, delivered in a stylish manner

In a time when rock hip hop rhymes are childish
In the present days, the rock and hip hop lyrics do not reflect maturity and growth

You can't tempt me with rhymes that are empty
Empty and shallow rhymes do not have the power to captivate or persuade the listener

Rapping to a beat doesn't make you an Emcee
The ability to rap over a beat does not automatically make someone a genuine emcee

With your lack of skill and facility you're killing me
When a rapper lacks the necessary talent and proficiency to rhyme, it's a big let down

And a DJ in the group just for credibility
Inclusion of a DJ in a group is sometimes done to improve prestige or recognition, rather than artistic purposes

I heard that some of you are getting help with your rhymes
There is a hearsay that some rappers are receiving assistance in writing rhymes

You're not an Emcee if someone else writes your lines
If someone else writes the rhymes, the essence of being an emcee is lost

And rapping over rock doesn't make you a pioneer
The combination of rock and hip hop does not necessarily mean the creation of a completely new genre

'Cause rock and hip hop have collaborated for years
Rock and hip hop have been working together for a long time, so it's not an exclusive union

But now they're getting randomly mixed and matched up
Recent times have witnessed an arbitrary fusion of rock and hip hop, without a criterion

All after a fast buck and all the tracks suck
Many artists are only after the money from the music, reducing quality control and making bad tracks

So how does it stack up? None of it's real
The cumulative outcome of this precarious union is quite disappointing and inauthentic

You want to be an emcee you've got to study the skill
To become an emcee, it takes learning, dedication and hard work towards developing the skill

Who can rock a rhyme like this?
The poet asks who is capable of making poetic lines like the one just recited

Bring it to you every time like this?
Can anyone consistently deliver rhymes as presented in this song?

Step, step up, step, step up
The song calls the audience to respond and take action by stepping up

So you pick up a pen and write yourself a new identity
One can take on an imaginative persona by writing stories or lyrics with a unique identity

But mentally you don't have the hip hop energy
Creating the rhymes is one thing, but to develop the hip hop mentality and style into them is another

With a tendency to make up stories
Some rappers have a tendency to invent stories in their rhymes instead of telling their personal truths

Sounding like the only hip hop you've heard is top 40
Some rappers do not show appreciation or knowledge of underground hip hop scenes or early hip hop classics

And your record company is completely missing it
Music publishers are clueless and blind to the heart and art of hip hop music

All the kids are dissing it for not being legitimate
The young generation is criticizing and rejecting the inauthentic and fake elements of commercial hip hop

So in a battle you can't hack it, react with whack shit
When challenged, a rapper without the skills and authenticity may lose composure and respond with terrible rhymes

And get smacked with verbal back flips
In a battle, an experienced rapper can do wordplay flips and rebuttals that strike the less skilled one with full force

Get your ass kicked by fabulous battle catalysts
Experienced battle rappers will make quick work of the less skilled ones, leaving them feeling defeated and helpless

It's taken decades for emcees to establish this
It took many years of effort, hard work and dedication for emcees to establish the credentials of being a true hip hop artist

You're new to hip hop and welcome if your serious
As a new rapper, one can join the hip hop community if they are committed, hard-working and respectful of the culture

But not on the mic leave that to the experienced
One should not take the mic and perform unless they have the skills and experience, and should be respectful of those who have earned the right to perform

Using the waves of sound the true master
The true master of hip hop music can manipulate the sound waves in extraordinary ways

Paralyzes his opponents, leaving him vulnerable to attack
The skilled emcee can disarm the opposition with their lyrical prowess, rendering them exposed and weak

After years of pain staking research
After many years of detailed analysis and experimentation

By the world's leading sound scientists
Achieved by some of the most accomplished and respected audio researchers of the world

We here at the sound institute have invented
The sound institute is proud to have created a new invention

A reliable audio weapons system
An audio system to fight against enemies and can be depended on

Actual movement of musical sound
The real and palpable motion of musical sound waves in space

In space used to carefully attack and neutralize
Sound waves in space have been creatively weaponized, to attack and disarm opponents without unnecessary damage

The cellular structure of the human body
A carefully targeted audio system can impact and manipulate the cells of the human body

And the question must be asked
This calls for a serious questioning and contemplation

Who can rock a rhyme like this?
The song asks again who has the skills to come up with rhymes like these

Bring it to you every time like this?
Is anyone capable to consistently deliver poetic lines like this?

Step, step up, step, step up
The song calls for an action, urging the listener to step up to the challenge

Mixed media step up to the microphone
Different forms of media and art styles are called to contribute and participate by stepping forward to the microphone

And you do it like this
This is the way it's done - with energy, passion and authenticity