Ms. Hill

[Hook]

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Ms. Hill, you got skills, that's a gift, it's real

Get ill, what you spit got the power to uplift the heel

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli]

I wish I could talk to Lauryn

I mean–excuse me, Ms. Hill

And let her know how much we love her, it's real

The industry was beating her up

Then those demons started eating her up

She need a savior that'll bleed in a cup, yup

We used to kick it in the salad days

Then she look at me like she ain't know me when she see me nowadays

I nod, she nod back, that's how it stay

Her songs still better than anything out that "HOT" or "Power" play

Remember how they accused her of saying she did her album without help?

Then she went to Rome to sing and tell the Pope about herself

Just after she left The Fugees, started rolling with the Marleys

Got back with her crew at Dave Chappelle's Block Party

She made songs about Zion and trying to be faithful

Took Black Star on tour in Europe, I was so grateful

Speaking for myself, but I'm sure I could speak for Dante

I got to watch a show with Nina Simone and Harry Belafonte

We used to chill at Nkiru, her moms was a customer

She used to love to buy the books by Octavia Butler

'Parable of the Sower,' the main character's name was Lauren

What the album did for black girls' self-esteem was so important

I got concerned when she got sick on the road

She ain't healthy, I'm a brother

And I wish that I could pick up the load, but no

[Hook]

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Ms. Hill, you got skills, that's a gift, it's real

Get ill, what you spit got the power to uplift the heel

[Verse 2: Talib Kweli]

Got your assistant on the the phone, "I need to talk to Lauryn"

And I wanna walk through the storm, and I could be the umbrella when the rain is pouring

Please – this no disrespect to whoever your man is, though

This relationship is strictly music, like D'Angelo

I know you hate Babylon, and wanna see it fall

But they won't let you read your poem at the BET Awards

You give us hope, you give us faith, you the one

They don't like what you got to say, but still they beg you to come – whoa

Now that's powerful, sis – it's Black power

We get money, keep our eyes on the final hour

And no I ain't saying you Christ, that would be sacrilegious, right?

But you can blow and you nice – sister, them raps is vicious

The raps the sisters recite with their Black fist up

The devil's last wish is a queen that rise past bitches

We used to read Francis Cress

Or anything by Third World Press

Impressed, by what the power of the word suggest

Hatched ideas in our heads like birds in the nest

You gave birth to a new sound like Donda West – yes

Should I be saying all of this while the mic is on?

I might as well let it out, because one day I might be gone

I write this song and hope you feel how much we love you

And you play it, 'cause I really ain't got the words to say it

But yo

[Hook]

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Another night, slips away

In other words, I should say

There are no words, you should say

There are no words

Ms. Hill, you got skills, that's a gift, it's real

Get ill, what you spit got the power to uplift the heel