[Intro] "But he like so many other white leaders appears to have missed the point" "Once the riot started, it went like a forest fire It started in a lot of different places at pretty much the same time" [Chuck D] 500 FBI agents coming after us with a license to k** 30 mil. claiming it's just a drug bust [Flavor Flav] They thinking they making a fly switch Replace the devil with a witch Dirty b**h [Chuck D] Reach uppity reach gotta reach Power to the people & the beats [Verse 1] Some people accuse some people of crimes Some people get away with losing my rhyme They don't like where I'm coming from So they play dumb Dumb diggety-dumb-diggety-dumb But I'm telling you what they do Everybody plays a fool While the real thief cools in a pool He who got the finger on the war bu*ton Talking loud & saying nothing TV got them bigger than life All he needs is a knife Who's the criminal? [Verse 2] To the blind, deaf & dumb Hard to see them coming But they come, here they come Don't be dumb-diggety-dumb Politicians writing bad checks Still they getting wrecked Going for a n***as neck Rolling in a blue & white gang Ready to bang-biggety-bang Hanging 'round the hanging rope Nope n-o-p-e I ain't bending for the soap Never understood why the 'hood Half a who's in the joint Now they got me losing my point Gotta have it going on Born criminal born [Verse 3] Take a piece of America back, but who had it first Hear the Indian curse Robbed & stole so many so much It ain't funny Now who got 'em face on money Politician pa**ing a bill, paid in full C-note rocking in a pocket How they living making sure they Locking us up I got a feeling I'm.. (sound effects) When it come to something we say What they don't like is a brother like me on the mic In fact to the gritty ain't none of us wack Noriega had back Jeffrey Dahmer enter the room without cuffs How the hell do we set stuffed In the back of a cell On an isle Ain't it wild What's criminal? Power to the People & the Beats [Verse 4] Only if I had one more time to kick The rhythm that keep ripping down the door So the real criminals get exposed behind the clothes Doors and the suits that make and break the law Looking for my own cause I had enough bull I can't understand it must be crooked way they planned it Police supposed to keep the peace But I can't trust 'em So I keep my piece Loaded & co*ked Cause I don't miss the block I'm talking about the ones who don't get chained to the rock Those who got away with the dirt and the grime While we go away for the neighborhood crime Never liked what I saw in the law Indiana trees hanging us instead of leaves (yeah) We hanging from the roof (yeah) By real criminals [Flavor Flav] They thinking they making a fly switch Replace the devil with a witch Dirty b**h [Chuck D] Reach uppity reach gotta reach Power to the people & the beats