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Eternalists
Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Now here we go
Here we go (come on come on)
Yeah

Stay strong this ain't for the faint hearted
My name's honored cause my style is insane retarded
Remain hottest from St. Marks to St. Thomas
Take game farther than the put-put planes charted
The same artist who smoke rainforest and bang hardest
My brain smartest break a nigga like a lame promise
All city like train bombers
Check out the pictures we painted (yeah)
More colorful than Kelis naked
Your skills is least debated and your album least awaited
Even Big Tigger wouldn't let you in "Tha Basement"
Face it y'all niggas face down with your legs kicking
They call your momma Roy Jones cause she raise chicken
You're "Down for the Count" like Rah Digga I'm straight spittin
Make pigeons say, "Uh uh, no they didn't!"
Yes we did so god bless the kid yo
I got my own so I never stress his no

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

Yo we send this bullet straight towards your brain
We taking over like Moors in Spain there's more to gain
Runaways get aboard the train (come on)
You can't ignore the pain (no)
When it come down like the pouring rain
Caught the Train of Thought it clanked across the raw terrain
The cold weather break your spirit like a water main
I looked in your eyes and I saw the shame
Y'all don't know that our greatness came before the chains
No you can't imagine a future where this all can change
If one of us ain't free then we all to blame
So we attack each other fighting project wars and thang
It's all the same across the board we fall for game
You wanna see through that shit then you can call my name
Kweli I chop it up like raw cocaine
I drop gems at top ten, I'm not for the fame
You wanna test and I bet you get wrecked like lost planes
Yo

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

And there it is (yeah)
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Come on
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yeah
Yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Yo yo yo
Say what? Say what, say what, say what

I rock for the purists and I rock for the players
I rock for the fellas and I rock for the ladies (come on)
I rock for the elders and I rock for the babies (yeah)
I rhyme to the sirens that cry in the night (yeah)
Live on the mic even though I've been dying to write (yeah)
Since the days of flying a kite and ridin my bike (come on)
Open my eyes and keep the prize within my line of sight (yeah)
Now cats drop out of school to get fiends high on a pipe (word)
Seem like that's the ghetto way of tryin to fight
The system thats based on trying to stop you from shinning your light
We dying in spite of getting rich
That's why I rhyme like a battle emcee
Battling the tragedies and fallacies
That be killing niggas quicker than infant mortality
They acting like whats going on now is distant reality
Behaving so casually that they become a casualty
Plus they don't wanna battle me anyway
They try to walk away but they stumble like Macy Gray
Cats hit the tunnel to rumble and say, "Hey DJ!"
Make me wonder why they call Sunday the lazy day

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this

Check me out

Yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek's song Eternalists is a reflection of their journey as rappers and the challenges they faced in the music industry. The song begins with a fierce determination to stay strong and honor their craft as artists. Kweli's style is described as insane, retarded, and hottest from St. Marks to St. Thomas. He takes the game farther than the put-put planes charted and is known to smoke rainforest and bang hardest. The words in this song convey a sense of confidence and authority that powerfully define Kweli's persona as an artist.


The lyrics also talk about the struggle and sacrifice that Kweli faces in his artistic journey. He takes on the stereotype of the struggling artist and explains how his greatness came before the chains, i.e., fame and fortune, and how it paved the way for his success today. He emphasizes the importance of community and how we all are answersable for one another's progress. The song ends on a note of defiance, with Kweli promising to keep shining his light despite the tragedies and fallacies that befall him, defiantly battling the system that tries to stop him. Overall, the song Eternalists is a masterpiece of lyrical prowess and a manifesto of Kweli's unapologetic commitment to his artistic vision.


Line by Line Meaning

Stay strong this ain't for the faint hearted
You need to be tough to handle what's to come


My name's honored cause my style is insane retarded
My reputation is strong because my style is exceptional


Remain hottest from St. Marks to St. Thomas
My rhymes are hot from New York to the Virgin Islands


Take game farther than the put-put planes charted
My music travels farther than regular commercial flights


The same artist who smoke rainforest and bang hardest
I'm the same artist who cares about the environment and is still the best


My brain smartest break a nigga like a lame promise
I have the smartest brain and can easily defeat weaker opponents


All city like train bombers
I'm known all throughout the city like graffiti artists who tag trains


Check out the pictures we painted (yeah)
Just look at the art we create


More colorful than Kelis naked
Our art is even more captivating than Kelis's naked body


Your skills is least debated and your album least awaited
People don't care about or respect your talent or upcoming album


