Kinda Gangsta

Conscious rappers, get off ya high horse
Hi, thugs! I ain't never sold drugs, am I soft
It's real easy to say you ain't out to get that money
When you got a roof and food and the sky is sunny, sonny
But if you could walk a mile in that hustler's shoes
You might understand the meaning of the phrase paid dues
And if you wanna emcee, you better study the craft
Or you might get cut up and laughed at by some guys that kinda hate you
Now I ain't saying get up on the mic and spit some broke mess
About gats, whips, and gold, and how you be makin the dope stretch
Unless that really is how you live... well, then speak and show love
And I'll show it back to you in these here flows, son
See, me, I been in ciphers with everyone from punks to thugs
And they mostly ended up with fists thrown in man-hugs
Advanced Love 101 for everyone under the sun
Let's show love to the ones that's different from the other ones
I'm cracking at the seams, backed by hopes and dreams
Knowin that there's more to life than dope and CREAM
But at the same time, I'm trying to live within my means
And I'm trying to live a little bigger each year, know what I mean
Yo, it seems that I can't live like normal people, though, no joke
My dreams are split between steeples and lines of coke
But I hope these lines I wrote effected everyone that stays connected
To the rivers and tides spied before buildings were erected
It's ancient and futuristic like graffiti hieroglyphics
And the B-boy in my city is the only type of mystic that I know
So pack your whole New Age soul up and go
I'm livin for self like everyone else and givin the wealth back to my folks
And, yo, of course you gotta spread your charity far as it can go
But me, I'm checkin for number one first, cause charity starts at home
And when the split comes between conscious and street
I just nod to the beat and pay homage to both, but

I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin I'm a conscious rapper
But I like conscious rap best when it's kinda gangsta
I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin you a conscious rapper
Why don't ya grab the mic and respond to that, sir

I'm not a gangsta, but more gangsta than a lotta rappers
It used to be cool to be labeled a conscious rapper
If you a soft rapper hoes won't even holler at ya
But multiple platinum albums for an awful rapper
I'd rather get a real job than be a struggle rapper
I'd rather pay it forward than to hustle backwards
I'm not an actor. I'm a well known factor
But classics and assets is all that I'm after
I can't front. Be positive all you want
But if the music don't bump then it's not enough
Clever lyrics and melodic hooks, plus the looks
But don't blame the fans if your craft's not as good
Whether criminal or law-abiding individual
One nation under god indivisible
From conscious to gangsta and all in-between
Make your music dope or stay away from the scene

Phillip Mo, that is what you're aiming for
Strapping up, gonna rob a vacant store
I'm strapping on, gonna watch some Jason Bourne
I'm strapping off, gonna watch my favorite porn
I'm so fucking hard, throw up my set
Throw up in yards, throw up on pets
I throw up my guard, throw up my left
I threw up at the club and then got thrown down the steps
I was definitely not conscious
Because I slipped into a coma that's deep
But I got props cuz the cops
Blocked off the block during a specific episode
So I'm owning the street
Am I damaging the code of the streets if I'm a
Yoda in the sheets and the Anakin of rapping, when I
Think the deeper fact of it is both of em' creeps
And I'm about to lose my consciousness again, so I'm going to sleep

I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin I'm a conscious rapper
But I like conscious rap best when it's kinda gangsta
I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin you a conscious rapper
Why don't ya grab the mic and respond to that, sir

I can't be socially responsible for the ominous
Embedded in the fear-based populous, body politic
Probably obvious, but honestly it's a problem conscious shit
Negates to follow, fit, and model with
The subtle risk to tolerate costs accomplishment
But what if I aborted the mission to listen to reason
From said Gods, law officials and misled heathens
I admit I'd be outcast in attempts to reach out past
The Flag Staff-Whip Appeal and GED Scout grads
But doubt has its pros, and I'm guessing the world knows
Cause what used to be the norm is now the most opposed
And I'm a gangsta for believing this rebellion breaks the mold
On a status to the street, where new lingo comes in code
The signs thrown are still in art, communicating my last
Words whenever the bridge burns hope to learn spells cast
To tell the task of what I did to tear apart my heart from commercial plugs
Would make me just a little more Thug

Commercial rappers and thugs
I show these actors no love
Real know real and most these dudes is fake as fuck
In this jungle a lot of snakes playing lions
Until a lion pull up then they go into hiding
No squares in my circle they scared throwing flares to warn you
Don't go against the grain these flames will scorn you
See you pick up a lot coming up from the bottom
Its wild in this mental asylum the Batman of Gotham
Been rounding up these jokers since the big apple rotted
I'm the solution to the problem and I'm standing with Colin
You see I can relate to being the most hated the most underestimated
The one they didn't think would make it ha
So they calling me a conscious rapper huh
But these dudes out here moving backwards
Like if you doing good they all attack ya
I wish a motherfucka would cuz y'all just kinda gangsta

I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin I'm a conscious rapper
But I like conscious rap best when it's kinda gangsta
I heard em sayin you a conscious rapper
I heard em sayin we some conscious rappers
Ah, man, yeah, they sayin I'm a conscious rapper
But I like conscious rap best when it's kinda gangsta