Know That Lyrics - Black On Both Sides - Mos Def

Hey, hey, hey man 

I strike the empire back 

I strike the empire back 

Fuck the Empire! 

High flying like the millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo 

I never roll for dolo, fronting on me's a no-no 

Understand? Doing this for my family 

Ha ha, check it out y'all 

Yo I'm trying to make a dollar out of what makes sense 

Add it up, told my daddy I'd be a rich man 

You never know when your fate gon' switch hand 

Get today's solid ground out of yesterday's quicksand 

I was a young boy, who dreamed about being a big man 

On small loose leaf sheets I sketched a big plan 

Gotta handle business properly, boost up my economy 

Store it up and get my mom some waterfront property 

Yesterday was not for me but now a day it's time for me 

The streets is watching me, I watch back, that's the policy 

Moving along my odyssey like blood through the artery 

Navigate the treacherous and make it seem effortless 

Let those who make the exodus seeking the North beacon 

From beating and hog-eating, from punishment all season 

From hands cracked and bleeding, cotton thorns in your palms 

It's for y'all that I sketch these songs, and it goes 

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow 

I fear no man, because faith is the arrow 

My vocal chord travel worldwide to block narrow 

We can blow with the ammo or go mano-a-mano 

Kweli is you wit me? (What up what up?) Let's make it happen 

I burn through your argument with action 

My eyes stay fastened to tomorrow looking for a brighter day 

When y'all want to leave y'all? Right away 

Shout it out from East-West (from South to Northern) 

From Cakalak' (to California) 

From the coldest (to the warmest) 

To the borders ('cross the waters) understand 

"and know that I love you" 

We got love in the place 

Shout out to all the Queens (all the Seeds) 

To all the teams (that's getting cream) 

From outlaw (to emcee's) 

Make it happen (do your thing) understand 

"and know that I love you" 

Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen 

Guess who? The illest MC in the atmosphere, yeah the Soul Controller 

Who roam the frontier like a Buffalo Soldier 

I follow the code of honor like a real man gonna 

Never disrespect no women cause I love my momma 

These cats be giving us praise but it ain't that accurate 

I give it up to God, all that, love and attachment, get 

Scary well-prepared with the shears when it get hairy 

Like how these niggas is looking like some fairies 

And singing like canaries to the beast 

And anybody who will listen to em clearly 

Y'all don't hear me though, even when I'm coming through in stereo 

You make a mockery of what I represent properly 

Yo why you starting me? I take that shit straight to the artery 

Intellectual property I got the title and the deed 

I pay for rent, with the tears and sweat, and what I bleed 

MC's imitate the way we walk, the way we talk 

You cats spit lyrical pork with no spiritual thought 

Plus your flow a little bit off, you come across soft 

Back in the days, niggas like that on stage got tossed off 

Need to get crossed off the guest list 

It's like you gotta be disrespected and thrown out the exit 

To get the message 

Sometimes your sunshine get snatched like a necklace 

When you get too drunk on power and your drive get reckless 

Check it, MC's in my face after I slug you then I hug you 

If I gotta dead you know it's only cause I love you