Inner City Boundaries

Once we have the knowledge

Of self as a people, then we could be free

And no devil could ever enter the boundaries

I stand in the center around all these sounds I see

Blessing Allah that I found the key

That's how we be

We are by no means ashamed of our cultural background

Not a tad bit afraid of change

Look around, it's the same old, same old thing

(Hey, what's goin' on, man?)

(Hey, how you doin', man?)

Y'know, I can't call it, try to maintain, overlookin' these boundaries

I gotta be righteous, I gotta be me

I gotta be conscious, I gotta be free

I gotta be able, I gotta attack

I gotta be stable, I gotta be black

Who is that surrounding me?

Enemy, enemy, you crossed the wrong boundary, poof

Wicked witness wizardry

Disappear from here and end up in a tree

Crossed the wrong boundary

Once we have the knowledge of self as a people, then we could be free

And no devil could ever enter the boundaries

I stand in the center around all these sounds I see

Blessing Allah that I found the key

That's how we be

The sharp-shooting wizard, but not a Grand Dragon

A chop off the block, but my pants ain't sagging

Got a strong ass grip, but my name ain't Money Grip

Liked Gladys better when she sang with The Pips

And when it comes to strength, I'm surely of the stronger

And when it comes to death, I pray my children live longer

Payback's a bitch, that's why I never borrow

If the push comes to shove, I'd do a stick-up tomorrow

With the group thing over and my flattop gone

I'm livin' kinda lovely, only Allah above me

Provin' that old time axiom

Birds of a feather flock together, know where I'm comin' from?

I see, I saw, I'm the future, the past, I'm me, I'm y'all

I'm the enemy, friend, and the law

The beginning and end-all

The final call, the raw

The win, the loss, the draw

The summit, the peak, the wall, the downfall

The energizing, uprising black ****

The wise, the eyes, the dirt

The overall ball, the Earth

And most importantly, the birth of a new generation of blackness

And we're forced to set our boundaries

Once we have the knowledge of self as a people, then we could be free

And no devil could ever enter the boundaries

I stand in the center around all these sounds I see

Blessing Allah that I found the key

That's how we be

I gotta be righteous, I gotta be me

I gotta be conscious, I gotta be free

I gotta be able, I gotta attack

I gotta be stable, I gotta be black

I gotta be open, gotta be me and

I gotta keep hopin' we're gonna be free

Gotta be able to counterattack

Gotta be stable, gotta be black