Released: March 31, 1998
Featuring: K-Ci & JoJo
Songwriter: DJ Premier Guru K-Ci Hailey JoJo Hailey
Producer: DJ Premier Guru
[Intro: Greg Nice]
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like dat" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr" "Represent"
[Verse 1: Guru]
One of the meanest and the cleanest
And still I'm kind of fiendish when I'm at this
Been doin' this for eons, peons best to catch this
Vision of excellence precise rappin' ability
'Bout to make some dead presidents, mackin' a million, G
The money though, it's got people acting funny yo
As soon as some niggas get some light, they be like dummies yo
Products and puppets and pawns, gettin' played out
When authentic niggas step up, respect be layed out
Major effect to your sector, I'm the corrector
Live and direct, wavin' my mic like a sceptor
Supreme exalted, universal leader
Descendent of the kings and queens, the overseer
The overlord, cream of the crop, crème de la crème
Spent years building with cats in the streets so they my men
Again, Gang Starr has done it
Remember too much jewels back in the days? You'd have to run it
Check it, the ground be hot under our feet
So we be listenin' to beats to keep the cypher complete
Whether you kids be holdin' on the block all day
Or you be puffin' lye out in the back hallway
Or whether you be in school or in the library
Wherever you are, baby paw, realize that your essence
Is divine, son, and let it shine, son, as we refine, son
Ayo, this shit'll blow your mind, son, we're royalty
[Hook: K-Ci and JoJo]
Wherever I go, I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I have to stand out from all the rest
Whatever I do, wherever I go
I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I just wanna stand out from all the rest
[Verse 2: Guru]
And all the girls they want to spoil me
My honey anoints me with oils, G
After work she greets me and treats me like royalty
Works with me, givin' herself by my side
She don't sweat me for loot, my fame or my ride
A lot of ladies out there be lookin' lovely
But they don't got no control of their life, inside they're ugly
Word to Bugsy, and to Red Alert
Sway and Tech, and Funkmaster Flex to make your head jerk
Chicks go beserk when they see us in the spot
K-Ci, JoJo and Primo, creepin' to the top
And to the sweethearts out there breakin' hearts
While we're takin' part of this hip-hop art
Listen yo, the best way, it ain't always the fast way
And yes, the best way, it ain't always to act nasty
I'll open up the door always before you pass me
Baby Doll, because you're royalty
[Hook: K-Ci and JoJo]
Wherever I go, I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I have to stand out from all the rest
Whatever I do, wherever I go
I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I just wanna stand out from all the rest
[Outro: Greg Nice]
"Gang Starr has to gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
[K-Ci and JoJo freestyle singing]
[Outro: DJ Premier]
To whom it may concern
This goes out to anybody who’s doing the bullshit, straight up
Yo, everybody’s calling me, my lawyer, everybody on this, ‘yo did you scratch such n such name?
Or this, that, and the third on the record for a hook?’
Y’all keep calling me on that shit and y’all supposed to be hip hoppers and all that, and letting the industry control the rules of the hip hop world that we made?
Y’all need to knock that shit off, that’s some greedy-ass, fake bullshit!
Knock that shit off for real!
Y'know'm sayin'?
And when that shit come and slap you in the face, that greed, I’ma be right there laughing at y’all…
And one other thing… What’s the deal with you break-record cats putting out all the original records that we sample from and snitching by puttin us on the back of it sayin we used stuff?
You *know* how that go!
Stop doing that, y’all are violatin', straight up and down!
