Express Yourself
N.W.A. Lyrics

Yo man there's a lot of brothers out there
There are many people who are pretending to be someone else, but are afraid of speaking reality.

Flaking and perpetrating but scared to kick reality
They are often pretending to be someone they are not and they are scared of speaking the truth.

Man, you been doing all this dope producing
You have been producing great music lately.

You ain't had a chance to show 'em what time it is
You haven't had a chance to show your full potential yet.

So what you want me to do?
What can I do for you?

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

I'm expressing with my full capabilities
I am expressing myself to the fullest extent of my abilities.

And now I'm living in correctional facilities
I am currently living in jail because some people do not agree with how I choose to express myself.

Cause some don't agree with how I do this
Some people disagree with the way I choose to express myself.

I get straight and meditate like a Buddhist
I calm myself down and get my thoughts right by meditating.

Blame it on Ice Cube, because he said it gets funky
Ice Cube is the one who caused me to say things in a funky way.

When you got a subject and a predicate
When you have a subject and a predicate in a sentence.

Add it on a dope beat, and it'll make you think
When you put it on a great beat, it will make you think.

Some suckers just tickle me pink, to my stomach
It is amusing when people pretend to be someone else.

Cause they don't flow like this one
Because they can't express themselves as well as I can.

You know what? I won't hesitate to diss one
I am not afraid to call someone out for pretending to be someone else.

Or two before I'm through, so don't try to sing this
I will call out more than one person before I am done, so don't try to imitate me.

Some drop science, while I'm dropping English
Some people focus on delivering technical terms, while I am spreading knowledge in plain English.

Even if Yella, makes it a-capella
Even if Yella creates a beat without any instruments.

I still express, yo, I don't smoke weed or sess
I still express myself even though I do not smoke marijuana or take any drugs.

Cause it's known to give a brother brain damage
Because it is known to cause brain damage.

And brain damage on the mic don't manage, nothing
It is impossible to produce great music with brain damage.

But making a sucker and you equal
Smoking weed or taking drugs can tie you down as a failure in life.

Don't be another sequel (Express yourself!)
Do not follow someone else's footsteps, rather express yourself with your true potential.

(Express yourself!)
Display your true emotions, talents, and feelings in your music.

(Go on and do it)
Continue to express yourself without holding back.

Now, getting back to the PG
Now, let's get back to the program.

That's program, and it's easy
It's easy just to follow the program and do what you're told.

Dre is back, new jacks are made hollow
Dr. Dre has returned and new musicians are failing to deliver.

Expressing ain't their subject because they like to follow
They don't like to focus on expressing their true feelings and emotions, rather just follow the trend.

The words, the style, the trend, the records I spin
The words that I use, my fashion sense, the new trend, and the music that I create.

Again and again and again, yo, you're on the other end
Over and over again, you are listening to my music.

Watch a brother blend dope rhymes, with no help
Watch me create amazing music without anyone's help.

There's no fessing or guessing while I'm expressing myself
There is no hesitating or guessing when I am expressing myself.

It's crazy to see people be
It is shocking to see people be.

What society wants them to be, but not me
People usually act as per society's expectations, but I will not do that.

Ruthless, is the way to go, they know
People know that being ruthless is the way to go these days.

Others say rhymes which fail to be original
Other musicians are failing to deliver original songs.

Or they kill where the hip-hop starts
They try to ruin the hip-hop genre.

Forget about the ghetto, and rap for the pop charts
They try to ignore the hardships of the ghetto and create music that caters to pop fans.

Some musicians cuss at home
Some musicians swear when they are at home.

But scared to use profanity when upon the microphone
But they are scared of getting criticized for swearing when they are on the mic.

Yeah, they want reality, but you will hear none
People expect real music, but the musicians fail to deliver it.

They'd rather exaggerate a little fiction
They choose to create fictional songs with a little bit of exaggeration rather than delivering real-life experiences.

Some say no to drugs, and take a stand
Some people choose not to intake drugs and take a stand against it.

But after the show, they go looking for the "Dopeman"
However, after their show, they risk their careers and lives by looking for drug dealers to purchase drugs.

Or they ban my group from the radio
Radio stations choose not to play my group's songs.

Hear N.W.A. and say, "Hell no!"
They hear N.W.A.'s music and reject it immediately.

But you know it ain't all about wealth
But you should know that music is not just about making money.

As long as you make a note to (Express yourself!)
It is important to express yourself to your fullest potential.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Go on and do it)
Continue to express yourself without holding back.

Now, when I'm saying 'express yourself,'
When I say 'Express yourself,'

It doesn't mean write yourself off as a total idiot
It does not mean that you should give up your individuality and follow the trend.

It doesn't mean you ain't got no feelings
It does not mean that you don't have any emotions.

It doesn't mean you should be ashamed of yourself
It does not mean that you should be ashamed of yourself.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Go on and do it)
Continue to express yourself without holding back.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Express yourself!)
Express yourself to the fullest.

(Go on and do it)
Continue to express yourself without holding back.