Health Wealth Self Lyrics - Krs-one - Krs One

Yeah.. yeah.. yup! 

You know what? I was just downstairs 

And I was on my way up here to the studio and 

A guy bumped into me and 

And he said.. he said, "Yo Kris! 

How is it that you stay in this music? 

You know, this rap music ex-specially for SO.. LONG.. SO.. LONG" 

I said, "Well you know years ago I made a deal with the Goddess" 

He said, "The Goddess?" 

I said, "Well yeah, you might know her as God 

But I know her as the Goddess" 

The universal mother 

The mother of everything you see in existence 

I ax-ked her for assistance 

In lyrical persistence 

And she gave it to me, under one condition 

She said, "I'll give you the gift 

But use the gift to uplift" 

I said, "Okay mom!" 

So I tell you the truth, really 

Me nah gon' need nuttin else 

But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 

Me nah gon' need nuttin else 

But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 

In the beginning was the word, the word was made flesh 

Knowledge K. Reigns R. Supreme S. 

Some of us guess while others of us are blessed 

Take heed to the word, that I manifest 

I manifest the future, the present, followed by the past 

Everything in nature, rules by kickin ass 

What they tellin me, but yo, you a friend to me 

So I'ma tell you the secrets of MC longevity 

Secret one: if it ain't fun, you're done 

And about your career, huh, well choose another one 

If you don't like what you do, you're through 

Lesson two: make sure you got a dope crew 

Not some crew, that's like an anchor on a shoe 

A MAD CREW, that's of some benefit to you 

Lesson three, might be contradictory or funny 

But MC's should have OTHER WAYS of gettin money 

That's to say learn other things beside music 

Make money elsewhere, Hip-Hop you won't abuse it 

Too many MC's, just emcee 

So their longevity, is based on an Uncle Tom 

At the record company 

Lesson four: sell your image, never sell a record 

Image is respected, records come and go 

And get collected 

Even the records of platinum artists, that used to rip shop 

Can be bought, for a quarter at the thrift shop 

Which brings me to lesson number five, the illusion 

Has me thinkin, the minute they drop a record 

They'll be cruisin, in the Acura 

Slow down! You're still a amateur 

What separates the pro from the amateur is stamina 

Not how long you can rhyme, but how long you've been rhymin 

Changin with the times, and findin yourself 

Still CLIIIIIIIIIIIIMbin for wealth 

Blow for blow, you're still growin, still showin 

(all knowin) now that's a pro at it 

Me nah gon' need nuttin else 

But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 

Me nah gon' need nuttin else 

But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself