Black on Both Sides

[Mos Def]<br>Hey, hey, heyyy man<br>I Strike the Empire Back..<br>I Strike the Empire Back..<br>Fuck the Empire!!<br>High flyin like the Millenium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo<br>I never roll for dolo, frontin on me`s a no-no<br>Understand? Doin this for my family<br>Ha ha, check it out y`all<br><br>Yo I`m tryin to make a dollar out of what makes sense<br>Add it up, told my daddy I`d be a rich man<br>You never know when your fate gon` switch hand<br>Get today`s solid ground out of yesterday`s quicksand<br>I was a young boy -- who dreamt about being a big man<br>on small looseleaf sheets I sketched a big plan<br>Gotta handle business properly, boost up my economy<br>Store it up and get my mom some waterfront property<br>Yesterday was not for me but nowaday it`s time for me<br>The streets is watchin me, I watch back, that`s the policy<br>Movin along my oddesey like blood through the artery<br>Navigate the treacherous and make it seem effortless<br>Let those who make the exodus seekin the North beacon<br>from beatin and hog-eatin, from punishment all season<br>from hands cracked and bleedin -- cotton thorns in your palms<br>It`s for y`all that I sketch these songs, and it goes..<br>Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow<br>I fear no man, because faith is the aarow<br>My vocal chord travel worldwide to block narrow<br>We can blow with the ammo or go mano-a-mano<br>Kweli is you wit me? (Whattup whattup?) Let`s make it happen<br>I *BURN* through your argument with action<br>My eyes stay fastened to tomorrow lookin for a brighter day<br>When y`all wanna leave y`all? Right away<br><br>Shout it out from East-West (from South to Northern)<br>From Cakalak` (to California)<br>From the coldest (to the warmest)<br>To the borders (`cross the waters) understand..<br> ".. and know that I love you.."<br>We got love in the place<br>Shout out to all the Queens (all the Seeds)<br>To all the teams (that`s gettin cream)<br>From outlaw (to emcee`s)<br>Make it happen (do your thing) understand..<br> ".. and know that I love you.."<br>Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen<br><br>[Talib Kweli]<br>Guess who? The illest MC in the atmosphere, yeah the Soul Controller<br>who roam the frontier like a Buffalo Soldier<br>I follow the code of honor like a real man gonna<br>Never disrespect no women cause I love my momma<br>These cats be givin us praise but it ain`t that accurate<br>I give it up to God, all that, love and attachment, get<br>scary well-prepared with the shears when it get hairy<br>like how these niggaz is lookin like some fairies <br>and singin like canaries to the beast<br>and anybody who will listen to em clearly<br>Y`all don`t hear me though, even when I`m comin through in stereo<br>You make a mockery of what I represent properly<br>Yo why you startin me? I take that shit straight to the artery<br>Intellectual property I got the title and the deed<br>I pay for rent, with the tears and sweat, and what I bleed<br>MC`s imitate the way we walk, the way we talk<br>You cats spit lyrical pork with no spiritual thought<br>Plus your flow a little bit off, you come across soft<br>Back in the days, niggaz like that on stage got tossed off<br>Need to get crossed off the guestlist<br>It`s like you gotta be disrespected and thrown out the exit<br>to get the message<br>Sometimes your sunshine get snatched like a necklace<br>when you get too drunk on power and your drive get reckless<br>Check it, MC`s in my face after I slug you then I hug you<br>If I gotta dead you know it`s only cause I love you<br><br>[Mos Def]<br>Shout it out from East-West (from South to Northern)<br>From the richest (to the poorest)<br>To the elders (in the coffins)<br>Livin native (dyin for it) understand..<br> ".. and know that I love you.."<br>Yea, yea, we got love in the place<br>Shout out from up top (to the middle)<br>To black bottom (SKY HIGH)<br>Whether you colder than December<br>or hotter, than July<br>It don`t stop `til we complete this<br>(".. and know that I love you..") keep this fly<br>It`s so much to life when you just<br>stay black (10X)<br>My people, my people, my people people p-people (8X)<br>My PE-ople, oh-oh-OH-oh-OHH, oh-OHH...