Yo, I don't remember the date as I was just an adolescent
I played with animals growing up on a fertile crescent
And I be the eldest of the king of the land
Now understand my father's the original son of man
And I know each that be and everybody knows me
I live diseased, in poverty plus I'm still living free
Said I can read (plus) write (got) bitches beyond sight
But my main aim to architect my peoples' delight
Till the return of men, my father said we're off then
I think they killed him, see, I never saw him again
As I was took with other men and women on a course
Against our will to a land I put more work than a horse
Of course called slave, beat my tongue into a grave
And gave me all I got, and that's my culture to save
>From ourselves, though the seed was planted by Ebenezer
If I die rest my body in the tombs of Giza, it's true kings
[Chorus x2]
Get pleasure from people and not things
Love to live life and the life love brings
Move the whole mass with strength not fear
Men amongst men, you could never compare
To be a king hallowed, followed till I walk like a stork
I sweep the floor of the poor, see life is more than a chore
Got to watch my own back, you see it's all that I got
To be king without assurance but the nerve to get shot
You see to be but not to be, that is the danger in anger
We see and don't agree but treat our own like a stranger
Now a king can bring an end to this brutal attack
Say you don't have to agree but, yo, I got to be black
To be black it's like a labyrinth plus it's deep as a well
But to be king is to rise when people knew they could fail
I try my best to break the tape and be the one you get with
When I'm going I flow with the fluidness of liquid
Still adversity tries to bring out the worst in me
As we first to die live amongst the worst conceit
Some would do otherwise, said it simple as I can be
A wise man, king in the words of I Am, true kings
[Chorus]
Nowadays I pull deep and hear the crackling of the fire
On my phil', indeed by the first seed shot my thoughts build
Like the depths of my mind could run a ballpoint dry
Light flashes before the lashes of my inner mind's eye, to die
Or live remanded, how they got us branded with they jokes
They said Leval was the giggler [???]
I hope the light mist them like the sun miss tonight
All my mans is gone for long ass stretches of sight
It ain't right or what we found, just Chinatown
Yo, we supposed to own it, sometimes I speak upon it
To say we should have known it, specially since we're on weight
I sit with Lord Cee, Ol' Felon and Shorty Black
Twice as far ahead after we all look back
Feeling strong, I been looking at this world go wrong
All along, only now I could have written this song
So feel the shrill in my tone, I'll rock your ass to the bone
But step up, black man, gotta step up, black man
You gotta step up, black man, please step up, black man
Yo, please step up, black man, it's time to step up, black man
Step up, black man and take your place on the throne as true kings
[Chorus]
Check it now, this be like a calling
Not just to myself, and every black man
But especially to myself and every black man
Talking over here, talking over there, everywhere
