[Talib Kweli] So many emcees focusin on black people extermination We keep it balanced with that knowledge of self, determination It's hot, we be blowin the spots, with conversations C'mon let's smooth it out like Soul Sensation
We in the house like Japanese in Japan, or Koreans in Korea Head to Philly and free Mumia with the Kujichagulia TRUE Singin is swingin and writin is fightin, but what they writin got us clashin like titans it's not excitin No question, bein a black man is demandin The fire's in my eyes and the flames need fannin (3X)
With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination *repeat 4X*
[singer] Things I say and do, may not come quite through My words may not convey just what I'm feelin
[Talib Kweli] Yes yes come on, yes yes Knowledge Of Self is like life after death With that you never worry about your last breath Death comes, that's how I'm livin, it's the next days The flesh goes underground, the book of life, flip the page Yo they askin me how old, we livin the same age I feel the rage of a million niggaz locked inside a cage At exactly which point do you start to realize That life without knowledge is, death in disguise? That's why, Knowledge Of Self is like life after death Apply it, to your life, let destiny manifest Different day, same confusion, we're gonna take this hip-hop shit and keep it movin, shed a little light Now y'all bloomin like a flower with the power of the evident Voices and drums original instruments In the flesh presently presentin my representation
With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination *repeat 6X* these two parts overlap Things I say and do, may not come quite through My words may not convey just what I'm feelin *repeat 2X*
[Talib Kweli] The most important time in history is, NOW, the present So count your blessings cause time can't define the essence But you stressin over time and you follow the Roman calendar These people enter Cona like Gattaca, you can bet they tryin to lock you down like Attica, the African diaspora represents strength in numbers, a giant can't slumber forever I know you gotta get that cheddar whatever Aiyyo I heard you twice the first time money, get it together You must be History, you repeatin yourself out of the pages You keepin yourself depleatin your spiritual wealth That quick cash'll get your ass quick fast in houses of detention Inner-city concentration camps where no one pays attention or mentions the ascension of death, til nothing's left The young, gifted and Black are sprung addicted to crack All my people where y'all at cause, y'all ain't here And your hero's using your mind as a canvas to paint fear With, broad brush strokes and tales of incarceration You get out of jail with that Knowledge of Self determination Stand in ovation, cause you put the Hue in Human Cause and effect, effect everything you do and that's why I got love in the face of hate Hands steady so the lines in the mental illustration is straight The thought you had don't even contemplate Infinite like figure eight there's no escape..
From that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination *repeat 4X*
Things I say and do, may not come quite through My words may not convey just what I'm feelin *repeat 2X*
..
Things I say and do, may not come quite through My words may not convey just what I'm feelin *repeat 2X*
What I'm feelin, what I'm feelin, ooooh, what I'm feelin...
People climbed into the night like space suits People stepped into the night like moon boots Marching like moon troops In their zoot colored zoot suits
People climbed into the night like cool wells Shiney bottles in their hands Drinking their new selves They say it's their true selves
People climbed up in the night like green trees They were hanging from the night like green leaves Buzzing like queen bees
People climbed into the night like space suits People stomped inside the night Stomping and stomping and stomping and stomping and stomping
Where are they going? What's the rush? Everybody's embraced but so out of touch Hey
Night-time is when the things get heavy You feel alone and you want somebody Loneliness whispers desperate measures And your frantic all by yourself
Night-time is when the things get heavy You feel alone and you want somebody Loneliness whispers desperate measures Baby don't make no fast moves Baby don't make no fast moves Baby don't make no fast moves Baby don't make no fast moves- Tonight
La La La [humming...]
