No Respect
Kool Moe Dee Lyrics

What you want, you ain't gon' get it
You will not obtain what you desire

What you need, you won't admit it
You refuse to acknowledge what you truly need

It really don't matter how hard you try
No matter how much effort you put in, it won't make a difference

Cause money can't buy respect
Respect is not something that can be purchased with money

The material mind is enticed by the dollar bill
The lure of money is appealing to those who value material possessions over everything else

It makes some brothers fight, and some would even kill
The desire for money can lead some individuals to act aggressively or even violently

Some will do anything for a bill
People will go to great lengths to obtain money

Cause they think they'll get respect
Some believe that having money will earn them respect

Bought a big Mercedes, and you got about ten more cars
You purchased a luxurious vehicle along with many other cars

Now you impress the ladies, and you're a neighborhood star
Your impressive car collection attracts female attention and garners admiration within your local community

Gold on your fingers and your neck
You wear gold jewelry on your fingers and neck

But you still get no respect
Despite your wealth and material possessions, you still are not respected by others

Your mind is weak, so when you speak
Your mental fortitude is lacking, causing you to speak without thought or consideration

You're obsolete, your mental peak
You are no longer relevant or valuable, and your intellectual capacity has reached its limit

Is in the street, your mouth's a beak
Your expertise lies in the world of the streets, and your speech is compared to that of a bird

Big like a bird, and your future's bleak
Your potential is limited due to your limited mental capacity, and your future looks grim

Now you should seek some help decree
You should ask for assistance and guidance

You're sellin crack and livin cheap
You are involved in the illegal drug trade and living a meager existence

Bought a brand-new ride to go beep-beep
You purchased a new car that honks loudly

Playin music outside loud in your jeep
You listen to loud music while driving your car

But you should know, unless you're slow
You should be aware that if you're not careful

There comes an end to the sidewalk show
Your display of wealth and status will eventually come to an end

And up the river's where you'll go
You'll end up in prison

Wearin stripes from head to toe
You'll be dressed in a prisoner's uniform

No fancy gold, no fancy car
You'll have no expensive jewelry or cars

And the brothers inside don't care who you are
The other prisoners don't care about your wealth or status

A 7-foot brother doin life
There's a very tall prisoner who is serving a life sentence

300 pounds, says you're his wife
The large prisoner claims you as his romantic partner

Walks in your cell and says: "Fix it up"
The prisoner enters your cell and makes a demand

Then you look up and say: "Not the butt"
You refuse to comply with the prisoner's request

He says: "Shut up" "But... but" No 'but'
The prisoner tells you to be quiet, and despite any objections you have, there is no room for negotiation

Now what you gonna do, freaky-deaky or what?
What actions will you take in this difficult situation?

The money was good, the money was fast
You made a lot of money quickly

No business mind and the money won't last
You didn't have a solid business sense, so the money disappeared quickly

In the money rate you fell first to last
You lost all of your wealth and became the poorest amongst those who were once rich

Now every night you fight for your ass
Every night, you must struggle to protect your safety and avoid physical harm

They say what goes up must come down
Everything that rises will eventually fall

All hustlers know that sound
Those who pursue wealth through illegal and unethical means are aware of this fact

Cause you're here today, gone the next
Just as quickly as you gained wealth, it can be taken away from you

And you'll find out the hard way: you get no respect
You'll learn through painful experience that you won't be respected for your wealth alone

For those brothers that keep sellin out
This message is for individuals who consistently betray others for their own personal gain

Cause local clout is all you're about
You only care about your reputation in your immediate community

A few bullshit bitches and hanging out
You surround yourself with untrustworthy individuals and spend your time engaging in meaningless activities

And every day's like a title bout
Every day feels like you're fighting a battle to maintain your status

When the next man wants you taken out
When someone wishes to harm or eliminate you

I'd like to know what you're thinkin about
I'd like to understand your thought process and motivations

It sure ain't dyin without a doubt
It's certain that you don't want to die

But you better wake up before it's too late
You should realize the dangers of your actions before it's too late to stop them

Or they'll be doing your make-up down at the coroner's place
If you continue on your current path, you'll end up dead and your corpse will be prepared for burial

And you will have lived just to die
Your entire existence will have been for nothing

Yo man, what about hoes, what about hoes?
What about women, what's your experience with them?

Hoes? Shit man, I had mo' bitches than muthafuckin Con-ed got switches, boy I had hoes, loads of hoes, you know what I'm sayin Hoes, hoes, you dig?
I had more women than the power company has switches

You're just talkin shit
You're boasting and not being honest

I had all the money man, I was the man...
I was wealthy and powerful

Where you goin Sam? Hold up, hold up
Wait, where are you going?

Yeah, yeah - well, I'm outta here I don't want to hear more of this shit
I'm leaving because I don't want to listen to your boasting anymore

Wait, before you go - can I get a dollar, man?
Can you give me a dollar before you leave?

Aw, go 'head, you broke ass, I ain't hearin no more of that shit What happened to all your money, boy?
Don't bother me with your financial issues

I got all the money man, that shit ain't happenin to me You just fucked up man, I know how to hustle
I won't suffer the same fate as you because I'm a skilled hustler

I can go in any liquor store, anywhere, anytime 'the day And get any bottle or anything for free, that's respect, boy!
I can go into any liquor store and obtain what I want without paying, and that is a sign of respect

That's respect!
This is an example of the respect I command

Yeah, I'm a hustler's muthafucka Me - I ain't never fallin off
I am a master hustler who will never fail

Aw man, I used to say the same thing, man...
I used to be overly confident and thought I wouldn't fail