Native Sons

[Intro 1: Ronnie Gee sample]

"Warning:

The surgeon general has determined

That the sounds you're about to hear

Can be devastating to your ear"

[Intro 2: Talib Kweli]

This one goes out to the legendary Native Tongues crew

Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest

Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Chi-Ali, Black Sheep

The Beatnuts, Busta Rhymes – let's go!

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli]

We are witnessing a hip-hop apocalypse

If you ain't got them bars, I promise it's looking ominous

Yup – let's get it going, let's gеt provocative

It's Brooklyn, who's stopping us? We are thе true conquerors

Rappers get unruly and moody, feuding for dominance

Bragging about material objects with people starving, bruh

And that's why the phrase 'eat the rich' is so popular

Please, these elitists can never defeat the populace

Now who these novices think they tryna get brolic with?

I'm the architect in this – 'Inception' and 'Megalopolis'

I leave your city your city in ruins just like Isopolis

It's a rap like a mummy, let's get buddy a sarcophagus

I break a rapper like a promise

Standing next to famous artists' these niggas' biggest accomplishments

This is culture over politics

The language of these lames is Greek to me like Acropolis

[Chorus: Talib Kweli]

Life is all about balance, son, stay on your deen

You got to rise to the challenge, son, stay on your deen

Whether on and off stages, I stay on my deen

Even when collecting wages, I stay on my deen

Praises to the Most High, this an offering

Trust I'm just getting started, 'cause I got more to bring

"I've been to the mountain top," like "It was all a dream"

I'm move loving, and that don't cost a thing

[Verse 2: Talib Kweli]

We've arrived where people ain't living, they just survive

People scared of the truth get more comfortable with the lies

Want to come at you with hate, that's really love in the disguise

The hate the only language that anguish gonna provide

There's nothing you can do to me lames ain't already tried

How you going to kill me? A nigga already died

Ignorance is not a virtue and neither is petty pride

You cranky? Go take a nap, eat a Snickers like Barry White – right?

They want our people all in chains

"Was it all in vain?" is what we ask the Lord as we the call His name

It's all a game to these colonizers, yeah, they all the same

They causing pain and slaughter all the game like Allan Quatermain

If all things was equal, they would forfeit games

Like we saw the pouring rain, so the slaves revolt and set it all aflame

Employment gain for the sisters rocking the horses' mane

We talking slang, Tribe Called Quest is in the Hall of Fame

[Chorus: Talib Kweli]

Life is all about balance, son, stay on your deen

You got to rise to the challenge, son, stay on your deen

Whether on and off stages, I stay on my deen

Even when collecting wages, I stay on my deen

Praises to the Most High, this an offering

Trust I'm just getting started, 'cause I got more to bring

"I've been to the mountain top," like "It was all a dream"

I'm moving love, and that don't cost a thing

[Scratch break: Jungle Brothers sample]

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

"Five thousand boomin' watts – sound system, state of the art"

[Outro: interview clip]

That whole Native Tongue organization set so many of us free

De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest

Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep...

Latifah was in there

KMD was in there

Monie Love

Yo, listen, all of them, bro

All of them––yeah and Leaders was in there too

All of that energy–set us free, bro