[Intro: Common]
The revolution will not be televised
The revolution is here
Yeah, it's Common Sense, with DJ Premier
We gonna help y'all see clear
It's real hip-hop music, from the soul, y'all
Yeah, check it, yo

[Verse 1: Common]
The perseverance of a rebel I drop heavier levels
It's unseen or heard, a king with words
Can't knock the hustle, but I've seen street dreams deferred
Dark spots in my mind where the scene occurred
Some say I'm too deep, I'm in too deep to sleep
Through me, Muhammad will forever speak
Greet brothers with handshakes on ghetto landscapes
Where a man is determined by how much a man make
Cop Cognacs and spit old raps with young cats
With cigarettes in their ear, niggerish they appear
Under the Fubu is a guru, that's untapped
Want to be in the rap race but ain't ran one lap
Ran so far from the streets that you can't come back
You tripping with nowhere to unpack, forgot that

[Chorus: Bilal & Prodigy]
"This is rap for real, something you feel"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for the Black people"
Heeeeyyyy, heeeeeyyyy
"This is rap- This is rap for real"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for the Black people"
[Verse 2]
In front of two-inch glass and Arabs I order fries
Inspiration when I write, I see my daughter's eyes
I'm the truth, across the table from corporate lies
Immortalized by the realness I bring to it
If revolution had a movie I'd be theme music
My music, you either fight, fuck, or dream to it
My life is one big rhyme, I try to scheme through it
Through my shell, never knew what the divine would bring to it
I'd be lying if I said I didn't want millions
More than money saved, I wanna save children
Dealing with alcoholism and afrocentricity
A complex man drawn off of simplicity
Reality is frisking me
This industry will make you lose intensity
The Common Sense in me remembers the basement
I'm Morpheus in this hip-hop Matrix, exposing fake shit

[Chorus: Bilal & Prodigy]
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for real, something you feel"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for the Black people"
Heeeeyyyy, heeeeeyyyy
"This is rap- This is rap for real"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for the Black people"
[Verse 3]
Some days I take the L to gel with the real world
Got on at 87th, sat by this little girl
She recited raps, I forgot where they was from
In 'em, she was saying how she make brothers cum
I start thinking, how many souls hip-hop has affected
How many dead folks this art resurrected
How many nations this culture connected
Who am I to judge one's perspective?
Though some of that shit y'all bop to it, I ain't relating
If I don't like it, I don't like it, that don't mean that I'm hating
I just want to innovate and stimulate minds
Travel the world and penetrate the times
Escape through rhythms in search of peace and wisdom
Raps are smoke signals letting the streets know I'm with 'em
For now I appreciate this moment in time
Ball players and actors be knowing my rhymes, it's like

[Chorus & Outro: Bilal & Prodigy]
And you know, yes you know
"Thi- This is rap for real, something you feel"
And you know, yes you know
"Thi- This is rap for real, something you feel"
Heeeeyyyy, heeeeeyyyy
"This is rap- This is rap for real"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for the Black people"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap" "Co- Co- Com' sense"
And you know, yes you know
"Thi- This is rap for real, something you feel"
Heeeeyyyy, heeeeeyyyy
"This is rap- This is rap for real"
And you know, yes you know
"This is rap for real, something you feel"
You knooow, and you knoooooow
Yeah, ooohowoooo
Yeaahhh
[Skit: Common & Female Fan]
Oh, excuse me, Common?
Yeah, yeah?
Oh my goodness. Um, I'm sorry- I'm sorry to bother you. I just wanted- you know, if I could get your autograph. And I just wanted to tell you- I just wanted to thank you because your lyrics are so positive for the women out here—
Yeah, I appreciate that, I appreciate that, sister. You know, it's like I think we gotta portray women in a better light. You know how- you know most rappers is talking all this other stuff, making women look bad. You know, I was raised by my mother. You know, I got a daughter, so it's like-
Wait, 'scuse me- hold on- hold on- 'scuse me, one second, sister- 'scuse me, one second, sister—
Bitch! Bitch, didn't I tell you to get out there! I don't give a fuck if there's police out there; I don't give a fuck if it's snowin'. I want you out there hoein'. This a business; you ain't gone too far to see that yet. You know what I'm talking 'bout. Get yo' ass out there on them streets! Get on goin', get my paper
Sorry about that, sister. Sorry for—
Oh my goodness! How you gonna disretrospect me like that—