Talib Kweli

Featuring: Stic.man

Songwriter: Stic.man Talib Kweli

Producer: Dave Dar

[Hook]
Even though these crackers hate me
They can never break me
They can only motivate me to rise
Even though these niggas judge me
They could never fade me
Because my mamma raised me with love

Even though these crackers hate me
They can never break me
They only motivate me to rise
Even though these niggas judge me
They could never fade me
They could never touch me

[Talib Kweli]
Yeah, although my mamma raised me with love
Snakes laid in the cut
They want me laid in the mud
Throw salt in the cuts
So when I talk I cuss
When I walk I strut
I dip it all in the dutch
When I blaze and I contemplate
Sometimes it's hard to concentrate
Tired of jake trying to stop my people right to congregate
My girl want me to quit smoking
But every door been closed only way I get open
Is putting something in the air
It's been part of my life since fifteen
I'm rolling the spliff clean
With the cigarette holder
As a nigga get older
Addiction is a chip on my shoulder
This is the shit that the soldier play before he go to battle
The song that haunt the loser dream when he throw the towel
Snitch niggas known to tattle
As bitch niggas run into official niggas who known to blast you

[Hook]

[Stic.man]
What I know? I'm supposed to be dead by 24
But if a nigga got that shit it in his head how can he grow?
I was raised up not to be led by any ho
Got exposed to the game from a different angle
When you young black and poor there's places you can't go
Ain't no big pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Still, I'm thankful
Even on them hungry days when my belly ain't full
I know what I came through
I was raised this way
N I double-G A
Sucka-free all day every day
From the womb to the grave
Baptized in the game
Early age
Dirty thirty-eight special in my waist
Getting paid blowing weed like it ain't no thang
Rolling blunts getting drunk and it ain't gon' change
I let my khakis bang
White tee Chuck T's on my feet
Hollering "Fuck the Police!"
Got some fresh gold teeth - my nigga!

[Hook]

If skills sold, Talib Kweli would have been one of the most commercially successful rappers of his time. As it was, however, the earnest MC became one of the most critically successful rappers of his time, which dawned in the late ‘90s when he rapped alongside Yasiin Bey (then known as Mos Def) and DJ Hi-Tek as part of the group Black Star.

Talib is known for his numerous collaborations with other artists like Kanye West, Common, Madlib, Bilal, The Roots, Dead Prez, Q-Tip, John Legend, the list is endless. He has also embraced a whole new generation like Blu, Kendrick Lamar, Curren$y, and Ab-Soul.

Kweli has recently spearheaded a direct-to-fan means of distributing his music via his new site #KweliClub. Check it out to get his latest music including many free downloads.

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