Yeah

(Yeah)

Yeah

(Yeah)

Ah-ha

(Ah-ha)

Ah-ha

(Ah-ha)

Hardcore!

Word

Hardcore!



[live excerpt]

(You really think they're ready, black?)

Let's break it all the way down

All the way down

Huh-huh

Don't be fooled

Don't be fooled

Rap is something you do

Hip-hop is something you live

Rap is something you do

Hip-hop is something you.. [crowd responds]

Rap is something you do

Hip-hop.. [crowd responds]

You are not just doing hip-hop..

[crowd responds]



Yeah

Let's get this started

Word up



[CHORUS]

You gotta - get - your - self - up!

You been knocked down?

Get yourself up!

You been shot down?

Get yourself up!

You been locked down?

Get yourself up!

Get - your - self - up!

Been knocked down?

Get yourself up!

Been shot down?

Get yourself up!

You been locked down?

Get yourself up!



What is a real hip-hop MC?

Is it MTV, is it BET?

Is it five m-i-c's 

So the people can see

I mean, how you think you're free 

When you act like property?

Tell me, how do you judge an MC when he's rockin

I mean rockin it live, not pickin his cotton

I mean adjustin his clothes, I mean how do you know

Before you come to the show that you're not gettin heated

That you're not gettin cheated

That you ain't come to the club thinkin 'I must've been weeded!'

(Word)

You got to be a educated consumer

Spend your money on MC's cause these rappers'll do ya

Ass they want is your cash, ass, grass, gas in a flick

When you ask for that autograph they ass-dash quick

Beware of the rapper, he talks like it don't matter

He pulls his gat while we bust off the gatler



[CHORUS]



This is the "Sneak Attack"

The "Edutainment" style returns like that

Take it off your shelf

Cause all we deal with is knowledge of self, health and wealth

Not Stealth bombers, leather goose bombers

Original hip-hop armor on cd-rom - eh

You got to get with a

21st century philosopher

Representin the religion of hip-hop, sir

Those that oppose are foes and will get rocked - eh

Stopped, eh - I rise like a helicopter

Like Zulu I'll Shaka, crowd

With a beat that's loud

Huh, I'm black and I'm proud - irrelevant

I'm black and intelligent

I teach my kids to watch the education they give em

Cause it's really all about street wisdom



[CHORUS]



True hip-hoppers don't bleed

True hip-hoppers don't need

True hip-hoppers don't speed

No time for greed

True hip-hoppers do read

And will lead, not plead

Will sow seeds that breed

Ah-ha that's safer than weed, indeed

True hip-hoppers don't slave

True hip-hoppers don't crave

Silver and gold, we're not amazed

We live f-r-e-e

If you not into lyrics you can't really hear it nor see me

My philosophy keeps it plain and simple

Here it is: the kingdom of hip-hop is within you

Or is it the kingdom of hell that sends you?

I'm ringin a bell within you

You only seek in a cell, that's what sin do

It tells you to put your craft on a menu, a chart

So they can sell you and your art



[CHORUS]