Sucker MC's – English Lyrics

• By: Run DMC

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in the raw energy of early hip-hop with Run-D.M.C.'s "Sucker MC's." This pioneering track, with its minimalist beats and powerful, boastful rhymes, offers a direct window into the street language and lyrical prowess that shaped an entire genre. By exploring its concise yet impactful lyrics, you can learn authentic hip-hop slang and understand the confident delivery that was crucial for MCs of the era. This song is special because it stripped away musical excesses, putting the focus squarely on the MCs' voices and defining a new, influential sound in music history.

[English]

(hip hop beat begins)

♪ Two years ago, a friend of mine ♪

♪ Asked me to say some MC rhymes ♪

♪ So I said this rhyme I'm about to say ♪

♪ The rhyme was def, ah, then it went this way ♪

♪ Took a test to become an MC ♪

♪ And Orange Krush became amazed at me ♪

♪ So Larry put me inside his Cadillac ♪

♪ The chauffeur drove off and we never came back ♪

♪ Dave cut the record down to the bone ♪

♪ And now they got me rockin' on the microphone ♪

♪ And then we talkin' autograph, and cheers and laugh ♪

♪ Champagne, caviar, and bubble bath ♪

♪ But see, ah, that's the life, ah, that I lead ♪

♪ And you sucker MCs is who I please ♪

♪ So take that and move back catch a heart attack ♪

♪ Because there's nothin' in the world that Run'll ever lack ♪

♪ I cold chill at a party in a b-boy stance ♪

♪ And rock on the mic and make the girls wanna dance ♪

♪ Fly like a Dove, that come from up above ♪

♪ I'm rockin' on the mic and you can call me Run-Love ♪

♪ I got a big, long Cadillac like a Seville ♪

♪ And written right on the side it reads "Dressed to Kill" ♪

♪ So if you see me cruisin' girls, just a-move or step aside ♪

♪ There ain't enough room to fit you all in my ride ♪

♪ It's on a, ah, first come, first serve basis ♪

♪ Coolin' out girl, take you to the def places ♪

♪ One of a kind and for your people's delight ♪

♪ And for you, sucker MC, you just ain't right ♪

♪ Because you're bitin' all your life ♪

♪ You're cheatin' on your wife ♪

♪ You're walkin' round town like a hoodlum with a knife ♪

♪ You're hangin' on the ave, chillin with the crew ♪

♪ And everybody knowing what you've been through ♪

♪ Ah, with the one, two, three, three to two, one ♪

♪ My man Larry Larr, my name's DJ Run ♪

♪ We do it in the place with the highs and the bass ♪

♪ I'm rockin' to the rhythm, won't you watch it on my face ♪

♪ Go uptown and come down to the ground ♪

♪ You sucker MCs, you sad-faced clown ♪

♪ You five dollar boy and I'm a million dollar man ♪

♪ You's a sucker MC, and you're my fan ♪

♪ You try to bite lines, but rhymes are mine ♪

♪ You's a sucker MC in a pair of Calvin Kleins ♪

♪ Comin' from the wackest part of town ♪

♪ Tryin to rap up but you can't get down ♪

♪ You don't even know your English, your verb, or noun ♪

♪ You're just a sucker MC, you sad-faced clown ♪

♪ So D.M.C. and if you're ready ♪

♪ The people rockin' steady ♪

♪ You're drivin' big cars get your gas from Getty ♪

♪ I'm D.M.C., in the place to be ♪

♪ I go to St. John's University ♪

♪ And since kindergarten I acquired the knowledge ♪

♪ And after 12th grade I went straight to college ♪

♪ I'm light-skinned, I live in Queens ♪

♪ And I love eatin' chicken and collard greens ♪

♪ I dress to kill, I love the style ♪

♪ I'm an MC you know who's versatile ♪

♪ Say I got good credit in your regards ♪

♪ Got my name, not numbers, on my credit cards ♪

♪ I go uptown, I come back home ♪

♪ With who? Me, myself, and my microphone ♪

♪ All my rhymes are sweet delight ♪

♪ So here's another one for y'all to bite ♪

♪ When I rhyme, I never quit ♪

♪ And if I got a new rhyme I'll just say it ♪

♪ 'Cause it takes a lot to entertain ♪

♪ And sucker MCs can be a pain ♪

♪ You can't rock a party with the hip in hop ♪

♪ You gotta let 'em know you'll never stop ♪

♪ The rhymes have to make a lot of sense ♪

♪ You got to know where to start, when the beats commence ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
friend /frend/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
rhyme /raɪm/ B1	noun - correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry. verb - have or end with a sound corresponding to another.
test /test/ A2	noun - a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use. verb - take measures to check the quality, performance, or reliability of (someone or something), especially before putting it into widespread use or practice.
microphone /ˈmaɪkrəfoʊn/ A2	noun - an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
party /ˈpɑːrti/ A1	noun - a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment.
girls /ɡɜːrlz/ A1	noun - a female child or young woman.
Cadillac /ˈkædɪlæk/ A2	noun - a type of luxury car manufactured by the Cadillac division of General Motors.
side /saɪd/ A1	noun - a surface or line forming part of the outside of an object or area.
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - space that is or could be occupied.
people /ˈpiːpl/ A1	noun - human beings in general or considered collectively.
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - an urban area that has a name, defined boundaries, and local government, and that is generally larger than a village and smaller than a city.
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child or youth.
college /ˈkɑːlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - an educational institution or establishment, in particular one providing higher education or specialized professional or vocational training.
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.

Key Grammar Structures

• Took a test **to become** an MC

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive phrase "to become an MC" explains the purpose of taking the test. It indicates why the action of taking the test was performed.

• And you **sucker MCs is** who I please

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (non-standard)

  ➔ Grammatically, it should be "sucker MCs are" because "MCs" is plural. However, the song uses non-standard English, common in hip-hop, for stylistic effect.

• Because you're **bitin'** all your life

  ➔ Present continuous tense (non-standard spelling)

  ➔ "Bitin'" is a colloquial shortening of "biting". The present continuous describes an action happening over a period of time around now or continually.

• You five dollar boy and I'm a **million dollar man**

  ➔ Compound noun (attributive noun)

  ➔ "Million dollar" acts as an adjective describing the type of "man". It's a compound noun where the first part modifies the second.

• Comin' from the **wackest** part of town

  ➔ Superlative adjective (non-standard spelling)

  ➔ "Wackest" is the superlative form of the slang word "wack", meaning the most uncool or worst. The standard form would be "most wack" or "wackiest."

• You don't even know your English, your **verb, or noun**

  ➔ Parallel structure

  ➔ Listing grammatical concepts (verb, noun) uses parallel structure. It creates a rhythm and emphasizes the lack of basic knowledge.

• And **since** kindergarten I acquired the knowledge

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction 'since' indicating time

  ➔ The word "since" introduces a time clause, indicating the starting point of when the speaker acquired knowledge.