ABC
K'naan feat Chubb Rock Lyrics

Bundle up my whole style is so cold
I'm not trying to show off, but my style is so unique and cool

I glow like old guys who go bald
I shine and stand out like a balding old man

My flow got no front in the vocal
I don't hold back when I rap, I give it my all

Your flow got no button its so old
Your rapping style is outdated and doesn't have the same energy as mine

I don't mean to sound like a showboat
I don't want to come across as arrogant or cocky

But it's true my persona's no joke
But I can't deny that my personality and talent are no laughing matter

I stepped into some kinda portal
I experienced a drastic shift or change in my life

I'm legend and sometimes I'm noble
I've achieved legendary status but I still try to do good in the world

I'm from the most risky zone, oh
I come from a place that is extremely dangerous

No place is more shifty global
There's no place in the world that is more unpredictable and unstable

More pistols, Russian revolvers
There are a lot of guns, including Russian-made revolvers, in my area

We shootin' all that is normal
We've become so desensitized to violence that we shoot at anything that seems ordinary

But it ain't just because we want to
But it's not just because we're violent by nature

We ain't got nowhere we can run to
We have no safe place to escape to

Somebody please press the undo
I wish there was a way to reverse the dangerous and violent environment I grew up in

They only teach us the things that guns do
Unfortunately, the only skills we're taught are related to weapons and violence

They don't teach us the ABCs
We don't receive basic education like literacy, numeracy or language skills

We play on the hard concrete
We spend our time playing on the unforgiving streets without parks or other safe spaces

All we got is life on the streets
Our lives are centered around surviving on the streets, with little chance of escape

Rock, you know my era
I'm a rapper from an earlier generation

B-boy seasoning, salt -n- pepa
I grew up during the era of breakdancing and popular hip-hop groups like Salt-N-Pepa

Grown and sexy, come with the extra
I'm a mature and confident rapper, and I bring my own unique style to the game

Crushed up linen, fly like sess-a
I dress elegantly and have great style

This type brew I gave it birth
I created a new type of hip-hop music

Now it's time again to give it a verse
And now I'm ready to share it with the world again

Jamaican born, not a fan of the ganja
I was born in Jamaica but I don't use marijuana

? Brooklyn to Somalia
I've been all over the world, from Brooklyn to Somalia

And it goes in the background
My music is playing gently in the background

Playa, that is my sound
My music and style are unique to me

The green doesn't symbolize I made it on the top
Money doesn't necessarily mean success or achievement for me

Pioneer legend, and they call me Mr. Rock
People know me as a legendary pioneer of hip-hop and call me Mr. Rock

No B word or N word, I don't need those words (no)
I don't need to use derogatory or offensive language in my music

Respect for hers
I have respect for all women

The game dried up, so we come with the grease
The music industry has become stale and uninspired, so we're bringing something fresh and exciting

Leadin' ya right and treatin' ya right, so peace
We strive to be positive role models and make uplifting music that brings peace

Superman is known by the locals
People in my area acknowledge me as a heroic figure

As this dude who's so fly it's global
I'm so cool and confident that it transcends my local community

Attitude that came outta struggle
My tough upbringing and struggles have shaped my attitude and character

Destitute but I make it hopeful
Despite growing up with nothing, I still have hope for the future

You real, but my real is tenfold
You might be authentic, but my life experiences and reality are ten times more intense

My real'll make yours a rental
My reality is so extreme that it would make your life look like a temporary rental

Gangsta if at ease, essential
Being tough and streetwise is essential for survival where I come from

Fight with guns or utensils
People in my area have to fight with whatever weapons they have available, no matter how crude

So bold nothin's confidential
I'm so unafraid and bold that I keep nothing hidden or secret

Breakfast was not continental
Growing up, we didn't have access to fancy or varied breakfast foods

And lunch could not compliment all
The meals we had weren't always nutritious or able to fulfill our hunger

We still become competent souls
Despite these obstacles, we still grew up to be strong individuals

These streets ain't paved with no gold
The streets where I come from are not glamorous or filled with opportunities

Matter fact someone stole the light bulb
In fact, someone even stole the streetlights so the roads are poorly lit and dangerous at night

Nobody fat enough for lypo
People in my area don't have the luxury of worrying about cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction

They don't teach us to read and write, so
It's a sad reality that basic education is not prioritized in my community

All we got is life on the streets
And unfortunately, our entire lives are spent trying to survive on the unforgiving streets