My Philosophy
Boogie Down Productions Lyrics

Let us begin, what, where, why or when Will all be explained like instructions to a game
I'll be explaining my philosophy like instructions to a game

See I'm not insane, in fact I'm kind of rational When I be asking you, "Who is more dramatical?"
I'm not insane for asking who is more dramatical, as that's what rappers claim to be

This one or that one, the white one or the black one Pick the punk, and I'll jump up to attack one
White or black, if you pick a punk, I'll attack them

KRS-One is just the guy to lead a crew Right up to your face and diss you
I'm the guy who can diss other rappers right to their face

Everyone saw me on the last album cover Holding a pistol something far from a lover Beside my brother, S-C-O-T-T I just laughed, cause no one can defeat me
On my last album cover, I was holding a gun and standing beside my brother, Scott. But I just laughed, cause no one can defeat me

This is lecture number two, "My Philosophy" Number one, was "Poetry" you know it's me This is "My Philosophy," many artists got to learn I'm not flammable, I don't burn
This is Lecture Two, "My Philosophy." Lecture One was "Poetry." Many rappers need to know that I'm not easily defeated.

So please stop burning, and learn to earn respect Cause that's just what KR collects
Stop trying to burn me and earn your respect, that's what I collect

You got to have style, and learn to be original And everybody's gonna wanna diss you
You need to have your own style and be original, and then everyone will want to diss you

You think we care? I know that they are on the tip My posse from the Bronx is thick
We don't care what other rappers think, my crew from the Bronx is strong

In real real life, we roll correctly A lot of suckers would like to forget me But they can't, cause like a champ I have got a record Of knocking out the frauds in a second
In real life, we do things the right way. Some rappers try to forget me, but they can't, because I have a record of knocking them out quickly

On the mic, I believe that you should get loose I haven't come to tell you I got juice I just produce, create, innovate on a higher level I'll be back, but for now just seckle!
On the mic, you should be free and loose. I'm not here to boast, I just create and innovate on a higher level.

I'll play the nine and you play the target You all know my name so I guess I'll just start it Or should I say start this, teaching I'm the artist Styles and new concepts at their hardest
I'll play the gun and you'll be the target. I'm the artist who teaches with styles and new concepts.

It ain't about money cause we all make dollars That's why I walk with my head up When I hear wack rhymes I get fed up
It's not about money, we all make it. That's why I walk with my head up. I get fed up when I hear wack rhymes.

Rap is like a set-up, a lot of games A lot of suckers with colorful names I'm so-and-so, I'm this, I'm that Huh, but they all just wick-wick-wack
Rap is like a trap, with lots of games. Many rappers have colorful names, but they're all just wack!

I'm not white or red or black, I'm brown From the Boogie Down Productions, of course our music be thumping Others say they're bad, but they're bugging
I'm not defined by my race, I'm a brown guy from Boogie Down Productions. Our music is great, but others say it's bad, but they're just wrong.

Like all my brothers eat chicken and watermelon Talk broken english and drug selling See I'm telling, and teaching pure facts The way some act in rap is kind of wack
Not all black people eat chicken and watermelon or talk broken english and sell drugs. Some rappers act wack, but I'm teaching the truth.

But they don't care cause their company's selling it It's my philosophy, on the industry Don't bother dissing me, or even wishing we'd Soften, dilute, or commercialize all the lyrics
Rappers don't care, because their record company is selling it. But it's my philosophy that the industry shouldn't soften, dilute, or commercialize all the lyrics. Don't bother dissing me for it.

Cause it's about time one of y'all hear it And hear it first-hand from an intelligent brown man A vegetarian, no goat or ham Or chicken or turkey or hamburger Cause to me that's suicide, self-murder
It's high time one of you hear my message from an intelligent brown man, who's also a vegetarian. No goat, ham, chicken, turkey, or hamburger for me. That's self-murder.

Let us get back to what we call Hip Hop And what it meant to DJ Scott La Rock
Let's get back to the true meaning of Hip Hop and what it meant to DJ Scott La Rock.

How many MC's must get dissed Before somebody says, "Don't f*** with Kris!"
How many rappers must I diss before someone says, "Don't mess with KRS-One!"

This is just one style, out of many Like a piggy bank, this is one penny My brother's name is Kenny - that's Kenny Parker My other brother I.C.U. is much darker
This is just one of many rap styles. It's like one penny in a piggy bank. My brother's name is Kenny Parker and my other brother I.C.U. is much darker skinned.

Boogie Down Productions is made up of teachers The lecture is conducted from the mic into the speaker Who gets weaker? The king or the teacher It's not about a salary it's all about reality
Boogie Down Productions is made up of teachers, and our lectures are done through the mic. Who gets weaker, the king or the teacher? It's not about the money, it's about the truth.

Teachers teach and do the world good Kings just rule and most are never understood If you were to rule or govern a certain industry All inside this room right now would be in misery
Teachers teach and further the world's progress, while kings just rule without being understood. If you were to rule an industry, everyone in this room would be miserable.

No one would get along nor sing a song Cause everyone'd be singing for the king, am I wrong?!
No one would get along or sing a song, because everyone would be singing for the king. Am I wrong?!

Many people had the nerve to think we would end the trend With Criminal Minded, an album which is only ten Funky, funky, funky, funky, funky hit records No more than four minutes and some seconds
Many people thought we wouldn't start a trend with our ten-song album, Criminal Minded. But we did, with our funky hit records no longer than four minutes and some seconds.

The competition checks and checks and keeps checking They take the album, take it home, and start sweating Why? Well it's simple, to them it's kind of vital To take KRS-One's title
Our competition keeps checking our album and takes it home to study it, so they can take my title. It's vital to them.

To them I'm like an idol, some type of entity In everybody's rhyme they wanna mention me Or rather mention us, me or Scott La Rock But they can get bust get robbed, get dropped
To them, I'm like an idol or entity. Everyone wants to mention me or Scott La Rock in their rhymes, but they'll just get busted, robbed, and dropped.

I don't play around nor do I F around And you can tell by the bodies that are left around When some clown jumps up to get beat down Broken down to his very last compound
I don't joke around and people can tell by the bodies left around. When a clown jumps up to challenge me, they'll be beaten down to their last shred of dignity.

See how it sounds? a little unrational A lot of emcees like to use the word dramatical!
It may sound a little crazy, but that's how it is. And a lot of rappers like to use the word dramatical!

Fresh for '88, you suckers
This is fresh for 1988. You suckers!