[Talib Kweli] These niggas ain't thugs, the real thugs is the government Don't matter if you independent, democrat or republican Niggas politickin the street, get into beef Start blastin, now a new cat is Executive Chief With a, passion for heat you get, blast in yo' seat Die before you crash in yo' Jeep, never passin in your sleep Like an old man, you ain't a fool you got a whole plan To conquer territories like Europeans who stole land The future of your whole fam' hang in the balance You the king, and your block is the palace Y'all niggas is the parliament, untouchable, spot unrushable Keep your weight wet, call in collect to save a buck or two Get mad, who the fuck are you? What you gonna do? Exactly what I thought - NOTHIN, in the sport of frontin You the undisputed champion, I'm in a class you can't be in My words is flesh like Jesus, the aquarian
{*scratched* "Let's stop right here for an amen and a right on"} {"So you think that I'm a fool..."} {"Amen, right on..."}
Chorus: T. Kweli and Kool G. Rap
[T] It's just a chapter of the night, in the ghetto afterlife Where you just seen or heard about or gonna have to fight [K] Where they sacrifice the life and niggas see flashes of light When you trapped up in the heights but clappers aimin at the wife
[Talib Kweli] Yeah, dudes gettin money is still thuggin Chicks gettin money is still ghetto Still livin the whole thuggish stilleto Your team let the metal burst before you take an L You raised in hell, let the dust settle first Then you ask the question, snatchin the life of the innocent Shit happens huh, a man's respected by his actions It's the karma of the street, you try to meet the karma While the karma sleep, yo it's deep, but the karma can't be beat You don't know your enemy, so you fightin with yourself Relate to rap niggas cause they writin what you felt You got top shelf connects you gettin seasoned like a veteran We suck the venom out the snake bite, without the medicine We benefit from niggas in tenements, dyin for benjamins So bad that they know they own coffin measurements Ghetto eloquence, in the moment of truth, don't be hesistant Or fall victim to the element, word is bond
"So while y'all keep on fakin the funk We gonna keep on walkin through the darkness carryin our torches" -] DJ Premier {*scratched* "I'ma give-give-give it to-to you straight" "Straight up and down!" -] DJ Premier
Chorus: T. Kweli and Kool G. Rap
[T] Just another chapter of the night, in the ghetto afterlife Where you just seen or heard about or gonna have to fight [K] Where they sacrifice the life and niggas see flashes of light When you trapped up in the heights but clappers aimin at the wife
[Kool G. Rap] Niggas get caught up in the struggle End up in court in trouble, sportin a bubble Ford azure bubble, importer smuggle, forcin a rumble Hit the blocks with a portion to double Flip and get tossed in the huddle Police with one piece short of the puzzle It's a hustle, peep the street life, they movin muscle And the G's'll make your knees buckle Tussle with heat until your feet stand in a pee puddle Cheese double but all the speedy niggas bleed puddles Make the headlines; some try to escape the fed time Phone taps on direct lines - tec-9's with the red shine Jake climbin through the bedroom blinds Tryin to bring you to your deadline, it's slippery when wet signs Red time, wipe the sweat around your neck time One shot spill out your red wine, rock shots to deafen your prime Pieces of hot lead left in your mind One slug to the left of your spine Forever late to rest on the shrine