KRS-One

Songwriter: KRS-One

Producer: KRS-One

Yeah
(Yeah)
Yeah
(Yeah)
Ah-ha
(Ah-ha)
Ah-ha
(Ah-ha)
Hardcore!
Word
Hardcore!

[*live excerpt*]
(You really think they're ready, black?)

Let's break it all the way down
All the way down

Huh-huh
Don't be fooled...
Don't be fooled...
Rap is something you do
Hip-hop is something you live
Rap is something you do
Hip-hop is something you.. ( *crowd responds "live!" )
Rap is something you do
Hip-hop.. ( *crowd responds "is something you live!" )
You are not just doing hip-hop..
( *crowd responds "You are hip hop!" )

Yeah
Let's get this started
Word up

[Chorus]
You gotta - get - your - self - up
You been knocked down?
Get yourself up
You been shot down?
Get yourself up
You been locked down?
Get yourself up
Get - your - self - up
Been knocked down?
Get yourself up
Been shot down?
Get yourself up
You been locked down?
Get yourself up

What is a real hip-hop MC?
Is it MTV?
Is it BET?
Is it five M-I-C's so the people can see?
I mean, how you think you're free when you act like property?
Tell me, how do you judge an MC when he's rockin'?
I mean, rockin' it live, not pickin his cotton?
I mean, adjusting his clothes? I mean, how do you know
Before you come to the show that you're not gettin heated?
That you're not gettin cheated?
That you ain't come to the club thinkin', 'I must've been weeded'?
(Word)
You got to be a educated consumer
Spend your money on MC's 'cause these rappers'll do ya
All they want is your cash, ass, grass, gas and a flick
When you ask for that autograph they ass-dash quick
Beware of the rapper, he talks like it don't matter
He pulls his gat while we bust off the gat-ler

[Chorus]

This is "The Sneak Attack"
The "Edutainment" style returns like that
Take it off your shelf
'Cause all we deal wit is knowledge of self, health and wealth
Not Stealth bombers, leather goose bombers
Original hip-hop armor on cd-rom - uh
You got to get with a
21st century philosopher
Representin' the religion of hip-hop sir
Those that oppose are foes and will get rocked - uh
Stop, uh
I rise like a helicopter
Like Zulu I'll Shaka, crowd
With a beat that's loud
Huh, I'm black and I'm proud, irrelevant
I'm black and intelligent
I teach my kids to watch the education they give 'em
'Cause it's really all about street wisdom

[Chorus]

True hip-hoppers don't bleed
True hip-hoppers don't need
True hip-hoppers don't speed
No time for greed
True hip-hoppers do read and will lead
Not plead
Will sow seeds that breed
Ah-ha that's safer than weed, indeed
True hip-hoppers don't slave
True hip-hoppers don't crave
Silver and gold, we're not amazed
We live F-R-E-E
If you not into lyrics you can't really hear it nor see me
My philosophy keeps it plain and simple
Here it is: the kingdom of hip-hop is within you
Or is it the kingdom of hell that sends you?
I'm ringin a bell within you
You only seekin to sell
That's what sin do
It tells you to put your craft on a menu, a chart
So they can sell you and your art

[Chorus]

The legendary MC from the South Bronx, New York, Lawrence “KRS-One” Parker has been steadily rapping since 1985. His name stands for “Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone”.

KRS came to rapping only by chance. In the Something from The Art of Rap documentary, he recalls watching an MC cypher when suddenly “a dude” randomly picked him out of the crowd and made fun of him. Feeling compelled to defend himself, KRS performed a little freestyle which impressed the crowd and eventually kicked off his rapping career.

His breakthrough onto the hip hop scene began with “The Bridge Is Over” – an answer record to the popular Queens rapper MC Shan’s song “Queensbridge”. From 1986 to 1992, KRS-One fronted the groundbreaking hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, scoring six top 20 hits on the US Rap Chart. In 1993, he began a solo career spanning three decades, racking up six more top 20 Rap Chart hits with “Sound of da Police”, “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know”, “Step Into A World” and “Men Of Steel” also achieving mainstream pop success on the Hot 100.

more tracks from the album

The Sneak Attack

From the album

The Sneak Attack (2001)

KRS-One popular songs

Get Your Self UpKRS-One

KRS-One

The Sneak Attack