Even Big Tigger wouldn't let you in "Tha Basement"
You couldn't even get on the popular TV show hosted by Big Tigger


Face it y'all niggas face down with your legs kicking
You'll be defeated and struggling on the ground


They call your momma Roy Jones cause she raise chicken
Your mom is mocked for raising chickens, like the boxer Roy Jones Jr. was for raising roosters


You're "Down for the Count" like Rah Digga I'm straight spittin
You're defeated like another rapper, Rah Digga, and I'm making rhymes confidently


Make pigeons say, "Uh uh, no they didn't!"
Our rhymes are so impressive it surprises even pigeons


Yes we did so god bless the kid yo
We succeeded and bless the young generation


I got my own so I never stress his no
I have my own career and don't stress about my child's


In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist
You're recording our experiences and I'm delivering the story


Am I eternal or an eternalist?
Do I live forever or do I just seek eternal truths?


Soon as we showed up I sensed nervousness
As soon as we arrived, others felt intimidated


As soon as we rolled up y'all niggas burn to this
As soon as our music starts, everyone feels the heat


We taking over like Moors in Spain there's more to gain
We're dominating like the conquering Moors in Spain, and there's still more potential for success


Runaways get aboard the train (come on)
Follow us and come along for the ride


You can't ignore the pain (no)
You can't avoid the hardships of life


When it come down like the pouring rain
When reality hits hard like a sudden rainstorm


Caught the Train of Thought it clanked across the raw terrain
Our music journeyed on the raw and uncharted terrain of the mind


The cold weather break your spirit like a water main
The harsh conditions of life break people's spirits


I looked in your eyes and I saw the shame
I saw the guilt and disappointment in your eyes


Y'all don't know that our greatness came before the chains
Our greatness existed before the oppression of slavery


No you can't imagine a future where this all can change
You can't see a world where things are different


If one of us ain't free then we all to blame
If one person in the community is oppressed, we're all guilty


So we attack each other fighting project wars and thang
We fight among ourselves over small issues while bigger problems persist


It's all the same across the board we fall for game
We're all manipulated by the system regardless of our race or class


You wanna see through that shit then you can call my name
If you want to see the truth, follow me


Kweli I chop it up like raw cocaine
I make rhymes with the same intensity and detail as a cocaine dealer


I drop gems at top ten, I'm not for the fame
I share my wisdom with those who appreciate it, not for fame


You wanna test and I bet you get wrecked like lost planes
If you challenge me, you'll be defeated like lost airplanes in a crash


I rock for the purists and I rock for the players
I make music for those who appreciate real hip-hop and those who enjoy the lifestyle


I rock for the fellas and I rock for the ladies (come on)
I make music for both genders


I rock for the elders and I rock for the babies (yeah)
I make music for all generations


I rhyme to the sirens that cry in the night (yeah)
I make music for the victims of violence and poverty


Live on the mic even though I've been dying to write (yeah)
I continue to create music even when I'm struggling with writer's block


Since the days of flying a kite and ridin my bike (come on)
I've been making music since I was a child and enjoyed simple pleasures like flying a kite and riding a bike


Open my eyes and keep the prize within my line of sight (yeah)
I'm focused on my goals and don't get distracted


Now cats drop out of school to get fiends high on a pipe (word)
People choose drugs over education and contribute to their own destruction


Seem like that's the ghetto way of tryin to fight
It seems like drug addiction is how people cope with living in the ghetto


The system thats based on trying to stop you from shinning your light
The oppressive system is designed to prevent people from achieving their full potential


We dying in spite of getting rich
Even when we acquire wealth, we are still dying from the problems of society


That's why I rhyme like a battle emcee
I make aggressive and impactful music like a battle rapper might


Battling the tragedies and fallacies
I fight against the lies and harsh realities of life


That be killing niggas quicker than infant mortality
The harsh realities of life are killing black people at a faster rate than infant mortality


They acting like whats going on now is distant reality
People are so disconnected they think that current events don't affect them


Behaving so casually that they become a casualty
People are so apathetic that they become victims of the oppressive system


Plus they don't wanna battle me anyway
People don't want to test their skills against me


They try to walk away but they stumble like Macy Gray
They try to avoid confrontation but end up looking cowardly, like Macy Gray's awkward stage presence


Cats hit the tunnel to rumble and say, "Hey DJ!"
People go to nightclubs to start fights and say, "Hey DJ!" to request music


Make me wonder why they call Sunday the lazy day
Their behavior makes me wonder why Sunday is considered a day of rest




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TALIB KWELI GREENE, TONY COTTRELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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