Health, Wealth, Self

[00:04.39] Yeah, yeah, yup
[00:08.87] You know what, I was just downstairs
[00:11.58] And I was on my way up here to the studio and
[00:14.98] A guy bumped into me
[00:16.80] And he said, he said, "Yo Kris
[00:21.43] How is it that you stay in this music?
[00:24.07] You know, this rap music especially for so long, so long"
[00:29.66] I said, "Well, you know years ago I made a deal with the Goddess"
[00:38.16] He said, "The Goddess?"
[00:40.11] I said, "Well yeah, you might know her as God
[00:43.24] But I know her as the Goddess"
[00:46.22] The Universal Mother
[00:48.17] The Mother of everything you see in existence
[00:52.41] I asked her for assistance
[00:56.95] In lyrical persistence
[01:00.88] And she gave it to me, under one condition
[01:05.13] She said, "I'll give you the gift
[01:09.89] But use the gift to uplift"
[01:12.65] I said, "Okay Mom"
[01:24.46] So I tell you the truth, really
[01:27.91] Me nah gon' need nothin' else
[01:30.38] But health, wealth and knowledge of myself
[01:34.87] Me nah gon' need nothin' else
[01:37.49] But health, wealth and knowledge of myself
[01:40.91] In the beginning was the word, the word was made flesh
[01:44.00] Knowledge K., Reigns R., Supreme S.
[01:47.32] Some of us guess while others of us are blessed
[01:50.99] Take heed to the word, that I manifest
[01:54.26] I manifest the future, the present, followed by the past
[01:57.62] Everything in nature, rules by kickin' ass
[02:01.53] What they tellin' me, but yo, you a friend to me
[02:05.35] So I'ma tell you the secrets of MC longevity
[02:08.00] Secret one, if it ain't fun, you're done
[02:11.81] And about your career, huh, well, choose another one
[02:14.74] If you don't like what you do, you're through
[02:18.50] Lesson two, make sure you got a dope crew
[02:22.54] Not some crew, that's like an anchor on a shoe
[02:26.02] A mad crew, that's of some benefit to you
[02:29.17] Lesson three, might be contradictory or funny
[02:32.31] But MC's should have other ways of gettin' money
[02:36.43] That's to say learn other things beside music
[02:39.72] Make money elsewhere, hip-hop you won't abuse it
[02:43.43] Too many MC's, just emcee
[02:46.01] So their longevity, is based on an Uncle Tom at the record company
[02:50.64] Lesson four, sell your image, never sell a record
[02:54.08] Image is respected, records come and go and get collected
[02:58.00] Even the records of platinum artists, that used to rip shop
[03:01.28] Can be bought, for a quarter at the thrift shop
[03:04.58] Which brings me to lesson number five, the illusion
[03:08.35] Has me thinkin', the minute they drop a record
[03:11.04] They'll be cruisin' in the Acura, slow down, you're still a amateur
[03:17.39] What separates the pro from the amateur is stamina
[03:21.04] Not how long you can rhyme but how long you've been rhymin'
[03:25.61] Changin' with the times, and findin' yourself still climbin' for wealth'
[03:31.89] Blow for blow, you're still growin', still showin'
[03:38.05] Now that's a pro at it
[03:40.02] Me nah gon' need nothin' else
[03:42.42] But health, wealth and knowledge of myself
[03:46.54] Me nah gon' need nothin' else
[03:49.58] But health, wealth and knowledge of myself
[03:52.94] Thank you Mother, I'm out
[04:20.18]