Know That Songtext
von Mos Def feat. Talib Kweli

Hey, hey, hey man
I strike the empire back
I strike the empire back
Fuck the empire

High flyin′ like the Millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo
I never roll for dolo, frontin' on me′s a no-no
Understand? Doin' this for my family
Ha ha, check it out y'all

Yo, I′m tryin′ to make a dollar out of what makes sense
Add it up, told my daddy I'd be a rich man
You never know when your fate gon′ switch hand
Get today's solid ground out of yesterday′s quicksand

I was a young boy, who dreamt about being a big man
On small looseleaf sheets I sketched a big plan
Gotta handle business properly, boost up my economy
Store it up and get my mom some waterfront property


Yesterday was not for me but nowadays it's time for me
The streets is watchin′ me, I watch back, that's the policy
Movin' along my oddesey like blood through the artery
Navigate the treacherous and make it seem effortless

Let those who make the exodus seekin′ the North beacon
From beatin′ and hog-eatin', from punishment all season
From hands cracked and bleedin′ cotton thorns in your palms
It's for y′all that I sketch these songs, and it goes

Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
I fear no man, because faith is the arrow
My vocal chord travel worldwide to block narrow
We can blow with the ammo or go mano-a-mano

Kweli is you wit me? Let's make it happen
(Whattup whattup?)
I burn through your argument with action
My eyes stay fastened to tomorrow lookin′ for a brighter day
When y'all wanna leave y'all? Right away

Shout it out from East-West, from South to Northern
From Cakalak′ to California
From the coldest to the warmest
To the borders ′cross the waters, understand
And know that I love you
We got love in the place


Shout out to all the Queens all the seeds
To all the teams that's gettin′ cream
From outlaw to emcee's
Make it happen do your thing, understand
And know that I love you
Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen

Guess who? The illest MC in the atmosphere, yeah the Soul Controller
Who roam the frontier like a Buffalo Soldier
I follow the code of honor like a real man gonna
Never disrespect no women ′cause I love my momma

These cats be givin' us praise but it ain′t that accurate
I give it up to God, all that, love and attachment, get
Scary well-prepared with the shears when it get hairy
Like how these niggaz is lookin' like some fairies

And singin' like canaries to the beast
And anybody who will listen to ′em clearly
Y′all don't hear me though, even when I′m comin' through in stereo
You make a mockery of what I represent properly

Yo, why you startin′ me? I take that shit straight to the artery
Intellectual property I got the title and the deed
I pay for rent, with the tears and sweat, and what I bleed
MC's imitate the way we walk, the way we talk

You cats spit lyrical pork with no spiritual thought
Plus your flow a little bit off, you come across soft
Back in the days, niggaz like that on stage got tossed off
Need to get crossed off the guest list

It′s like you gotta be disrespected
And thrown out the exit to get the message
Sometimes your sunshine get snatched like a necklace
When you get too drunk on power and your drive get reckless
Check it, MC's in my face after I slug you then I hug you
If I gotta dead you know it's only ′cause I love you

Shout it out from East-West from South to Northern
From the richest to the poorest
To the elders in the coffins
Livin′ native dyin' for it, understand
And know that I love you
Yeah, yeah, we got love in the place

Shout out from up top to the middle
To black bottom, sky high
Whether you colder than December or hotter, than July
It don′t stop 'til we complete this
And know that I love you keep this fly
It′s so much to life when you just

Stay black, stay black
Stay black, stay black
Stay black, stay black
Stay black, stay black
Stay black, stay black

My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people

My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people
My people, my people, my people people p-people

My people, oh oh oh oh ohh, oh ohh