MC's Act Like They Don't Know
KRS-One Lyrics

Clap your hands everybody, if you got what it takes
If you feel the rhythm and have the desire, then let it out

'Cause I'm KRS and I'm on the mic, and Premier's on the breaks
I'm KRS-One, the master of ceremony rhyming, while DJ Premier controls the beats

Goin' out to the hardcore hip hop
Addressing the true and dedicated fans of hip-hop music

Of course we don't flip flop
We are not changing our principles or beliefs to suit anyone else

If you don't know me by now, I doubt you'll ever know me
If you haven't gotten to know me yet, it's unlikely that you ever will

I never won a GRAMMY, I won't win a Tony
I never received any mainstream awards and unlikely to get any

But I'm not the only MC keepin' it real
I'm not the only one who stays true to the essence of hip-hop

When I grab the mic to smash a rapper, girls go, "Eww"
When I go all-in to crush and defeat an opponent in a rap battle, girls react in disgust

Check the time as I rhyme, it's 1995
Celebrating the great hip-hop scene of 1995

Whenever I arrive the party gets liver
My entrance brings energy and excitement to the party

Flow with the master rhymer, as I leave behind
Follow the expert in rhyming as I surpass everything else behind me

The video rapper, you know, the chart climber
The rapper focused solely on high-chart performance and visuals, neglecting the message and originality of hip-hop

Clapper, down goes another rapper
Rappers who fail to respect hip-hop's essence are taken down by the community

Onto another matter, punch up the data, Blastmaster
Let's switch to a new topic and elevate the quality of discussion, as led by the Blastmaster (KRS-One)

Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everybody
The accumulation of knowledge and wisdom is superior to almost everything else

Call up KRS, I'm guaranteed to rip a party
Call on KRS-One and see him elevate the party with his rap artistry

Flat top, braids, bald heads or knotty dread
Different hairstyles are not what define a rapper or the quality of their music

There once was a story about a man named Jed
Referencing a classic American folk song and how it has no relevance to current hip-hop culture

But now Jed is dead, all his kids instead
It's time to focus on the current generation of rappers and the new and authentic skills they have to offer

Wanna kick rhymes off the top of they head
They want to showcase their natural talent and come up with creative rhymes on the spot

Word, what go around come around I figure
I believe that the consequences for one's actions will come back around full circle

Now we got white kids callin' themselves niggas
Evoking the cultural appropriation and controversial use of the n-word

The tables turned as the crosses burned
The dynamics regarding race relations has drastically changed throughout American history, with violent retaliation in response to incendiary events

Remember You Must Learn
It's essential that we learn from past mistakes and embrace the values and principles that lead to progress and unity

About the styles I flip and how wild I get
Observing the different styles of rapping and how KRS-One stands out from them with his unique approach

I go on like a space age rocket ship
I flow and rhyme at a level that's out of this world and never before seen

You could be a mack, a pimp, hustler or player
It doesn't matter what background or personality you come from, as long as you have rhythm and confidence

But make sure live you is a dope rhyme-sayer
You have to be an excellent rapper to make it in the hip-hop industry, it's not enough to just look the part

MC's act like they don't know
Many rappers pretend that they are unaware of the skills and talent of the musician they're up against

This is what you waited all year for
This is what fans of hip-hop have been looking forward to and waiting anxiously for

The hardcore, that's what KRS is here for
KRS-One serves the real, genuine and original fanbase of hip-hop

Big up Grand Wizard Theodore, gettin' ill
Paying tribute to Grand Wizard Theodore, the inventor of the scratching technique on a turntable

If you see, then ya saw I'm in your grill with mad skill
If you're aware and have seen me perform, then you know that I'm bringing the heat and energy to my performance

MC's can only battle with rhymes that got punchlines
Rap battles rely heavily on the effective use of punchlines to strike a chord with the audience

Let's battle to see who headlines
Let's test our skills in a rap battle, and see who comes out on top as a true champion

Instead of flow for flow, let's go show for show
Let's give the audience the full experience of our rap artistry, rather than simply having a competition of rhymes

Toe for toe, yo, you better act like you know
It's time to prove our worth and go all in, otherwise there's no point in challenging each other

Too many MC's take that word 'emcee' lightly
Many rappers don't fully understand or embrace the essence of what it means to be an MC

They can't Move a Crowd, not even slightly
Many rappers lack the charisma and skill to excite and pump up the crowd during their performance

It might be the fact that they express wackness
Their incapability to move the audience might be a result of their lack of originality and poor rhyming skills