Word up, man, I’m sick of this shit
Y’all muthafuckas really don’t know what this hip hop is all about
So while you keep on faking the funk, we gonna keep on walkin' through the darkness, carryin' our torches
Underground will live forever, baby
We just like roaches, never dyin', always livin'…
And on that note, let's get back to the program…
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like dat" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
"Gang Starr" "Represent"
[Verse 1: Guru]
One of the meanest and the cleanest
And still I'm kind of fiendish when I'm at this
Been doin' this for eons, peons best to catch this
Vision of excellence precise rappin' ability
'Bout to make some dead presidents, mackin' a million, G
The money though, it's got people acting funny yo
As soon as some niggas get some light, they be like dummies yo
Products and puppets and pawns, gettin' played out
When authentic niggas step up, respect be layed out
Major effect to your sector, I'm the corrector
Live and direct, wavin' my mic like a sceptor
Supreme exalted, universal leader
Descendent of the kings and queens, the overseer
The overlord, cream of the crop, crème de la crème
Spent years building with cats in the streets so they my men
Again, Gang Starr has done it
Remember too much jewels back in the days? You'd have to run it
Check it, the ground be hot under our feet
So we be listenin' to beats to keep the cypher complete
Whether you kids be holdin' on the block all day
Or you be puffin' lye out in the back hallway
Or whether you be in school or in the library
Wherever you are, baby paw, realize that your essence
Is divine, son, and let it shine, son, as we refine, son
Ayo, this shit'll blow your mind, son, we're royalty
[Hook: K-Ci and JoJo]
Wherever I go, I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I have to stand out from all the rest
Whatever I do, wherever I go
I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I just wanna stand out from all the rest
[Verse 2: Guru]
And all the girls they want to spoil me
My honey anoints me with oils, G
After work she greets me and treats me like royalty
Works with me, givin' herself by my side
She don't sweat me for loot, my fame or my ride
A lot of ladies out there be lookin' lovely
But they don't got no control of their life, inside they're ugly
Word to Bugsy, and to Red Alert
Sway and Tech, and Funkmaster Flex to make your head jerk
Chicks go beserk when they see us in the spot
K-Ci, JoJo and Primo, creepin' to the top
And to the sweethearts out there breakin' hearts
While we're takin' part of this hip-hop art
Listen yo, the best way, it ain't always the fast way
And yes, the best way, it ain't always to act nasty
I'll open up the door always before you pass me
Baby Doll, because you're royalty
[Hook: K-Ci and JoJo]
Wherever I go, I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I have to stand out from all the rest
Whatever I do, wherever I go
I want to take nothin' less than the best
Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I just wanna stand out from all the rest
[Outro: Greg Nice]
"Gang Starr has to gots to be the sure shot"
"And it's like that" (Primo scratching)
[K-Ci and JoJo freestyle singing]
[Outro: DJ Premier]
To whom it may concern
This goes out to anybody who’s doing the bullshit, straight up
Yo, everybody’s calling me, my lawyer, everybody on this, ‘yo did you scratch such n such name?
Or this, that, and the third on the record for a hook?’
Y’all keep calling me on that shit and y’all supposed to be hip hoppers and all that, and letting the industry control the rules of the hip hop world that we made?
Y’all need to knock that shit off, that’s some greedy-ass, fake bullshit!
Knock that shit off for real!
Y'know'm sayin'?
And when that shit come and slap you in the face, that greed, I’ma be right there laughing at y’all…
And one other thing… What’s the deal with you break-record cats putting out all the original records that we sample from and snitching by puttin us on the back of it sayin we used stuff?
You *know* how that go!
Stop doing that, y’all are violatin', straight up and down!
Word up, man, I’m sick of this shit
Y’all muthafuckas really don’t know what this hip hop is all about
So while you keep on faking the funk, we gonna keep on walkin' through the darkness, carryin' our torches
Underground will live forever, baby
We just like roaches, never dyin', always livin'…
And on that note, let's get back to the program…
more tracks from the album
Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr
- Work
- So Wassup?!
- You Know My Steez (3 Men And A Lady Remix)
- Gotta Get Over (Taking Loot)
- All 4 Tha Ca$h
- DWYCK
- Now You’re Mine
- Code of the Streets
- Tonz ‘O’ Gunz
- Speak Ya Clout
- Betrayal
- The Militia
- Who’s Gonna Take the Weight?
- Step in the Arena
- Words I Manifest (Remix)
- The Militia II (Remix)
- Just to Get a Rep
- Full Clip
- Mass Appeal
- You Know My Steez
- Royalty
- Above the Clouds
- The ? Remainz
- Ex Girl to Next Girl
- I’m the Man
- Soliloquy of Chaos
- B.Y.S.
- Credit Is Due
- Take It Personal
- 1/2 & 1/2
- Discipline
- Jazz Thing
From the albums
- Moment of Truth (1998)
- Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr (1999)
Gang Starr popular songs
- Moment of Truth
- Above the Clouds
- Family and Loyalty
- Full Clip
- Work
- DWYCK
- Mass Appeal
- You Know My Steez
- Betrayal
- JFK 2 LAX
- Royalty
- The Militia
- Robbin Hood Theory
- Rite Where U Stand
- Code of the Streets
- Skills
- Discipline
- Battle
- Ex Girl to Next Girl
- In Memory Of...
- My Advice 2 You
- What I’m Here 4
- Just to Get a Rep
- Bad Name