Yeah, yeah, let's switch the flow up a little
Word, bring the love back, here we go

You ever lost somebody, a member of your party
Your daddy maybe mommy, for them there was no copy
Just know that we all asleep, pray to the Lord my soul will keep
Life is a dream no need to weep, God's gonna wake us up from sleep

Every night we die, we practice for death
Every time we sleep we say goodbye
But I, still can't get over the fact
That my best friend's awake and not comin' back
So as the tears, uh, uh, I never got a chance to say

Trouble MC, Scott La Rock, Paul Sea, Doctor Rock
Mastadon, Trouble T-Roy, Aaliyah, Cowboy
Sugar Shaft, Eazy-E
Yeah, bring the love back, bring the love back

When you wake up, then you'll know what was up
You won't live, so corrupt, only love you'll take up
All the chasin' and rushin' impatience and fussin'
The racin' for somethin' the hatin' and frontin' is makin' you nothin'

So, die before you die so when you die you don't die
You got to die before you die so when you die you don't die
You got to die to all the world, all the guys and the girls

You got to die to lovin' money and them diamonds and pearls
So as the tears
(Tears roll from my eyes}
I never got a chance to say to y'all

Prince Messiah, Bigga B, Freaky Tah, BIG
Big Pun, Mercury, June Bug, Buffy
Tupac, Darryl C
Bring the love back, bring the love back, uh, hip-hop

So remember when they die, they have only woke up
It's our wants and our needs that be chokin' us up
(And I want and I need and I want and I need)
Yo, there was a time when hip-hop was on our mind
It wasn't about no crime, just reality rhymes

If you battled me fine, but in the end we reclined
With a bottle of wine, MC's the original kind but
(Why did you stray)
Hip-hop

Why did you stray?
Hip-hop
Why did you stray?

Hip-hop
Why did you stray?
Bring the love back
Why did you stray?

Bring the love back
(Why did you stray?)
(Why did you stray?)
(Why did you stray?)

Rise up y'all
(Why did you stray?)
Remember where you came from
(Why did you stray?)
Bring the love back
(Why did you stray?)