(feat. Kool G. Rap)



[Talib Kweli]

These niggaz ain't thugs, the real thugs is the government

Don't matter if you independent, democrat or republican

Niggaz 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 niggaz 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 niggaz 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 niggaz 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 niggaz 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



[DJ Premier]

"So while y'all keep on fakin the funk,

we gonna keep on walkin through the darkness carryin our torches"

[scratched: DJ Premier] "I'ma give-give-give it to-to you straight"

"Straight up and down!"



[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 niggaz see flashes of light

When you trapped up in the heights but clappers aimin at the wife



[Kool G. Rap]

Niggaz 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 niggaz 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



"So you think that I'm a fool.."