Black Star - What's Beef? lyrics

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli] Yo I was sold to a sick European by a rich African battlin' Middle Pa**ages, I can't go back again Battlin' years of denyin' history, lies and mysteries Wives with misty eyes watchin' their n***as be beaten viciously Battle in the wilderness of North America Ran by the river, only stoppin' to pray Chased by predators Terrorists with etiquette who vote and k** their president Their capacity for evil so evident and prevalent Ain't no hesitation involved, a nation dissolved While we sit back waitin' to evolve Those who would trade in their freedom For their protection deserve neither f** a name, f** tradition Religion - you learn Jesus Turn the other cheek Inherit the Earth, just stay meek f** the way you speak Try to walk, we chop off your feet Fastforward to 2003, n***as beef The psychology of children are slaves to run deep [Hook: Mos Def and Talib Kweli] Hell yeah, hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo What's beef? hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo That's beef, hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo It's always your own peoples Sometimes it's your own peoples yo Yeah yeah, hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo What's beef? hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo That's beef, hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yo It's always your own peoples Sometimes it's your own peoples yo [Verse 2: Mos Def] Beef is not what Jay said to Nas Beef is when workin' n***as can't find jobs So they tryna find n***as to rob Tryna find bigger guns so they can finish the job Beef is when the crack kids can't find moms Cause they end up inna PINE box or locked behind bars Beef ain't the Summer Jam for Hot 97 Beef is the c**aine and AIDS epidemic Beef don't come with a radio edit Beef is when the judge is callin' you "defendant" Beef, it comes with a long jail sentence Handed down to you in a few short minutes Beef is when your girl come through for a visit Talkin' bout "I'm pregnant by some other n***a" Beef is high blood pressure and bad credit Need a loan for your home and you're too broke to get it And all your little kids is doin is gettin' bigger You tryin not to raise 'em around these wild n***as Beef is when a gold digger got your seed in her A manicured hand out like "pay me n***a" Or I'm tellin' your wife Or startin' up some foul rumor that'll ruin your life Beef is when a gangster ain't doin it right Another gangster then decided what to do with his life Beef is not what these famous n***as do on the mic Beef is what George Bush would do in a fight Yeah, beef is not what Ja said to 50 Beef is Weldon Irv not bein here with me When a soldier ends his life with his own gun Beef is tryin' to figure out what to tell his son Beef is oil prices and geopolitics Beef is Iraq, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip Some beef is big and some beef is small But what y'all call beef is not beef at all Beef is real life happenin' everyday And it's realer than them songs that you get at Kay Slay This has been a Black Star PSA From Mos Def, Pretty Flaco, black Dante And the Black Star emba**y, B to the K