People stomped inside the night Let me climb into the night... Let me climb... [vamp to fade]
(Kweli) Go right to left, left to right Middle passage connection Yeah, about to build Tell you which way to go
(Both) We go right to left, left to right If you fight to the death, what's left to fight X4 Yo, here we go
(Kweli) I wanna write away I wanna write here I wanna write brave words to fight fear Write dreams and nightmares Might scare the folks stuck in the day But nothing to say, Well I'm way ahead by light years So beware we keep the lights on I wanna write the songs from right to wrong Right on Riding the light so you see in the dark So deep you gotta be still like your beating heart My words apply the pressure to make the bleeding stop See the art, living right, eating smart I wanna right to life, a right to death Police read your rights from right to left But I never write to remain silent I fight through police line Cops walk the beat that I write to I teach minds, write rhymes with the right sound Right now, journalists write up I write down
(Both) :Chorus Party people put a hand in the sky Grab a cloud and squeeze til no man is dry We wet it up, go ask the people if they plannin to die Can't stay to live, consumers is plannin to buy Smoke death operators is standing by They take you order for the slaughter of the family why Do they make it so hard for a man to provide You better get wit it, or {stand to the side X7}
(Vinia Mojica) And the story line goes on Right to left, who's right who's wrong Fuck the politics and pride I just to try to stay alive To witness where the battle lines are drawn Speak my mind and sing my song I'm passin on the moral y'all This is ain't play True, you got to know the way It's hard now Open eyes See hopeful lives Sing it now
(Kweli) Making my way through life Talking to elders and taking advice Ignoring their words and paying the price Living in the world where false preachers got us praying to christ Get with the young girls in the choir and laying the pipe No control of our soul we all wait at the light So comfortable they we hating to fight to make it right Late at night I'm controlled by the DJ on the mic I love hip-hop and every joint he playing is tight A day in the life is a brick in the foundation of like A maze in Egypt amazing when I'm creating a sight For the world to behold and the story to last So one day ghetto children can visit their glorious past After Pac and Notorious past what do we have Niggas worth more when they dead, it's so sad Started with the slavery we finish the plan But I broke the cycle, and became a man
(Both) : Chorus
(Kweli) Come on, I got my man Savion in the house We about to put it down Here we go
*snoring* Bring in the next patient (the patient is sleeping) Bring in his chart (the Doctor will see you now) How you doin, let's see what we have here My name is Dr. Killpatient and I'm your psychosssssigmathetamasochistic
Verse One: Rock, Ruck
All I, seem to, think about is violence It doesn't matter if I'm dead sober or I'm bent It's strange, I'm not insane or at least I don't think so Or am I? You think so Doc, truthfully I don't know So what do I do I go to my crew and ask for help But they ain't no help, they go through the same shit they damn self So I look deep into the mind of a crook Then out of nowhere I envision two right hooks Aww damn, again goes this shit I can't get out of this cycle, dish one got me whipped From the thought of a brain bashing, Doctor stop me Before I blow my motherfuckin top G
See that leather sofa over there? Yeah Sit back with this six-pack and a spliff that have your mind twisted while we chit-chat I like that I think that, we should start with the session Uh-huh But before we begin let me ask you a few questions Uh-huh Have you been touched the wrong way? Nah Involved in gun play Yeah The town let me guess acquitted like you was O.J. How you know? Typical black life you jack knives under a sea biscuit Get specific an stop fuckin around wit that crack rock Yo I don't smoke doze Yes you do Duke I can tell 'cause you actin funny, like when blacks get money
Brummy jazz only married to Jawana and instead of helping you're getting me heated like a sauna
Just trying to get into your head Pardon the way I treat you Tell me bout your scar, did your momma beat you Nah man Fuck the mystery Duke tell me your history You're pissin me off plus the time keep on clippin see
Chorus:
I need a doctor to give me some therapy I need a doctor to check my, my brain
Verse Two: Rock, Ruck
As I think back, to the nineties That's when life got extra grimy Multiplied with a fleet behind me Wasn't smart to try me, physical fam gave less than a Which added on to eighties anger tearing through my inner (Now we're gettin somewhere, yah) It's all becoming clear I always feared I have to play the rear til I was outta here That's when I flipped out and became a plane that transform into a robot Rokk Da Kids was his name (One of them Decep niggaz) Yup takin dope clothes and then some I bend some (did you have any legal source of income?) I said farewell to welfare crazy long ago They want you to work for them peanuts now man you need a shrink if you think I'ma go (huh) Then any thoughts and hopes of rehabilitation were chilled when I lost my nigga Phil it's been downhill ever since, and ain't nobody helpin me So I came to you, the Doctor Killpatients for therapy
Chorus
Verse Three: Ruck
Bust the prognosis, better yet Duke have a dosage of prescribed poetry that people perceive as potent I've been goin through your file and I found a conclusion That you destined to be the best in this world of confusion You lose when you fall victim to evil ways I know crime pays but the rhyme slays nowadays Take two of these and if you have a problem at all I'm on call twenty-four hours to brawl, word is bond
Chorus
This is my number, yaknowhatI'msayin 4-9-5-Nevermind-Nevermind
Chorus
But you that undisputed, and now you theraputic Bootcampian champion
Chorus
The undisputed, with theraputic Bootcampian champion, are-O-see, therapy
