[Intro: Talib Kweli & Mos Def]
Yo D, what? Come on, yeah
What? What? Come on, yeah

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli & Both]
"Give me the fortune, keep the fame" said my man Louis, I
Agreed, know what he mean because we live the truest lie
I asked him why we follow the law of the bluest eye
He looked at me, thought about it, was like, "I'm clueless, why?"
The question was rhetorical, the answer is horrible
Our morals are out of place and got our lives full of sorrow
And so, tomorrow comin' later than usual
Waitin' on someone to pity us
While we find the beauty in the hideous
They say money's the root of all evil, but I can't tell
You know what I mean? Pesos, francs, yens, cowrie shells
Dollar bills, or is it the mind-state that's ill?
Creatin' crime rates to fill the new prisons they build
Over money and religion, there's more blood to spill
The wounds of slaves in cotton fields that never heal
What's the deal?
A lot of cats who buy records are straight broke
But my language universal, they be recitin' my quotes
While R&B singers hit bad notes, we rock the boat of thought
That my man Louis' statements just provoked
Caught up in conversations of our personal worth
Brought up through endangered species status on the planet Earth
Survival tactics means bustin' gats to prove you hard
Your firearms are too short to box with God
Without faith, all of that is illusionary
Raise my son — no vindication of manhood necessary
[Chorus: Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Both]
Not strong, only aggressive
Not free, we only licensed
Not compassionate, only polite
Not who the nicest
Not good, but well behaved
Chasin' after death so we can call ourselves brave?
Still livin' like mental slaves
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice

[Verse 2: Mos Def & Both]
Yo, I'm sure that everybody out listenin' agree
That everythin' you see ain't really how it be
A lot of jokers out runnin' in place, chasin' the style
Be a lot goin' on beneath the empty smile
Most cats in my area be lovin' the hysteria
Synthesized surface conceals the interior
America — land of opportunity
Mirages and camouflages more than usually
Speakin' loudly, sayin' nothin', you confusin' me, you losin' me
Your game is twisted, want me enlisted in your usury
Foolishly, most men join the ranks cluelessly
Buffoonishly accept the deception, believe the perception
Reflection rarely seen across the surface of the looking glass
Walkin' the street, wonderin' who they be lookin' past
Lookin' gassed with them imported designer shades on
Stars shine bright, but the light rarely stays on
Same song — just remixed, different arrangement
Put you on a yacht, but they won't call it the slave ship
Strangeness, you don't control us, you barely hold this
Screamin' "Brand new!", when they just sanitized the old shit
Suppose it's just another clever Jedi mind trick
That they been runnin' across stars through all the time with
I find it's distressin', there's never no in-between
We either n***as or Kings, we either bitches or Queens
The deadly ritual seems immersed in the perverse
Full of short attention spans, short tempers and short skirts
Long barrel automatics released in short bursts
The length of black life is treated with short worth
Get yours first, them other n***as secondary
That type of illin' that be fillin' up the cemetery
This life is temporary, but the soul is eternal
Separate the real from the lie — let me learn you
Not strong, only aggressive 'cause the power ain't directed
That's why we are subjected to the will of the oppressive
Not free — we only licensed, not live — we just excitin'
'Cause the captors own the masters to what we writin'
Not compassionate, only polite — we well trained
Our sincerity's rehearsed in stage, it's just a game
Not good, but well behaved, 'cause the cameras survey
Most of the things that we think, do or say
We chasin' after death just to call ourselves brave
But everyday, next man meet with the grave
I give a damn if any fan recall my legacy
I'm tryin' to live life in the sight of God's memory
Like that, y'all
[Interlude: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
A lot of people don't understand the true criterion of things
Can't just accept the appearance, have to get the true essence
They ain't lookin' around

[Chorus: Talib Kweli, Mos Def, & Both]
Not strong, only aggressive
Not free, we only licensed
Not compassionate, only polite
Not who the nicest
Not good, but well behaved
Chasin' after death so we can call ourselves brave
Still livin' like mental slaves
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice
Hidin' like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice

[Outro: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
Stop hidin', stop hidin'
Stop hidin' yo' face (Yes, c'mon)
Stop hidin', stop hidin' (Celebratin' death)
'Cause ain't no hidin' place
Stop hidin', stop hidin'
Stop hidin' yo' face
Stop hidin', stop hidin' 'cause ain't no hidin' place
Say, say it ain't no hidin' place (Not strong)
Say, say it ain't no hidin' place (Not free)
Say it ain't no hidin' place (Not compassionate)
Say it ain't no hidin' place!
Say it ain't no hidin' place (We well trained)
Better stop hidin' yo' face (Black Star)
Stop hidin', stop hidin' (Black Star keep shinin')
Stop hidin' yo' face (Yo, yo, yo)
(Ad libs to fade): Talib Kweli & Mos Def
We take that Black Star line right on home
Be real, be true
We take that Black Star line right on home
Keep shinin'!
We take that Black Star line right on home
Be real, be true
We take that Black Star line right on home
Keep shinin'!