Check the crippled man, sittin' in the church
My conscience hurts, flesh like me hits the dirt
She's paralyzed from her feet to her thighs
And the man who pulled the trigger didn't even lose his necktie
I check Jimmy cuttin' hair at the barbershop
He plays the bass guitar, like David plays the harp
His knowledge name is Greek, 'cause whenever he speaks
He's got the wisdom of King Solomon bags in his eyes from no sleep
Sometimes he thought of the fame in Madison Square Garden
So some seek stardom, but they forget Harlem
But seeking first of all the kingdom of God is what my pops told me
So if I fall, could the choir catch me
I flew away, on a mountain, got tempted by Satan
Got bitten by a cobra, but the Lord took my venom
So who's side am I on? I'm on the righteous
Always check the lyrics, no time to contradict
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
They keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Well aiyyo, family I beseech you, in the hopes that I may reach you
My mother taught me one day that this mid-day would come someday
Born to talk that jive, with peaky hair grown wild
And teachers disliked me, 'cause I knew where my culture be
So now yeah mom I read history, I can't neglect my passion see
Rock it's kind of new to me, 'cause my true love was poetry
White was good and bad was black but black was just a massa lackey
Built for that B. Nimble Jack and I'd like to save you from the wicked
D-Dog clear I wouldn't be wet the black to mourn, tomorrow's death
The evil things, glad that I, while angels wrote this violence why?
Help me make me comprehend my black bezerk and why cast it
Time to blaze the angels nappy heads are braided that you make me
See what's hard for me that don't make you flee
When I enter your vicinity, you see my God ain't never after me
So yo I be wised up with Greek to go and be
The last and good and see what's wrong with me
And through your insecurity of me and my ability
So bredren won't you let me be or has thou asked to much from thy
To tell the truth and not to lie? Oh my
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Brothers keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Sisters keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
But as I grew, I knew cause the master told me
From a baby to a woman from a woman to a baby
Life is so short, hardcore becomes hard-corpse
Step in a coffin where the money's no longer the source
There we go, there we go, there we go
I got mine now won't you get yours?
We never open doors so we neglect
And don't protect the ones that's not
People never really seem to care and then they cry out
"My people! Why aren't we treated equal?"
As we flee, we flee our own communities we leave our family in poverty
And then we blame it on another so family please recover
Oh c'mon please come now with you can come with me now
And blow now if you want to, we're through
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Families keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
People keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
We keep our pockets full, but our souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Brothers keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty