[Talking]
Yeah... ladies and gentlemen...
Know what time it is... (it is a man's world)... time to do this
You better be taping this (don't front, girl.. come on)
*laughs* But you're probably not... are you?
You are?? Alrite, then.... that's what I'm talkin bout (you see?)
Always prepared... that's why they call them "Teachers"
Welcome to my world...
[Starts rapping]
Where the quarter only gives you one life
So you better push your bu*tons just right(welcome to my world, world)
Where any given second, anybody can get it
You better hold on tight [echoes out]
Cuz life can take a turn for the worse
And have you switching from the Coupe to the hearse
You better peep this verse
The streets ain't no joke but man...
The sidewalks might get you first
So wherever you rest you better don't sleep
Cuz like Denzel said, you could either be a wolf or a sheep
And that ain't even criminology
I'm talkin bout the everyday 9 to 5 people, still gotta fight to eat
You could ride the fast lane or the train
The illest weapon you can load ain't your nine, boy, load your brain
You ask a real live gangsta and he'll tell ya the same (you know)
A lot'a dummies die young, man, simple and plain (fa'real)
A lot'a kids wanna show they got heart
So they wild out, skip cla** (come on man)
And trade book smarts for streets smarts (you know better than that)
But ask yourself, even if you got one target
Ain't you better off with two darts?
In my world of rent, bills, sk**s, business
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
(Welcome to my world of) Wins, losses, loyalties, promises
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
(Yo, yo, welcome to my world of)
Backstabbers, parasites, slanderers, politics
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS (Y'all don't wanna know)
Y'all don't even wanna know (nope) JUST HOW REAL IT IS
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS (Welcome to my world of)
Bumps, bruises, scrapes, cuts, aches and blisters
Typhoones, monsoons, earthquakes and twisters
It's the picture my life fits in
My whirlwind rotates, elevates and transcends
Watch me shine in the streets like some fresh new rims
Watch my enemies retreat as I collect my wins
Every 25 thousand I start over again
To renew my history so skip repentin my sins
Here's some words of advice you can share with'cha friends
Tell em not to fall victim to the short term ends
Comin up fast, I'm sure you'll impress the skins
But if you're too deep you're guaranteed to catch the bends
You could spread news... north, east, west and south
My universe will expand way beyond New York
You got two ears, two eyes and just one mouth
So look and listen both over before you talk
I'm keepin all my enemies outlined in chalk...
On the blackboard, now did you get the wrong idea?
I suggest you change the currents in your atmosphere
Once you get yourself together I'll remain right here
Rent, bills, sk**s, business
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
Backstabbers [echoes... beat turns off]
Hold up... What the? What? Yo, yo Joe what you doin in the vocal booth, man?
Oh, aight [beat changes to a dance club beat]
Uhh... uhh... uhhh. uuhhh.. uhhh...
Just dance with me... dance with me
Ah.. yeah, just dance with me, dance with me, dance with me
What'cha know bout that? Uh...
Just dance with me, dance with me
Uh-huh... Uh-ha... c'mon! (We really don't have time for this...)[beat stops again]
(Let's get... let's get back on schedule, aight?)
[Beat switches back]
Aiyyo it's all real, every inhale, every exhale
Every extra breath from birth's been a blessin
Plus I go through some professin and confessin (stay calm)
I stay grounded with common sense in my lessons (what?)
Life is a test, I'm studyin not guessin (true)
I learn answers, ask and answer questions
Like Y is a chromosome, axis, cause and effect
So respect what the god's manifestin
You can't hesitate but you gotta be patient
And use wise words in every conversation
You gotta stack paper if you wanna stop chasin
There's not much time for cartoons and PlayStation
It stays true throughout every nation
Whether you be Yankee or Haitian
Yard, Trini, or Bajan
Spanish or Asian, even African or Caucasian
Huh, even if you was born from claymation
To live out your birth right, it takes preparation
Your job as a man is to be the foundation
Cuz All Of The Above will be caused by you
But yo, man... [cuts off]... shouldn't need no explanation... whoo..
Talk a lot, might as well just give it to em
Yo play the chorus of this sh**, they gon' learn
Rent, bills, sk**s, business
MESS AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
Wins, losses, loyalties, promises (gon' have to find out the hard way)
F AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS (it's on you)
Backstabbers, parasites, slanderers, politics
F AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS (oh sh**)
Fat booties, baby mamas, twins, triplets
F AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
AIDs, Herpes , Gonorrhea, Syphillis
F AROUND AND FIND OUT JUST HOW REAL IT IS
["DJ DP One scratching"] [(J-Live talking)]
"D-D-D-D-DP ONE!" [-- Funkmaster Flex (DP One... bring it in)
[Scratching] (Come on, we gon' rock)
[Scratching] (Show em how... take em home)