Released: December 7, 1999

Featuring: Grand Puba KRS-One

Songwriter: Grand Puba KRS-One DJ Premier

Producer: DJ Premier

[Intro: KRS-One]
Come! Come with me now! To a time, long forgotten

[Verse 1: KRS-One] (Grand Puba)
I grew up in the streets, like everyone else
But instead of pushin drugs I push knowledge in self
While them cats was in the back, smokin them moolies
I was buildin with the Gods, who used to wear kufi's
Africa pendents, with sevens on them
Real black man summit y'all never saw 'em
The cops caught 'em, real leaders, real street preachers
Black Panthers style Poor Righteous Teachers
This before the cell phones and the beepers
Conscious black men with fly new sneakers
Both styles came from us, guns bust
We were Criminal Minded but In God We Trust
Not that white man God the other one
We didn't call that God we called our brother one
And our sister was the Earth, peace God
No need to act it (Now let me bless y'all with some jewels)

[Hook: KRS-One, (Grand Puba)]
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE, let's go
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE

[Verse 2: KRS-One] (*DJ Premier Scratchin) (**Grand Puba)
(*Oh my God!) Where you think the cypher come from? (The Gods!)
Who you think them cops were runnin from? (The Gods!)
The streets were hard but the streets had Gods and Earths
(**Sun, Moon and Stars!!!) This is my universe
Rebirth, a new way of seein
Seein black people as celestial beings
To raise our whole self esteem in
We started Third Eye seein and seein what Martin was dreamin
Gods on the boulevard buildin on life
Wise Intelligent, King Sun, Just Ice
King Aziatic nobody's equal
Rakim, these are enlightened people
The 5 percent, visit The School Of Mecca in Harlem
If you never went, It's good time spent
I'll bet ya come out with a new tactic
But while we here (Kris go 'head, just drop it)

[Hook: KRS-One, (Grand Puba)]
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE, let's go
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE

[Verse 3: Grand Puba]
I deal with actual facts, I keep it right and exact
And If in doubt I do without so I could stay on my route
The original man the true ruler of the land
Related to the universe by the Pineal gland
Armed with epidermis so the sun won't burn us
It's natural while others fry they in the furnace
It's God Body don't let the 10 percent fool ya
Teachin lies and false religion so that they can rule ya
Why oh why got you lookin to the sky
Got you believin that you 'gon get some heaven when you die
Meanwhile, the 6th sense 'til you turn
Unit followed by 21 ciphers you should run
196 million, 900,040 thousand, and we still in public housin
Now It's our turn, listen
Like KRS-One say, homey, You Must Learn

[Hook: KRS-One, (Grand Puba)]
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE, let's go
Knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom
Justice, equality (food) clothing
Shelter, love, peace, happiness
THESE ARE THE JEWELS TO LIFE

DJ Premier

Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966), better known by his stage name DJ Premier (also known as Preemo or Preem for short), is a record producer and DJ. He produced six albums as the instrumental half of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with emcee Guru. DJ Premier has been labeled by many as arguably the greatest producer in hip-hop history.

Born in Houston and raised in Prairie View, Texas, he has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for much of his professional career. Despite his Southern roots, Premier became synonymous with intricate sampling and the boom-bap sounds of East Coast hip-hop in the 1990s. He has worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop such as Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, Common, Drake, Dr. Dre, and Kanye West among others. He has also worked with R&B and pop artists such as Christina Aguilera, D'Angelo, and Miguel. DJ Premier also joined another group, forming PRhyme with Royce da 5'9".