Too Late
Res; Talib & Hi Tek Kweli Lyrics

Yo, when the bass thump, the place jump
The crowd gets hyped and energized when the bass of the music bumps

Like it's way crunk, yeah
The energy is high and the vibe is similar to a crunk party

Fake punks get they face lumped
Those who are fake and try to act tough get beat up

Sent to the most high, by the most fit
Those who get beat up are sent to the afterlife by the strongest person present

You gotta do, fuck that almost shit
You have to fully commit to something and not just try halfway

The fam is close knit
The group of friends is like a family and very close to each other

You diggin', know the clock don't stop tickin'
You understand that time is always moving forward and there's no stopping it

Glocks still spittin', the whole block politickin'
Gun violence is still prevalent and the whole neighborhood is involved in political discussion

Like presidents with they minds dead on arrival
People in power don't have a clear, functioning mind and just go through the motions

Leaving no evidence of a struggle for survival
Their actions make it seem like they haven't faced any real challenges or obstacles

Songs relevant to the times like the psalms read in the Bible
Their music reflects what's going on in the world, just like the Bible reflects past events

Stepping to this leaves thoughts in your head 'it's suicidal'
Their music is so powerful and thought-provoking that it might make you think drastic thoughts

It's the T to the A-L-I-B the deep rooter
This is Talib, the one who stays true to the roots and foundation of hip-hop

Rolling with my wanna battle cats who chief buddha
Talib hangs out with skilled rappers who are peaceful and wise like a Buddhist leader

And see through the overspecialized, underpressurized
Talib can see through those who are overhyped but undercooked as artists

No lie texturized, emcees who got the masses mesmerized
Some rappers deceive their audience with their polished texture and hypnotize them with their performance

With empty rhetoric, they better quit
Rappers who spew out meaningless words and phrases should stop

Niggas so hollow that they echo like sentiments
These rappers are so empty and shallow that they just repeat cliched phrases

Nowadays rap artists coming half-hearted
Many modern rappers are not fully invested in their craft and just go through the motions

Commercial like pop, or underground like black markets
These rappers either aim for mass appeal like pop artists, or target specific niche markets like black underground scenes

Where were you the day hip-hop died?
When did you notice that hip-hop music lost its soul and essence?

Is it too early to mourn? Is it too late to ride?
Should we feel sad and grieve for hip-hop's decline, or is it too late to even try and revive it?

Kwa is chillin', Tone is chillin'
Kweli and Hi Tek are relaxed and taking it easy

What more can I say, we stay building
There's not much else to say besides we keep making music and growing as artists

And make killings
We make great music that people love and appreciate

Take children through the wilderness, by the hand
We guide and mentor young artists who are still developing their craft

It's a great feeling, show 'em how to be a man
It's fulfilling to help these artists grow and mature

Exactly, pack trees in my khakis
Talib is carrying weed in his pants

My sound fat like a Neve while you thin like a Mackie
My music has a rich, full sound like a Neve mixing console, while yours sounds weak and skinny like a Mackie mixer

C'mon, shine so bright when I walk by
Talib exudes such a strong presence that he shines bright when he walks past you

You got ta squint like the motherfucking sun in your eye
You have to squint and shield your eyes from the brightness of Talib's presence

What! Say somethin, you stay frontin
What's up! Speak up if you have something to say, don't just pretend and act fake

It ain't nothing, let off like I'm big game hunting
There's no problem here, I'm just gonna let loose and have fun like I'm hunting big game

Me and Tek stay way blunted
Talib and Hi Tek are high and relaxed

Wave running on beaches with white sand
They're visualizing running on a beach with white sand

With a slight tan
They're imagining having a slight tan from being in the sun

Smack the mic stand with my right hand
Talib hits the mic stand to emphasize his points

When I'm excited
He does it when he's pumped up and enthusiastic

Leave you so far in the dust that you forced to bite it
He leaves his competition behind and they have no choice but to admit defeat

On fire like property lost to riots
He's on fire and unstoppable like when a property gets destroyed in a riot

Yo, ain't no stopping us when we all united
There's no way to stop us when we work together as a group