Mos Def, Talib Kweli - Know That(1999)

[00:00.39] (Mos Def)
[00:01.20] Hey, hey, heyyy man
[00:03.53] I Strike the Empire Back.
[00:06.06] I Strike the Empire Back.
[00:08.46] Fuck the Empire!
[00:09.49] High flyin like the Millenium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo
[00:12.92] I never roll for dolo, frontin on me's a no-no
[00:15.38] Understand? Doin this for my family
[00:19.28] Ha ha, check it out y'all
[00:20.56] Yo I'm tryin to make a dollar out of what makes sense
[00:23.33] Add it up, told my daddy I'd be a rich man
[00:26.23] You never know when your fate gon' switch hand
[00:28.54] Get today's solid ground out of yesterday's quicksand
[00:31.27] I was a young boy -- who dreamt about being a big man
[00:33.75] On small looseleaf sheets I sketched a big plan
[00:36.79] Gotta handle business properly, boost up my economy
[00:39.38] Store it up and get my mom some waterfront property
[00:42.03] Yesterday was not for me but nowaday it's time for me
[00:44.56] The streets is watchin me, I watch back, that's the policy
[00:47.20] Movin along my oddesey like blood through the artery
[00:49.87] Navigate the treacherous and make it seem effortless
[00:52.58] Let those who make the exodus seekin the North beacon
[00:55.01] From beatin and hog-eatin, from punishment all season
[00:57.67] From hands cracked and bleedin -- cotton thorns in your palms
[01:00.20] It's for y'all that I sketch these songs, and it goes.
[01:03.05] Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow
[01:05.64] I fear no man, because faith is the aarow
[01:08.36] My vocal chord travel worldwide to block narrow
[01:10.78] We can blow with the ammo or go mano-a-mano
[01:13.48] Kweli is you wit me? (Whattup whattup?) Let's make it happen
[01:16.04] I *BURN* through your argument with action
[01:18.27] My eyes stay fastened to tomorrow lookin for a brighter day
[01:21.27] When y'all wanna leave y'all? Right away
[01:23.28] Shout it out from East-West (from South to Northern)
[01:25.23] From Cakalak' (to California)
[01:26.53] From the coldest (to the warmest)
[01:27.98] To the borders ('cross the waters) understand.
[01:30.56] ". and know that I love you."
[01:32.92] We got love in the place
[01:34.37] Shout out to all the Queens (all the Seeds)
[01:35.82] To all the teams (that's gettin cream)
[01:37.26] From outlaw (to emcee's)
[01:38.30] Make it happen (do your thing) understand.
[01:40.97] ". and know that I love you."
[01:42.73] Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen
[01:43.86] (Talib Kweli)
[01:44.46] Guess who? The illest MC in the atmosphere, yeah the Soul Controller
[01:47.51] Who roam the frontier like a Buffalo Soldier
[01:50.09] I follow the code of honor like a real man gonna
[01:52.63] Never disrespect no women cause I love my momma
[01:55.32] These cats be givin us praise but it ain't that accurate
[01:57.97] I give it up to God, all that, love and attachment, get
[02:00.62] Scary well-prepared with the shears when it get hairy
[02:03.13] Like how these niggaz is lookin like some fairies
[02:04.84] And singin like canaries to the beast
[02:07.33] And anybody who will listen to em clearly
[02:09.19] Y'all don't hear me though, even when I'm comin through in stereo
[02:12.19] You make a mockery of what I represent properly
[02:14.49] Yo why you startin me? I take that shit straight to the artery
[02:17.16] Intellectual property I got the title and the deed
[02:19.97] I pay for rent, with the tears and sweat, and what I bleed
[02:22.33] MC's imitate the way we walk, the way we talk
[02:24.85] You cats spit lyrical pork with no spiritual thought
[02:27.44] Plus your flow a little bit off, you come across soft
[02:30.23] Back in the days, niggaz like that on stage got tossed off
[02:32.97] Need to get crossed off the guestlist
[02:34.49] It's like you gotta be disrespected and thrown out the exit
[02:37.30] To get the message
[02:38.24] Sometimes your sunshine get snatched like a necklace
[02:40.80] When you get too drunk on power and your drive get reckless
[02:43.57] Check it, MC's in my face after I slug you then I hug you
[02:46.16] If I gotta dead you know it's only cause I love you
[02:48.07] (Mos Def)
[02:48.37] Shout it out from East-West (from South to Northern)
[02:49.93] From the richest (to the poorest)
[02:51.20] To the elders (in the coffins)
[02:52.63] Livin native (dyin for it) understand.
[02:55.20] ". and know that I love you."
[02:57.62] Yea, yea, we got love in the place
[02:58.43] Shout out from up top (to the middle)
[03:00.44] To black bottom (SKY HIGH)
[03:01.84] Whether you colder than December
[03:03.11] Or hotter, than July
[03:04.36] It don't stop 'til we complete this
[03:05.78] (". and know that I love you.") keep this fly
[03:07.26] It's so much to life when you just
[03:08.39] Stay black (10X)
[03:14.57] My people, my people, my people people p-people (8X)
[03:57.25] My PE-ople, oh-oh-OH-oh-OHH, oh-OHH...
[04:02.38]