Talib Kweli - G.U.R.U. lyrics

[Produced by Marco Polo] [Intro] I remember Bahamadia told me once, when she was rollin' around with Guru that he rolled up on this wack MC and said, "You cannot test the lyrical manifestations of the Guru." Rest in peace! Keith E.E.! [Hook] x2 It's the gifted, his presence was so influential Unlimited, that was his reach and his potential Rhymes gonna keep you alive, you live through Universal - love and respect go out to Guru [Verse 1] It's a brand new year, you can tell when you hear the cannons Brooklyn is the heart of the city from where I'm standing Watching Ralph McDaniels kept me up on my music Friday afternoon 4 o'clock, you catch the new sh** A day I will never forget, when I heard Premier cut ''These are the words that I manifest'' Blew my mind, I'm like ''I bet this album fresh'' Premier was dressed like King, Guru was Malcolm X In the video for "Who's Gonna Take The Weight?" I came from the same place, I can straight relate I mean one was from Boston, the other one was from Texas But when they got together in Brooklyn it was the next sh** ''No More Mr. Nice Guy'' was good They got a greater next album, stepped in the arena like gladiators It's a daily operation, no opponents for these dudes Respect is hard to earn without a moment of truth [Hook] x2 [Verse 2] You always reminded me of what I'm rhyming for Got me in a New Music Seminar back in '94 You and Black, I was with Rubix, JuJu, and Forté We was snot-nosed kids, but you showed us love all day Then we got the pleasure to tour, you was the realest You showed us love, it was us, Bahamadia, and Slum Village Rest in peace Dilla, R.I.P. Guru I rocked with the greats backed up by The Roots crew Blowing a tree with Tariq, overseas we would speak It was mostly the voice, so unique I could hear you put your most to the beat, so complete No matter how big you got you was close to the street Me and Baldhead Slick would sit down over a beer We'd laugh about how people said I look like Premier At the end of the day all you wanted was respect And when people fronted it was just to get a rep [Hook] x2 [Verse 3] Life is just a dream and what you make of it People never understood you and Solar's relationship But who am I to question it? If you say that's your peoples that's your peoples It ain't transparent for me to see through But all I know is that you showed me love when you was with us You lived for the music, your life was what you give us Hear your style, your influence, your life, it still hit us With the right document the fight is still in us I will never stop, cause whether or not if radio play us My ability should display a soliloquy of chaos Painting the perfect picture Trust me when I say that we miss ya I felt like getting Freddie Foxxx and Big Shug Reforming the militia, swarming on these n***as Threw on Jazzmatazz and let my thoughts simmer then A storm started blowing in my eyes, I want to eulogize The truest rhymes gonna keep Guru alive [Bridge: Guru] Some things in this industry, sh** be so fake Make no mistake, one of the best of all time The God Universal, Ruler Universal The seventh letter, man, ain't got no time for petty speakin' [Hook] x2