know thy self

you ready to go? i'm ready to go

what about y'all

y'all ready to go? i'm ready to go

look

know thy self

and thou shalt know

the universe and god

god is the mother

the father

the friend

know ye not that ye must be born again?

what does it mean to be in the world but not of it

it means you want the cars the cash the jewels the house but you don't love it

it means to taxes regulation state law you live above it

it means you a free hip-hopper

you ain't nobody's puppet

you don't see no money on me

you see it up in the cupboard

you see me up in toys'r'us

with my seeds cause they love it

you see insurance flash out

if my kids pass out

you see seven acres of land where we can all spaz out

to all my fathers that fathered

hold your head up for starters

teach your toddlers

not to be thieves and robbers

this that other kind of rap

that leads to true hip-hop

there's other kinds of raps

but they lead you to get shot

the choice is yours

you gettin older now

you got a kid comin

how you gonna hold it down?

it's one thing to be iced out and rocked up

what's the point if you're gettin locked up?

know thy self

and thou shalt know

the universe and god

god is the mother

the father

the friend

know ye not that ye must be born again?

it's really time we seperate the young men from the big men

the young girls from the women

whatever the title that fit them

my style designed to open a child's mind when i spit them

i only got a little bit of time to really rhyme and uplift them

you see them brothers talkin about that crime? forgive them

it won't be long before they words manifest and they live them

sometimes you gotta go back to the beginnin to learn

after fifteen years i'm just beginnin to burn

to all my true hip-hoppers

that pay bills and live proper

never allow a negative thought to stop ya

correct ya posture

stand upright not uptight

don't be scared of the light

just prepare for the fight

we say criminal minded"