Released: July 17, 1990
Songwriter: KRS-One
Producer: D Nice KRS-One
Wake up!
Take the pillow from your head and put a book in it
It's time for the massive BDP crew at the top of the pile
[Verse 1]
In the morning I'm yawning, at noon is when I wake up
Make up my bed break up the bread and said
Scratching my head, why am I so damn intimidating?
Is it because of laws designed to keep us waiting and waiting
Thus aiding all forms of a setback
Get back if you can't understand a rap act
This is the language of the people ready to hear the truth
I've got no juice, cause I'm not getting juiced
To have juice means you kiss and lick a lot of booty
To have respect means you simply knew a Nubie
Heard what I had to say and felt as though you'd say that too
I'm not down with the Juice Crew
But anyway I say today the message I create is great
I don't preach hate, I simply get the record straight
It's not the fault of the black race that we are misplaced
We're robbing and killing, your own medicine you taste
You built up a race on the concept of violence
Now in '90 you want silence
Well, I want science, not silence but science
Scientific fact about black
The board of education acts as if its only reality
Is talking about a Tom, Dick and Harry
So now you learn your black history it's questions and answers
Every question but the Black Panthers
Timbuctu existed when the caveman existed
Why then isn't this listed
Is it because the blackman is the original man
Or does it mean humanity is African
I don't know but these sciences are hidden
For some strange reason it's forbidden
To talk about, or converse on a political outburst
I don't believe that I'm the first
Or should I say the first one, or the first one that's done
Music like I'm still number one
But music like that or this is the incredible uplift
Those that oppose get dissed
But who will oppose the teacher when society's a wreck
So check the blackman's in effect
[Verse 2]
Near the Tigris and Euphrates Valleys in Asia
Lies the Garden of Eden
Where Adam became a father to humanity
Now don't get mad at me
But according to facts, this seems just fantasy
Because man, the most ancient man
Was found thousands of years before Adam began
And where he was found, again they can't laugh at ya
It's right, dead, smack in Africa
But due to religious and political power
We must be denied the facts, every hour
We run to school, trying to get straight A's
Let's take a trip way back in the days
To the first civilization on Earth, the Egyptians
Giving birth to science, mathematics and music
Religion, the list goes on, you choose it
Egypt was the land of spiritual blessing
Egypt was the land of facts, not guessing
People from all over the world had come
To learn from Egypt, Egypt number one
So people that believe in Greek philosophy
Know your facts, Egypt was the monopoly;
Greeks had learned from Egyptian masters
You might say "Prove it", well here's the answers:
640 to 322 B.C. originates Greek philosophy
But in that era Greece was at war
With themselves and Persia once more.
Any philosopher at that time was a criminal;
He'd be killed very simple
This indicates that Greece had no respect
For science or intellect
So how the hell you created philosophy
When you killed philosophers constantly?!
The point is is that we descend from kings
Science, art and beautiful things
African history is the world's history
This is the missing link and mystery
Once we realize that all are African
White will sit down with black and laugh again
So judge not least ye may be judged
By the judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged
Matthew seven, first verse doesn't budge
No man should walk the Earth in sludge
If you don't believe, you can go and check
To see how and where the blackman's in effect
Take the pillow from your head and put a book in it
It's time for the massive BDP crew at the top of the pile
[Verse 1]
In the morning I'm yawning, at noon is when I wake up
Make up my bed break up the bread and said
Scratching my head, why am I so damn intimidating?
Is it because of laws designed to keep us waiting and waiting
Thus aiding all forms of a setback
Get back if you can't understand a rap act
This is the language of the people ready to hear the truth
I've got no juice, cause I'm not getting juiced
To have juice means you kiss and lick a lot of booty
To have respect means you simply knew a Nubie
Heard what I had to say and felt as though you'd say that too
I'm not down with the Juice Crew
But anyway I say today the message I create is great
I don't preach hate, I simply get the record straight
It's not the fault of the black race that we are misplaced
We're robbing and killing, your own medicine you taste
You built up a race on the concept of violence
Now in '90 you want silence
Well, I want science, not silence but science
Scientific fact about black
The board of education acts as if its only reality
Is talking about a Tom, Dick and Harry
So now you learn your black history it's questions and answers
Every question but the Black Panthers
Timbuctu existed when the caveman existed
Why then isn't this listed
Is it because the blackman is the original man
Or does it mean humanity is African
I don't know but these sciences are hidden
For some strange reason it's forbidden
To talk about, or converse on a political outburst
I don't believe that I'm the first
Or should I say the first one, or the first one that's done
Music like I'm still number one
But music like that or this is the incredible uplift
Those that oppose get dissed
But who will oppose the teacher when society's a wreck
So check the blackman's in effect
[Verse 2]
Near the Tigris and Euphrates Valleys in Asia
Lies the Garden of Eden
Where Adam became a father to humanity
Now don't get mad at me
But according to facts, this seems just fantasy
Because man, the most ancient man
Was found thousands of years before Adam began
And where he was found, again they can't laugh at ya
It's right, dead, smack in Africa
But due to religious and political power
We must be denied the facts, every hour
We run to school, trying to get straight A's
Let's take a trip way back in the days
To the first civilization on Earth, the Egyptians
Giving birth to science, mathematics and music
Religion, the list goes on, you choose it
Egypt was the land of spiritual blessing
Egypt was the land of facts, not guessing
People from all over the world had come
To learn from Egypt, Egypt number one
So people that believe in Greek philosophy
Know your facts, Egypt was the monopoly;
Greeks had learned from Egyptian masters
You might say "Prove it", well here's the answers:
640 to 322 B.C. originates Greek philosophy
But in that era Greece was at war
With themselves and Persia once more.
Any philosopher at that time was a criminal;
He'd be killed very simple
This indicates that Greece had no respect
For science or intellect
So how the hell you created philosophy
When you killed philosophers constantly?!
The point is is that we descend from kings
Science, art and beautiful things
African history is the world's history
This is the missing link and mystery
Once we realize that all are African
White will sit down with black and laugh again
So judge not least ye may be judged
By the judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged
Matthew seven, first verse doesn't budge
No man should walk the Earth in sludge
If you don't believe, you can go and check
To see how and where the blackman's in effect
more tracks from the album
From the album
- Edutainment (1990)
Boogie Down Productions popular songs
- The Bridge Is Over
- My Philosophy
- South Bronx
- 9mm Goes Bang
- Criminal Minded
- You Must Learn
- Love’s Gonna Get’cha (Material Love)
- Stop the Violence
- Beef
- Poetry
- Remix for P is Free
- Why is That?
- Illegal Business
- I’m Still #1
- Dope Beat
- 13 and Good
- Super Hoe
- Jimmy
- Blackman in Effect
- The Racist
- Original Way
- I’m Still Number 1
- Say No Brother (Crack Attack Don’t Do It)
- Necessary