Yo, the way I feel, sometime it's too hard to sit still
Things are so passionate, times are so real
Sometimes I try to chill, mellow down, blowin' smoke
Smile on my face but it's really no joke
You feel it in the street, the people breathe without hope
They going through the motion, they dimming down the focus
Their focus get cleared, then their light turn sharp
And the eyes grow teary, the mind grow weary
I speak it so clearly, sometimes ya'll don't hear me
I push it past the bass, no nations got to feel me
I feel it in my bones, black, I'm so wide awake
That I'm hardly ever asleep, my flow forever deep
And it's volumes or scriptures when I breathe on the beat
My presence speak volumes, before I say a word
I'm everywhere penthouse, pavement, and curb
Cradle to the grave, tall cathedral of a shell
Universal, ghetto life, holla black, you know it well
Quiet storm, vital form, pen pushed it right across
Mind is a vital force, high level right across
Shoulders, the lions raw voice is the siren
I swing round, ring out, and bring down the tyrant
Shocked a small act, could knock a giant lopsided
The world is so dangerous, there's no need for fighting
Suttins trying to hide, like the struggle won't find him
And the sun bust through the clouds, to clearly remind him
He's everywhere: penthouse, pavement, and curb
Cradle to the grave, tall cathedral of a shell
Universal, ghetto life, holla black, you know it well
[Chorus: Mos Def and Slick Rick]
What it is
You know, they know
What it is
We know, ya'll know
What it is
Ecstatic, there it is
Huh, what it is
You know, we know
What it is
They know, ya'll know
What it is
You don't know?
Here it is
What it is
You know, we know
What it is
They know, ya'll know
What it is
You don't know?
Here it is
[Ad lib: Mos Def]
Peace, power, fantastic, original
And always on time, and rocking your mind, it's like
[Verse: Slick Rick]
Sit and come relax, riddle of the Mack
It's the patch, I'm a soldier in the middle of Iraq
Well say about noonish, coming out the whip
And lookin' at me curious, a young Iraqi kid (Awww)
Carrying laundry, whats wrong G? Hungry?
No, give me my oil, get fuck out my country
In an Arabian market, other stuff
Till his moms come grab him, and they walk off in a rush
Distrust, bitter like I's pissed off on moon
I'm like "Shorty, hope that we can fix our differences soon! Bye!"
Buying apples, I'm breaking 'em
Brooklyn take everything, why not just take the damn food like
I don't understand it, on another planet?
51 of this stuff, how I'm gonna manage?
And increasing the sentiment, gentlemen
Getting down on their Middle-Eastern instruments
Realized trapped in this crowd
Walk over, kicked one of my fabulous raps (La-dee Da-dee)
Arab jaws dropped, they well wished, they glad wrapped
Now the kid considered like an Elvis of Baghdad
[Mos Def and Slick Rick]
What it is
What it is
[Chorus: Mos Def and Slick Rick]
What it is
You know, they know
What it is
We know, ya'll know
What it is
Ecstatic, there it is
Huh, what it is
You know, we know
What it is
They know, ya'll know
What it is
You don't know?
Here it is
