I Feel You
Talib Kweli Lyrics

Black man ain't allowed a moment of weakness
Society does not allow black men to show any sign of weakness.

The crew ain't got no room for those who flee when the beef hit
Those who run when confronted with problems are not welcome in the group.

Cause they don't want no beef like people who only eat fish
The group does not want to be involved in problems like those who don't eat meat.

You get the third degree like my society secret
People are interrogated and questioned excessively, just like a secret society.

N***ers run so much we spend a grip on them sneakers
Black people run so much that they spend a considerable amount of money on sneakers.

I'd rather stand and fight there's no respect for the meek shit
It's better to confront problems than to shy away from them, because weakness is not respected.

I'm trying to get this cheese like a pizza that's deep dish
The singer is trying to make money, like a deep dish pizza with lots of cheese.

The sensitive shit you can keep it.. what I feel
The artist doesn't want to deal with sensitive issues, but would rather express what he truly feels.

all through the night and for when it's right, as long as it's tight
The artist will write and perform for as long as it's necessary, as long as it's of high quality.

It'll demand to get performed on the mic
The quality of the work will demand to be performed on stage.

And hopefully become a song that you like, and it probably will
The work will hopefully become a song that people like, and it's likely to happen.

Cause what I spit is what so real, it's based on what I feel
The artist's work is based on his genuine feelings, making it very real.

All I did was take a lil moment, homie I'm giving you notice
The singer took a short moment to prepare, and is now giving a warning.

Last days that they predicted upon us
The singer believes that the end of days is coming soon, as predicted by some people.

N***ers stick it to be sitting on corners, n***ers do what you will
Some people waste their time sitting on the streets, but everyone should do what they want.

It's your life, it really don't matter what I feel
People should live their lives as they want, regardless of the artist's opinion.

when I pick up the mic, and spit what I write
When the artist performs his work on stage.

Go and sign myself so I can give you a sight
The singer wants to sign autographs for his fans.

Into this tunnel of this court doing quarter to life
The singer feels trapped in the court system, facing a long prison term.

Until the end you finally see the light
The artist hopes that he will eventually find freedom and happiness.

Don't matter trying to get what you need
It doesn't matter what you do to get what you need, even if it means hurting yourself.

When you gotta cut yourself just to see if you bleed
People sometimes hurt themselves in order to feel something or confirm their existence.

You need the pain in your life,
The singer believes that pain is necessary for one's growth and understanding of life.

Without the pain you can't tell if it's real
Without pain, one cannot confirm the reality and truth of life.

all throughout my heart and my soul
The singer's emotions run deep and are felt throughout their being.

Affect my memory like an actor before the start of a role
The singer's emotions affect their memory, just like an actor preparing to play a role.

I represent my community and part of a whole
The singer represents their community and is part of a larger group.

Pop your balloon mindstate, it make it harder to blow
The artist wants to challenge people's beliefs and perceptions, making it harder for them to continue with their current mindset.

You in the front row trying to diss, you make it part of the show
If someone tries to criticize or put the artist down, it becomes a part of the performance.

The right fist will make you part of the flow
If someone tries to fight the singer, they will become part of the conflict and be defeated.

No question I'm the answer for this,
The singer is confident that he has the solution to the problem.

I'm harder than a n***er with a cancerous prostate tryin to pimp
The artist is tough and determined, even more so than someone who has a serious medical condition and still tries to work.

I got the real version of lyrics that you tryin to kick
The artist's work is authentic and true, compared to someone else's imitation.

But on the flip son, everything I'm writing is hits
The artist believes that all of his work is successful and of high quality.

Like the stick of green canabis that we twist then we stick to our lips
The singer's work is compared to marijuana, which is enjoyed by many people.

End your career with a flick of my wrist, death stroke with the pen
The artist can end someone's career with just a quick motion of his pen.

Then I'm flipping the bitch
After defeating someone, the singer will move on to the next challenge.

Do what I want, whenever I want, never gunna front
The singer will do what he wants, when he wants, and will never pretend to be someone he's not.

everybody's a critic, people be hating even talking under their breath
Everyone has an opinion and is quick to criticize, even when they're not vocal about it.

They got me hotter than mating season
The artist is extremely angry and frustrated.

This hater nation but the nature of the hate is changing
The world is becoming increasingly hateful and hostile.

Like the government deciding who's our faviorite nation
People are being divided and categorized by the government.

You know it ain't them hations
The hatred and division is not caused by those who are categorized as outsiders.

Or anybody we call terrorist, even if the world hate americans
Even though some people may hate Americans or label them as terrorists, it's still not justified to be hateful towards them.

Our foreign policy destroy they country properly, we demostrate our power
The artist believes that American foreign policy is causing destruction and pain in other countries in order to demonstrate its power.

To stimulate our economy
The artist believes that American foreign policy is motivated by economic reasons.

New york is my city
The singer identifies with New York as his home city.

Sort of like vice city
New York is similar to Vice City, a fictional city in a video game.

Up all night, to to sky, pink like white titties
The singer is up all night, looking at the sky which is pink like white breasts.

Making the classic rthym, I'm having visions
The singer is creating a classic rhythm and being inspired by his own imagination.

And when I attack the track you get dwarfed like sado-masichism
The singer is so successful in his work that it's comparable to the dominance of sado-masochism.

Send the voice of activism now n***ers ain't eating like Gandhi
The artist is using his work to inspire activism and change, so that people may no longer have to go hungry like Gandhi's principles.

Defeating the british with pacifism
The artist believes that Gandhi's non-violent approach to defeating the British was successful.

And the people love it, see what I mean haters
The Speaker's work is loved by the general public, despite being criticized by haters.

I got my love like radio rahim
The singer has a lot of love and compassion, just like Radio Rahim - a character from the movie 'Do the Right Thing.'