To have once been a criminal, there’s no disgrace To remain a criminal, is the disgrace (that’s right) Politics is a pile of tricks Eight years, what do we get out of it? More chatter, more gun splatter More dumb rappers, and dumb athletes and actors My name’s revolution, open your eyes I’m not on TV, cuz the revolution will not be televised They telling lies, we better rise and get a plan The US President? He’s endorsed by the clan Damn You don’t understand what’s going on? Slavery coming back and most of y’all just gonna go along Not me, they ain’t veiling me You can see, I ain’t vote for the president or Hillary America tryin’ to put the fear in ya They the reason for the fake war there in Syria So when I grab the mic, I spit a full-clip Wake up, you ain’t got time for this bullsh** To have once been a criminal, there’s no disgrace (that’s right) To remain a criminal, is the disgrace (that’s right) To have once been a criminal, there’s no disgrace (that’s right) To remain a criminal, is the disgrace (that’s right) This what the boom bap sound do Since way back in the Bronx, I had a sound view
If you hearin’ this, the truth, it just found you I’m in his town, her town, your town too Man, I stay ahead like a crown do Look around you Knowledge reigns supreme, this is what it comes down to People talkin’, but ain’t doin’ nothin’ KRS ain’t about frontin’, let me tell you somethin’ We need unity at all cost, or everything is all lost These lessons are hard, that tweeter sh** is so soft Brothers k**ing brothers k**ing brothers with the sawed off No remorse, brothers are hauled off up north We off course, believe in the hype Honesty, we ignore; but that deceiving, we like These rappers are corny, but you like “He aight” You lyin’ from the pulpit You ain’t got time for this bullsh** To have once been a criminal, there’s no disgrace (that’s right) To remain a criminal, is the disgrace (that’s right) To have once been a criminal, there’s no disgrace (that’s right) To remain a criminal, is the disgrace (that’s right) I formerly was a criminal. I formerly was imprisoned, I’m not ashamed of that You never can use that over my head. And—that—He’s usin’ the wrong stick, I don’t feel that stick