[Hook: Scratches of Kanye West and Common] (x4) (Common) And ya say Chi-City (Kanye West) We don't stop, naw, we don't quit
[Verse 1: Common] I rap with the passion of Christ, nigga cross me Took it out of space and niggas thought they lost me I'm back like a chiroprac' with b-boy survival rap It ain't ninety-fo' Joe, we can't go back The game need a makeover My man retired, I'mma takeover Tell these halftime niggas break's over I'm raw, hustlas get your baking soda Too many rape the culture Leave rappers with careers and they faith over It's a war goin' on, you can't fake bein' a soldier In the basement, listening to tapes of Ultra- Magnetic, to the fact the messiah is black I'll turn the TV down, we can take it higher than that I wonder if these whack niggas realize they whack And they the reason that my people say they tired of rap Inspired by black Muslims and Christians Pushin' cutlasses, dope, and other traditions In the conditions of the city, the city The city, the city, the city, the city Come on
[Hook] (4x)
[Verse 2: Common] A black figure...in the middle with chaos and gunfire So many raps about rims, surprised niggas ain't become tires On the street you turn cold and then go screech I tell 'em "fuck 'em" like I do to police The beast is runnin' rampant I'm in between sheets tryin' to have sex that's tantric For the ghetto, tryin' to make a get-up stand-up anthem You spit hot garbage son of Sanford What you rappin' for to get fame or get rich? I slap a nigga like you, and tell him "Rick James bitch!" With your Hollywood stories, on porches We polly hood stories about who became rich And whatever light they hit, we wanna hit the same switch You didn't know where to aim it, you still remain bitch I'm forever puttin' words together Some'll sever mothers from daughters and fathers from sons The name Com', has never been involved wit' run Unless it's DMC, or runnin' these broads to bein' free I'm harder than the times, you hardly scary Holdin' gats inside, you cats is Halle Berry They ask me where hip-hop is goin', it's Chicagoan Poetry's in motion like a picture now showin' It's the city, the city y'all, the city Uh, the city y'all, come on
[Hook] (7x) [While Kanye West sings]
And ya say Chi-City (scratched together) Common Sense, from the city of wind