My Kung Fu (Salaam's Remix)

[ INTRO: Mos Def ]

Baba-baba-baba-baba-baba, you been so good to me

When I was a little boy you were the only one I wanted to be

To be like pa duke and ma duke

How much I love the both of you

I know all the strain we been through

But it's of no consequence cause I'm comin through

[ VERSE 1: Mos Def ]

Check it

I first studied my kung fu in the Brakalak

In the center ( ? )

This had to be about ten years back

Before I ever even heard of some 24 track

Talkin about you was an MC was not the move

Cause if you said you had skill, well then you had to show and prove

So out in the park, yo, I would battle kids

Strengthening my verbs and my adjectives

Starting from the fourth grade and up to junior high

My voice was mad ( ? ) but my flow was type fly

And if there ever was a party, son, yo, I would set it

And tell the DJ run the beat from (Ultra-magnetic)

Yeah, I grab the mic and then I leave the party buzzin

Tellin all the honeys I was Slick Rick's cousin

When they knew I wasn't, but I had no shame

Pa, you know the name, the Mos always had game

Back in the day of the Rap Attack

When brothers knew how to act, before Glocks and crack

And Jam-Master Jay was the one-man band

And my favorite MC was my man Spoonie G

I watched them rise and sat back and observed

Was sittin on the curb, buildin up my nerves

Back then it was real, and that was all you could feel

I wasn't thinkin 'bout nobody's fuckin record deal

And Vandy C was doin radio shows

'Crossover' meant that you wore your mom's clothes

Sweet G was talkin about the games that people play

I used to sit back and say: yeah indeed, someday

And as I grew older my kung fu grew better

Instead of shootin humbles I was shootin ( ? )

And now my time has come

And now hip-hop's an industry polluted by bums

Throwin they guns and puffin mad blunts

And muthafuckas just started rhymin last month

They gettin fat deals on any major label

When they only seen other people hold the mic cable

Five years ago when we was dancin house

When the DJ played hip-hop, then you walked out

But now you're hard, talkin about you paid mad dues

I used to see your ass abused wearin platform shoes

I ain't confused, who you think you're foolin with that get-up?

You ain't genuine, so don't waste your time

Riffin over here cause there ain't no chance

That you could break the stance, son, you ain't that advanced

Shit is gettin critical across the land

Don't provide the b-boy, introduce the b-man - understand?

Word up, the M-o-s D is who I am, now check it out, y'all

[ Chorus ]

[ DCQ ]

My kung fu

[ Ces ]

Is the style you haven't mastered

[ VERSE 2: DCQ ]

At the age of 18 made a little money

And I needed some advice on how to live my life

Was goin through strife, people couldn't understand

That I was comin into my own, becomin a man

I had to have a plan cause I know what I'm here for

So I can't waste time, y'all

Gotta be on the ball and represent for my peeps

(Where?) In the streets!

I make beats and kick facts over fat tracks

It's all of that from the Brakalak

Goin through problems as a adolescent

A lot of troubles and turmoils, there was persistence

And I know that I stutter

But it don't matter cause I'm a bad (muthafucka)

I flip a verse either backwards, sideways

I rocks my shit from here, Mondays, Fridays

Saturdays and I get a weekend off

My shit ain't soft

(Well, excuse me, baby)

You paid your dues cause I'm the boss

So muthafuck Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross

Because they know what the time is

I rock shit for the fly kids, b-men, bouncin bass bombastics

Shit could get drastic, you get tossed like an ash, kid

You know what I'm sayin?

[ Chorus ]

[ VERSE 3: Ces ]

Well I'm sleek and I freak a beat

For you and your peeps to bump inside your jeeps

Your Acuras, your Hondas or whatever

Pump it in the Benzi and get your head together

Strollin down the F.D.R

Playin the microphone star

Deep in your car

With the thump-diddy-thump-da-thump-da-thump-thump

Pop up the trunk and let the bass bump

If you ain't got a ride, well that's alright

Let the U keep you company on your hike

Trekin down the ave with your headphones on

Take 'em off for a second and you still feel gone

You're pressin rewind, many, many times

I must rock the mic cause it's only right

Comin right up off of Eastern ground

This is how we get down, I hope you like the sound

Thermo offering number one

There's more in store, there's more to come

We far from done, no, the show ain't over

So when we comin through, don't say I never told ya

That

[ Chorus ]