[Ice Cube]
Now is the time...
C'mon y'all


Stand tall, live your life to the limit
Cause haterism seem like a $#&@ing epidemic

And look at Ice Cube, I ain't no gimmick
I'm straight from the hood, I got to represent it
Now - every day I think about my color

And all the crazy %#@! we do to one another
I ain't your blood brother, but I'm your cuz brother
Let's take it back to the love and how it was brother

If not, we gon' pull these triggers
Show the world we deserve to be called ^!$$%z
I make a $#&@-up, like Don Imus

bow on his knees, and call me yo' highness
You can too, you got the power to
Don't let this mother$#&@in system devour you

I won't pretend, or act like I'm knowin you
But check it out I understand what you goin through


[Chorus: sung from samples]
But remember, brothers and sisters
You can still, stand, tall

Just be thankful...
For what you got


[Ice Cube]
I know what y'all mother$#&@ers thinking, heh heh
Here comes another rapper with a song about hope

All you wanna hear is a song about dope
And how a ^!$$% got mo' money than the Pope
But he'll never tell you when he drop the soap

No~! Ice Cube is here to drop you a note
Cause some of our folk used to hang from ropes
And some of our people used to hang from trees

Now the only thing hangin muh'$#&@er is DEEZ
So, get your mind right, and I'ma rhyme right
$#&@ the limelight, and a blind !@()

I'm the sunlight, too bright to look
When it's all said and done I should write the book
You too cool for school, too old to know?

Get your $$# off the grassroots and let 'em grow
I understand, it ain't no love lost
But little kids, it ain't no Santa Claus


[Chorus]


[Ice Cube]
Yeah, f'real
I was born in the mud but I came out clean

That's 'til the government tried to intervene
Tried to lock me up when I was only 19
Don't never ever ever let 'em kill your dream

I make %#@! raw that piss off the law
If you want some fake %#@! turn this off
If you want some realness I know you can feel this

Maybe we can heal this just like an illness
Black on black, I got'cho back
People don't think that we know how to act

Just because our neighborhood is filled with crack
And the CIA, won't take it back
Never on top, always on the bottom

Never put your trust in Hillary Rodham
Cause I can tell you now it's gon' turn out rotten
Keep on pushin, get 'em 'til we got 'em


[Chorus]


[Ice Cube]
Stand up, f'real...
Raise your hand if you sick of this bull%#@!

Heh, in the belly of the evil empire [fades]