No
De La Soul Lyrics

I never can say goodbye
I find it difficult to say goodbye to people or things

No no n-no I, never can say goodbye
I really mean it, I can never say goodbye

I, I don't know the rest
I don't know the remaining words to this song

We those pros, we never procrastinate (ah)
We are professionals, we don't put things off

Them guardians they shouldn't let you get past the gate
The gatekeepers or security should not let you in

Watch out dog, the watchdog's showing his teeth
Be careful, the watchdog is ready to attack

(Guess you bit too much shit) they biting your beat
You copied too much, that's why they copied your style

While I speak from experience, hunger and hurt
I'm speaking based on my experiences of poverty and pain

And a little bit of hate from niggas doing me dirt
And a bit of resentment towards people who have wronged me

I just wash it all out with Tide and show love
I'm trying to let go of negativity and focus on positivity

To those who ride with me while I'm putting in work
I appreciate those who support me while I'm working

Full-timing it, 8:30 to 6, the graveyard shift
I work full-time from 8:30am to 6pm, the late shift

The three months before the benefits hit
The period before I qualify for work benefits

But my position went temp' to perm'
My temporary job became permanent

I sat and listened like an intern watching who applied get fired
I learned from watching other people get fired during my internship

Now I'm sitting in the break room, they gotta make room (make room)
Now I have a permanent position and space in the break room

My paper stacks, put staples through 'em
I keep my money organized with staples

So I can keep my money together
I want to keep my money secure and in one place

Some die-hard fans just don't want it like, "Put Pos back on it"
Some fans only want to hear music from the group Posdnuos (Pos)

I'm back on it, that's why you never disappointed
But I'm back making music that you love, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed

We give you what we live through for real (for real)
We make music based on our real experiences

Don't own a crown but I'm royalty
I may not have a title, but I deserve respect

And trying to see the royalty checks about a half a mil'
I'm trying to make a lot of money from my music

Whether off or on the chart, my cuts grips your heart
My music is impactful whether it's popular or not

(You know we got you open) like your gut splits apart
Our music affects you deeply

I never pass the buck, my shoulder holds the weights
I take responsibility for my actions and decisions

So don't beef when we don't pass collection plates
Don't complain when we don't give you money

I don't give money, I don't support the needy
I don't like giving money or helping others

Schooled in America, taught to be greedy
I was raised in America where the culture is all about selfishness and greed

And everything ought to be, easy
Everyone wants things to be simple and effortless

But I never could say goodbye to my friends who get high
I can't stop being friends with people who do drugs

I wonder why, I'm rocking with that guy, it's serious
I'm questioning my choice in friends and the consequences

Still make him cry when the satire's hilarious
I still make him laugh even though it's a satirical joke

Cold for your areas, flows come in various shapes and sizes
Our music is suitable for all audiences, and we have different styles

So hot that you despise it
Our music is so good that some people hate it

Never last up to bat (no, no, no, no)
We never give up or fail

These skills we don't lack (no, no, no, no)
We're not lacking in talent or ability

We never fall and pray (no, no, n-no, no)
We don't rely on luck or religion

Make all the ladies say (ooh, ooh baby)
Our music impresses and even seduces women

You can't knock the hustle, not at all (no, no, no, no)
You can't criticize or stop our hard work

Can't be budged by your muscle (no, no, no, no)
You can't influence or intimidate us with strength or power

Never riding on E (no, no, n-no, no)
We're never running on empty

It's De La and Butta V (drive you crazy)
Our music, performed by De La Soul and DJ Butta V, will drive you crazy

Yo, if you are what you eat
If you become what you consume

Some of you cats heads between your girl's legs a lot
Some of you spend a lot of time performing oral sex on your girlfriend

'Cause y'all act too sweet (go brush your teeth!)
Because you're being too sweet, go brush your teeth!

Then after that
After you brush your teeth

Put in a little more practice on your rhyming attack
Improve your rapping skills

What you write's not the least bit hot
Your music is not even slightly good

Maybe cause your wrist is so cold from all that ice you cop
Maybe because you waste too much money on expensive jewelry

Hate to hate a player but you know what?
I don't like criticizing people, but

I still smother ya like cheese and rocking leaves freshly cut
I'll still overwhelm you like melted cheese and freshly cut grass

And we the steak and potatoes and De La's the greatest
Our music is the main course, and De La Soul is the best

And ladies be on the floor thanking the Lord that He made us
Women love our music and appreciate our existence

I'm telling you, I swoop her like a pelican do
I impress women like a pelican catching fish

You saying look at that pelican fly, you spitting gelatin rhymes
You're saying that I'm talented, and your own rhymes are soft and weak

They shaky as shit, ugly in the mold you fit
Your rapping is terrible and unoriginal

We the square peg on the round hole, sound's soulful
We don't fit in, but our music is passionate and emotional

Your imitation flavor is tofu
Your style is bland and artificial

It's true we make our bed all day, and we are
It's true that we spend all day in bed, and we are

The world of rap! Take you back
The foundation of rap music, which takes you back in time

In the days of all four hundred ways that people lack
When people struggled in many different ways

It's that (what) authentic, big-nosed mic music
It's authentic music that's different and unique

Four to five survive all night to it
We can function and stay awake all night with this music

I'm trying to keep up with my Jones' and Thomas'
I'm trying to maintain my status by keeping up with my peers

'Til I'm broke like them New Year's Eve promises
Until I'm broke like the promises made on New Year's Eve

And that's alright, I just penned another sixteen
That's okay, I just wrote another sixteen bars of rhymes

To fill my bank account with the mixed greens
To make a lot of money and mix different bank notes

Moms want 5's and 10's
My mother wants me to give her five and ten dollar bills

The girls I got is 9's and 10's, VH1 "Behind The Pens"
I have very attractive women in my life, who would be on VH1's show about rappers

You anticipate greatness from elder statesmen
People expect great work from experienced musicians

I ch-ch-ch-ah, like Biz Mark' or Jason
I make the famous "ch-ch-check it out" sound like other rappers

I bust one shot just to start the racing
I start things off with a bang

The tortoise and the hare, which one there is chasing?
Which one is trying harder to succeed?

Slow and steady, we already Andretti
We're taking our time, but we're still ahead

Get ticket take parades, waves and confetti and
We're getting recognized, praised and celebrated

Come on y'all
Let's keep going

If the Soul keeps rocking, the streets will keep rocking
If our music keeps being great, the fans will keep supporting us

If the streets keep rocking, the Soul will keep rocking
If the fans keep supporting us, we'll keep making great music

If the streets stop rocking, the Soul will keep rocking
Even if people stop listening, we'll keep making music because we love it