Necessary

[Spoken Word: KRS-One]

When some get together and think of rap, they tend to think of violence

But when they are challenged on some rock groups, the result is always silence

Even before the Rock and Roll era, violence played a big part in music

It's all according to your meaning of violence and how or in which way you use it

Oh no, it's not violent to show in movies the destruction of the human body

But yes indeed it's very violent to protect yourself in a party

And, oh no, it's not violent when under the Christmas tree there's a look-alike gun

But, yes, of course it's violent to have an album like KRS-One

By All Means Necessary, it's time to end the hypocrisy

What I call violence, I can't do, but your kind of violence is stopping me

By All Means Necessary, the rap audience must grow up

The same type of fighting we do, they do, except we've got nothing to blow up

It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's only how good you play the game

This is the oldest sneak attack, because it takes away our senses to gain

If all I do is play the game then I am just mediocre

We strive to be the best we can be, not to just get over

Some people say that life on a whole is serious and nothing is funny

But that's only if you base your life around competition and money

Yeah, I'm making some money, he's making some money, but none of these things are necessities

What I find to be a necessity is controlling a positive destiny

With this, money, fame, glory and credit will come in time

The people down with me know this, everyday they hear me saying rhymes

I got some friends, I got some allies like Stet and Big Daddy Kane

They know by all means necessary that Peace is the name of this game

Whether peace by war, or peace by peace, the reality of peace is scary

But we must get there, one way or another, By All Means Necessary