Yo, we all got different things we got to deal with. We always are
   trying
   to put the blame on something else rather than sometimes looking at
   ourselves, recognizing a lot of the stuff that happens...but if we
   look
   within ourselves, we could prevent a lot of this nonsense. It's about
   relating back to the essence, where it all stems from. I'm-a do my
   thing
   over this drum, like a native tongue.
   Verse one
   Q-Tip:
   Do what you will, if you feel that your steeze is real
   complicated with the skills over reel to reel
   brown skin is what i feel, my mind and body's appeal
   is to the no-frill mills, who hear the beats to chill
   constantly, I'm hearing Black Americans just sneering
   Looking for a leader who can fill us up with either
   Hitting us up with great emotional chat
   about the fact
   that the black
   is constantly held back
   Like 50 tracks back in a relay race
   and the white team's ahead
   so let's keep up the pace
   And I be needing something
   To feed my logical taste
   At the end of the race is there a paradise place?
   Yo, we can't get involved in what the next man is doing
   Material gain we put too much in persuing
   "Yo duke, I need this dough so we can step to this party"
   But we can all mardi grati
   Minus that shit in our body
   "What that got to do with that"
   'Cause kid that's the essence,
   your physical presence
   embodies every lesson
   You can't run the Rolls Royce if the engine is busted.
   Can't even life the knife to cut the mustard.
   What we need to do first
   Now listen to this verse
   Let's concentrate on our spiritual plate.
   Recognize your existence in this vast blue space
   From a tiny cloud of blood
   To the human beings with taste, sight, touch, smell
   and sound
   Let's deem it profound!
   And prioritize this cause it was Allah's wish
   "Allah? I'm God"
   "No I ddon't believe that. That's a mystery"
   "If God is so good why does shit be happening to me?"
   There's divinity within
   because we come from the divine
   A froce that's not seen But you feel it every time
   When the wind blows, and the world turns,
   and the rain drops, and the baby cries
   and the bird flies, and the ground quake,
   and the stars gleam
   So many things are eident of its existence
   What we need to do is link it with persistence
   Once we recognize that, we can move ahead
   Native Tongue, Common Sense yo he's Hip-Hop bred...
   Common:
   From the spiritual world my former life has developed
   First person I lost close to me was Stella
   Some of my mellows
   Lost their mothers and their brothers
   For them I feel empathy
   But I ain't pouring out no liquor for no niggas
   I pour my heart out when I see Dot out on the deck
   Knowing two weeks ago he slapped-box with death
   I hear of niggas dying in the wind-in the news
   But when it's somebody you know it hits you
   and emotions get bruised
   I ain't been in your shoes,
   I won't judge you for knocking
   Because the spirit of the ghetto says "You Gotta!"
   They snatch you again from rock flippin'
   Give back into the neighborhood, you better start kickin'
   Stickin' stores
   On the strip
   I'm tired of Arabs giving me my change back
   Devil bomb my yesterday
   My tomorrow he never gave back
   I lay back, looking at the ceiling
   Wonndering what can I do
   So my homie won't have to be dealing
   Not cause you serving and I'm rapping I'm better
   Just different pieces to the puzzle of black life
   That we have to put together, better ourselves
   cause families we gotta raise
   No matter how long the money
   Shorter become the days
   Men become like women
   and no difference in the season
   If you got popped five times
   You breathing for a reason
   Let's put the five tenure plan into progression
   Before we count our paper
   Count our blessings