Bismillah ir Rahman ir Raheem
If you can hear me ladies and gentlemen
Then I'm very happy that you came here

That was for Brooklyn, we get it every time
You got me on? Oh
Shout out to all of my crew, East, West, North, South
All the continent, Europe, all abroad international
Bring it in, bring it in, bring it in, bring it in
A lot of things goin' on, y'all

21st century is comin', 20th century almost done
A lot of things have changed
A lot of things have not, mainly us
We gon' get it together right? I believe that

Listen people be askin' me all the time
"Yo Mos, what's gettin' ready to happen with Hip Hop?"
(Where do you think Hip Hop is goin'?)
I tell 'em, "You know what's gonna happen with Hip Hop?
Whatever's happening with us"

If we smoked out, Hip Hop is gonna be smoked out
If we doin' alright, Hip Hop is gonna be doin' alright
People talk about Hip Hop like it's some giant livin' in the hillside
Comin' down to visit the townspeople

We are Hip Hop, me, you, everybody, we are Hip Hop
So, Hip Hop is goin' where we goin'
So, the next time you ask yourself where Hip Hop is goin'
Ask yourself where am I goin'? How am I doin'?
'Til you get a clear idea

So, if Hip Hop is about the people
And the Hip Hop won't get better
Until the people get better
Then how do people get better?

Well, from my understanding people get better
When they start to understand that they are valuable
And they not valuable because they got a whole lot of money
Or 'cause somebody think they sexy
But they valuable 'cause they been created by God

And God, makes you valuable
And whether or not you recognize that value is one thing
You got a lot of societies and governments
Tryin' to be God, wishin' that they were God

They wanna create satellites and cameras everywhere
And make you think they got the all seein' eye
I guess, 'The Last Poets' wasn't' too far off
When they said that certain people got a God Complex
I believe it's true

I don't get phased out by none of that, none of that
Helicopters, the TV screens, the newscasters
The satellite dishes they just wishin'
They can't never really do that

When they tell me to fear they law
When they tell me to try to have some fear
In my heart behind the things that they do
This is what I think in my mind
And this is what I say to them
And this is what I'm sayin', to you check it

All over the world hearts pound with the rhythm
Fear not of men because men must die
Mind over matter and soul before flesh
Angels hold the pen, keep a record in time
Which is passin' and runnin' like a caravan trader

The world is overrun with the wealthy and the wicked
But God is sufficient in disposin' of affairs
Gunmen and stockholders try to merit my fear
But God is sufficient over plans they prepared

Mos Def in the flesh, where you at? Right here
On this place called, Earth, holdin' down my square
'Bout to do it for y'all and y'all at the fair
So, just bounce, come on, bounce
B-b-bounce, bounce, b-bou, bounce

And just, just step two, three
Just step two, three and
Step two, two, three and

One, two, three and four
One, two, three and four
Once again

All over the world hearts pound with the rhythm
Fear not of men because men must die
Mind over matter and soul before flesh
Angels hold the pen, keep a record in time

Which is passin' and runnin' like a caravan trader
The world is overrun with the wealthy and the wicked
But God is sufficient in disposin' of affairs
Gunmen and stockholders try to merit your fear

But God is sufficient over plans they prepared
Mos Def in the flesh, where you at? Right here
On this place called, Earth, holdin' down my square
'Bout to represent in your whole atmosphere
'Bout to represent in your whole atmosphere
Your atmosphere, your atmosphere

That was for you and Brooklyn too