Mos Def, Talib Kweli - Know That

[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]