Music Video

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Apani Emcee
Apani Emcee
Vocals
Mos Def
Mos Def
Vocals
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Songwriter
Dante Smith
Dante Smith
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Shawn J. Period
Shawn J. Period
Producer
Chris Athens
Chris Athens
Mastering Engineer
Ken "Duro" Ifill
Ken "Duro" Ifill
Mixing Engineer
Surge
Surge
Recording Engineer
Vaughn Sessions
Vaughn Sessions
Recording Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
It's a Small Wonder, like Vicki, why I'm picky
These **** suck like hickies and still get to slip they shit in like Mickies
I'm sick of the hater-players, bring on the regulators with the flavors like a farm team fucking with the majors
Like a river how I run through it, I do it so cold
Freezin' up your bodily fluids, your style is old
You runnin' your mouth, but don't really know what you be talkin' about
You should retire, get that complimentary watch, be out!
Yo, with the quickness, so swift you miss this lyrical fitness
Now get this, these emcees wanna test me like litmus, bear witness
I'm like shot clocks, interstate cops, and blood clots
My point is, your flow gets stopped! By all means, you need more practice, take that ass home
Everybody lookin' at you, fish tank syndrome in full effect, I stay catchin' lyrical rep
And keep it blacker than the back of your neck
What you expect, emcees hollerin'
'Cause we developin' the following
Gettin' played like Stone Love tapes and dollar Vans
Order reverse your universe so your demise is first
Before your rise it gets worse, you need a night nurse like Gregory
Beggin me, "Stop, it hurts!", is what you say to me
Like that's supposed to mean somethin?
You the one I seen frontin' in the club
Your act I don't buy it, I got the dub
Come on everybody, come on, just show your love
Come on everybody, come on, just show your love
Come on everybody, come on, just show your love
Come on everybody, come on, just show your love
Come on everybody, come on, show your love
[Verse 2]
Visions occupy my synaptic space
Command and shape, to illustrate my mind's landscape
The tall grass, the low plains, the mountanous ridges
Thickets among the forests, rivers beneath the bridges
Presence of hilltops, lit up with tree tops
Eavesdrop and hear the incline of sunshine, nine
Stones in orbit, refuse to forfeit
They all form a cipher, and they came to absorb it
I follow suit, and face it, embrace it
Shinin' bright, but still I'm careful not to waste it
Destined to rise, 'cause I'm basement adjacent
Spirit is still, so just chill and be patient
Some heads approach like I'm the one to base with
Clowns about to scream and shout but don't say shh...
I ain't your student, so I ain't to be tested
I'm majestic, I represent my strength without effort
My method is unorthodox, but of course it rocks
My serious synopsis will drop kick, my topics
Run the gauntlets and galvanize the audience
I must represent, I don't come off with no corniness
It's all luminary, inspired commentary
Some people say, "Mos, how you get so?"
My son'll make you jump around like calypso
And murmur to yourself like a schizo
There ain't no bottom when the end part gets low
[Bridge]
Come on, come on, come on, come on, here we go
Blackstar, hop on the Blackstar line
We about to take y'all home
YaknowwhatImean? Here we go
[Verse 3]
We got all markets on lock, from meat to stock
Black Star, what? Throwin' like Kid Rock in bars
Men flock to where we are, 'cause its the place to be
I grab my paint, jump on stage and deface emcees
Who sell they souls like Spawn and come for the throne I sit upon
Freestyle or written songs, shit we can get it on!
Going back and forth, forth and back, all across the track
Passin' the mic's like quarterbacks, of course, it's phat, get off of that!
Reverse psychology got 'em scared to say when shit is whack
Out of fear of being called a hater, imagine that!
We ain't havin' that, reachin' past the star status that you grabbin' at, my battle raps blast your ass back to your natural habitat
So floss, 'cause what it costs ain't worth it to me (Why?)
'Cause I'm the one these Spice Girl emcees wannabe
But they can't, ain't no points for effort, so why bother?
'Cause your girl calls my name out like, "Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter!"
Aye yo, as we rock harder
And always drop the bona-fide head nodders
Aye yo, later for the hater-players
Yo-yo, yo-yo, later for these hater-players
[Outro]
Oh, the Black Stars keeps shining
Black Star keeps shining
Black Star keeps shining
Written by: Mos Def, Talib Kweli
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