The Conscious Rapper

You think this is easy right? (Yeah!) You think this is easy right? (That's easy!) You think you got what it takes? (Yeah that's easy!) Huh, we gon' see.. we gon' see right now (Now what?) Look [KRS-One] So you wanna be a conscious rapper Can you handle the press and they negative chatter Can you eat cold platters, and still spit data Watchin others spit lies and they pockets get fatter Can you climb up the ladder, and reach the top? But it still doesn't matter, cause you ain't pop Can you rock for the love of the art Can you drop hit after hit after hit and still don't chart? Can you REALLY stay loyal to God When your life is full of strife, plus it always seems so hard Can you handle the criticism People holdin you up to higher standards, but they don't live 'em? Can you hear these kiddy flows and laugh at it But when you spit they callin you arrogant? You better think about that before you rock to this Sometimes it's easier to pop your Cris', let's do it! [Hook: *sung*] Think you can do what I do Think you can step in my shoes You have no clue what I go through You never felt my pain When they attack my name All because I have spoken the truth [KRS-One] To be a conscious rapper ain't a mystery You gotta laugh when they call you contradictory The whole industry, you gotta push and pull it To really get with me, you gotta dodge they bullets Blaow, blaow, blaow, every day and every way You critics got somethin to say At the same time, you gotta uphold Christ Uphold life, while others flash cars and ice It could break you down, take you down, make you frown It could actually shake your ground But if you love who you are, and believe in that Best believe you will BE where the teacher's at And where's that? In fact, in cold or heat Yes, I declare victory over the streets Overstand, over these beats, over the so-called elite Over the strong, over the weak I know how to speak, and most of all I know how to eat I know I want humble and meek So you better think about that before you rock to this Sometimes it's easier to pop your Cris', uhh [Hook] [KRS-One] Look! So you thinkin about bein a concious MC Well you gotta love God and you got to live free You got to see the life that others can't see You got to be the person that others can't be You can't be a S-L-A, V-E If you sayin to yourself, "This may be me" Then you know goin in that you work against sin Your very skills will kill the demons within So don't expect respect from slaves and hoes Nor the slavemaster's video shows Nor the rap mags, you know how it go Nor the slavemaster's video shows Nor the rap mags, you know how it go Especially black mags, you know they don't know Just go to the crowd that you know will need you Cause NOTHING compares to the respect of the people That's what you look for, that's what you work with Cause anything else, is truly worthless You better think about that before you rock to this Sometimes it's easier to just pop your Cris' You better think about that, 'fore you rock to this Sometimes it's easier to just pop your Cris', uhh [Hook] - repeat 2X