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Listen to By All Means Necessary (Expanded Edition) by Boogie Down Productions
ALBUMBy All Means Necessary (Expanded Edition)Boogie Down Productions
Listen to ’80s Hip-Hop Essentials featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLIST’80s Hip-Hop EssentialsApple Music ’80s
Listen to KRS-One Essentials featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTKRS-One EssentialsApple Music Hip-Hop
Listen to Hip-Hop/R&B Hits: 1988 featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTHip-Hop/R&B Hits: 1988Apple Music R&B
Listen to Conscious Hip-Hop Essentials featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTConscious Hip-Hop EssentialsApple Music Hip-Hop
Listen to Firsts: Ava DuVernay featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTFirsts: Ava DuVernayApple Music
Listen to Hip-Hop DNA: MCs featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTHip-Hop DNA: MCsApple Music Hip-Hop
Listen to Common: Nourishment & Resilience featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTCommon: Nourishment & ResilienceApple Music
Listen to Verzuz Cheat Sheet: Big Daddy Kane x KRS-One featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLISTVerzuz Cheat Sheet: Big Daddy Kane x KRS-OneVerzuz Radio
Listen to 2Pac: Influences featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLIST2Pac: InfluencesApple Music Hip-Hop
Listen to #TheShowMustBePaused: The Playlist featuring Boogie Down Productions
PLAYLIST#TheShowMustBePaused: The PlaylistApple Music

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
KRS-One
KRS-One
Vocals
All the People
All the People
Sampled Artist
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Lawrence Parker
Lawrence Parker
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
KRS-One
KRS-One
Producer
Ivan 'Doc' Rodriguez
Ivan 'Doc' Rodriguez
Engineer

Lyrics

D.J. Doc you know he's down with us D-Square, he's down with us Keyboard Money Mike, is down with us I.C.U., you know he's down with us D-Nice and McBoo, they're down with us Ms. Melodie, she's down with us Just-Ice and DMX, they're down with us My manager Moe, he's down with us Castle-D boy, he's down with us D.J. Red Alert, he's down with us Robocop boy, he's down with us Makin' funky music is a must I'm number one People still takin' rappin' for a joke A passing hope or a phase with a rope Sometimes I choke and try to believe When I get challenged by a million MCs I try to tell them, "We're all in this together!" My album was raw because no-one would ever Think like I think and do what I do I stole the show, and then I leave without a clue What do you think makes up a KRS? Concisive teaching, or very clear speaking? Ridiculous bass, aggravating treble Rebel, renegade, must stay paid Not by financial aid, but a raid of hits Causing me to take long trips I'm the original teacher of this type of style Rockin' off-beat with a smile Or smirk or chuckle, yes some are not up to BDP Posse so I love to Step in the jam and slam I'm not Superman, because anybody can Or should be able to rock off turntables Grab the mic, plug it in and begin But here's where the problem starts, no heart Because of that a lot of groups fell apart Rap is still an art, and no-one's from the Old School Cuz Rap is still a brand-new tool I say no-one's from the Old School cuz Rap on a whole Isn't even twenty years old Fifty years down the line, you can start this Cuz we'll be the Old School artists And even in that time, I'll say a rhyme A brand-new style, ruthless and wild Runnin' around spendin' money, havin' fun Cuz even then, I'm still number one. Blastmaster KRS-One of course Comes to express with style the lost Ways of rhyming, old and new, past and present Knock, knock, who is it? A brand-new style, hup, time to change People talk about me when they see me on stage Live in action, guaranteed raw I hang with the rich and I work for the poor Now tomorrow you can say you saw KRS-One stompin' once more I play by ear, I love to steer The Alfa Romeo from here to there I grab the beer, but not in the ride Cuz I'm not stupid, I don't drink and drive I'm not a beginner, amateur or local My album is sellin' because of my vocals You know what you need to learn? Old School artists don't always burn You're just another rapper who's had his turn Now it's my turn, and I am concerned About idiots posing as kings What are we here to rule? I thought we were supposed to sing And if we oughta sing, then let us begin to teach Many of you are educated, open your mouth and speak KRS-One is something like a total renegade Except I don't steal, I rhyme to get paid Airplanes flyin', overseas people dyin' Politicians lyin', I'm tryin' Not to escape, but hit the problem head-on By bringin' out the truth in a song So BDP, short for Boogie Down Productions Made a little noise cuz the crew was sayin' somethin' People have the nerve to take me for a gangster An ignorant one, something closer to a prankster Doin' petty crimes, goin' straight to penitentiary But in a scale of crime that's really elementary This beat is now compelling me to explain in silence Why my last jam was so violent It's simple: BDP will teach reality No beatin' around the bush, straight up, just like The P Is Free So now you know, a poet's job is never done But I'm never overworked, cuz I'm still number one. Kool Moe Dee, he's down with us Eric B. and Rakim, they're down with us Stetsasonic, they're down with us Dana Dane, he's down with us Sleeping Bag Records, they're down with us My lawyer Jay, he's down with us Jive RCA is down with us Makin' funky music is a must I'm number one.
Writer(s): Lawrence Krsone Parker Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
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