*I know, I know, I know* (sample repeats)

[Verse 1]

Feel free to hate me and to doubt me, but until you stood behind my plate

And peep the way I truly swing, you could never out me

See, opinions are like rap careers: Everybody's got one

And most of 'em out to zip, even less if it's a hot one

Like the radio songs that make us sing along

'Cause the beat is real heavy and the hook is real catchy

Make you nod your head steady, and you don't feel sketchy

'Til you're all by yourself, and you ridin' around

And realize to yourself how stupid it sounds

Mainstream or Underground, away team, home town

It boils down to the facts: Wack is wack

Camby can't hold Shaq, and a party ain't a party if

you don't bring a sack

Or your own 12-Pack or this 12 on the wax

I detail every track to make a sentence sparkle

Giving thoughts to the thoughtful, but I don't know

How I know how to pull these diamonds outta charcoal

I just know

[Chorus]

*I know, I know, I know*

Think you do when you don't 'cause uh.

*I know, I know, I know*

Think I don't when I do but uh.

*I know, I know, I know*

Think you do when you don't 'cause uh.

[Verse 2]

It's knowledge of self, knowing what you can and you can't do

And knowing to play the hand that God chose to hand you

I plan to double down when my turn comes around

I suggest you do the same, you can't take these chips with you

So it's best to play the game while there's breath up in your frame

Judge to death be the name, so I modern-day confuse

For you Latter Day souls, promote the type of fun

That makes your Saturdays whole, grey matter turn gold

With the stroke of a pen, help your spirit verge free

Before it chokes from within, me I'm cloaked in my sin

So I decorate my shrow, so the tat on my arm

Is the badge of a proud, B-Boy gone wild

In the rap sense of child born in '78

So I know no other culture just to set the record straight

I'm a vandal B-Boyin', turntable destroyin'

Right now it's the skills with the mic I'm employin'

'cause I

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]

I know tomorrow's not promised so handle business while you can

I know a friend's not a friend just because he lends a hand

I know a man's not a man, if he has to beat his woman

I know she'll push you to the point where you feel she had it comin'

I know you both love each other so a brawl would be senseless

I know this 'cause I lived it, and I mean every sentence

I know that 25 to Life is a very long time

I know that that's the reason that I have to go for mine

I know that waitin' on no man is the scheduled flight of time

I know that time is unfair when I listen to Sublime

I know that my time is comin' so I gotta keep runnin'

I know that our time is now so let's have a little fun and

I know you gotta feel me, or my fate is soon to seal me

I know that cigarettes and alcohol are out to kill me

I know I gotta quit, but not right know

I know I gotta quit, but I just don't know how; I just

[Chorus]