Let me show ya whose ass is the blackest
I will demonstrate who among us rappers has the most authenticity and is most true to the original essence of hip-hop

I flip a script a little bit, you ride the tip and shit
I experiment with new rhyming techniques and styles, while you copy and try to piggyback off my ideas

Too sick to get with it, admit you bit, your style is counterfeit
You're too ill-equipped to keep up with me, and you have to admit that you copied my style and inadequately produced a counterfeit version

Now tone it down a bit
It's time to cool down the heated competition and focus on the true art form

My title you will never get, I'm too intelligent
You will never match my level of skill and expertise, I'm truly remarkable and talented in my craft

I'll send your family my sentiments, my style is toxic
My words and ways are infectious and powerful that even your family will be impacted by it

When I rock and shock and hip hop it unlock your head, I knock it
I liberate and inspire the fans of hip-hop with my creative and innovative ways, it's like I'm knocking open their heads with my message

It split quick from the lyric
The power of my words and message spreads fast like wildfire through the audience

Direct hit, perfect fit, you can't get with it
My rap skills are hard-hitting and accurate, and no one can really replicate or compete with it

Some MC's don't like the KRS, but they must respect him
There are some rappers who might not like me, but they have no choice but to acknowledge and respect my contribution to the industry

'Cause they know this kid gets all up in they rectum
Because of my brutal rhyming techniques and aggressive rap battles, I sometimes defeat my opponents to the point of completely overwhelming them

Slappin' and selectin' 'em, checkin' 'em, disrespectin' 'em
I sometimes attack and dismantle my opponents during rap battles, completely disrespecting and disregarding them

Just deckin' 'em, deckin' 'em, deckin' 'em
I keep attacking and winning against my opponents, one after the other

Who in their right mind can mimic a style like mine?
It's nearly impossible for anyone to imitate or replicate my unique style of hip-hop music and rap technique

I design rhyme and get mine all the time
Hip-hop music and specifically, my raps are carefully crafted and designed to communicate my message with full clarity and impact all the time

MC's standin' on the sidelines, always dissin'
Other rappers always criticize and make fun of me from the sidelines, but they don't have the courage or ability to actually engage with me

When I roll up and rush they crew they start bitchin'
When I enter a scene and crush their group with my rhyming skills, they try to escape and make excuses for their failures

I don't burn, I don't freeze, yet some MC's
Some rappers attack or respect me, even though I don't make them feel particularly good or bad

Believe they could tangle with the likes of these
They think they can compete and defeat me in a rap battle, even though I'm vastly superior to them

Cross your T's and dot your I's whenever I arrive
Make sure you're thoroughly prepared and detail-oriented in every respect when you know I'm there

Wide, magnified, live like the ocean tide
My presence and rhymes are impacting and affecting like the powerful ocean tide

You dope, you lied, I reside like Artifacts
You can't put up a legitimate fight against me, your rapping skills are fraudulent and inauthentic, while I thrive being honest and true like the hip-hop group Artifacts

On the Wrong Side of Da Tracks, electrified
I destroy and dominate my opponents on every level, and my enthusiasm and energy in doing so is just electric

Comin' around the mountain, you run and hide
I'm coming around the corner to attack and defeat you in a rap battle, and you start running away and hiding

Hopin' your defense mechanism can divert my heat-seeking lyricism
You try to use defensive tactics to protect yourself from my powerful and intimidating rap skills

As I spark mad izm
I ignite the passion and excitement of hip-hop fanatics and inspire them to join me in revolutionizing the music industry

The 1996 lyrical style's what I give 'em
I'm giving all the fans the opportunity to experience the groundbreaking and revolutionary style of hip-hop produced in the year 1996

Yo, yo, it's Special K from the Awesome 2
Another rapper introduces themselves, this time it's Special K from the duo Awesome 2

Representin' the cause for the Blastmaster
Special K represents KRS-One and his message of hip-hop purity

And this the Ooh Child Teddy Tedd
Teddy Tedd is another rapper who is also involved in presenting the cause of hip-hop

And you know we down with the KRS
Both Teddy Tedd and Special K are fully committed and supportive of KRS-One's message of real hip-hop

One, One, One
All three of us rappers are united and committed to the same conduct and behavior

Since day one, aight
We're all in this together from the beginning and we will continue to support each other

Awooga
A fun sound effect that simply adds a little more enjoyment to the song

Peace
A friendly and positive farewell to the fans listening to the song