[Intro: Chuck D and Flava Flav]
Yeah, back it up
Vultures of culture
A dollar a rhyme, but we barely get a dime
Uh-huh, check it out

[Hook: Chuck D]
If you don't own the master, then the master own you
Who you trust, from Swindler's Lust? (GEYEAH!)
From the back of the bus, neither one of us
Control the fate of our soul, in Swindler's Lust

[Verse 1: Chuck D]
Hickory dickory dock
Hand in my pocket, rob me for my chocolate (eheheheh)
Mo' dollars, mo' cents, for the Big Six
Another million led to bled, claimin' innocence
Is it any wonder why black folks goin under?
'Cause n***as be sold in bundles!
No pressure, tell me why they don't care
Rap and R&B pavin' the streets of Bel-Air
From the sales of singers no longer here
The bigger killer gets the bigger share (eheheheh)
Now the ones I attack, negroes got their back
And know eighty/twenty is a wack contract
Forever lack the voice of real blacks
Stole rock'n'roll and ain't gave it back (yea yea)
Started off my defense
Now they're the ones I defend against
Who fell up into the tricks
"Fuck the Fight the Power shit, get that Chuck D n***a fixed
And keep him up out of the mix"
Well hell, tell em Chuck don't suck no dick
Be an ass, and that ass get kicked
Hand in my pocket, rob me for my chocolate
Watch em swindle yo' ass and turn a profit
[Hook: Chuck D]
If you don't own the master, then the master own you
Who you trust, from Swindler's Lust?
From the back of the bus, neither one of us
Control the fate of our soul, in Swindler's Lust

[Bridge: Chuck D]
They don't care about me, they don't care about you
They don't care about you and your crew
Your family neighborhood and plus, heh
They don't give a damn about us

[Interlude 1: Flava Flav and Chuck D]
One thing about them, they like to exploit though
Vultures of culture
They like to exploit, the little suckers
A dollar a rhyme, but we barely get a dime

[Verse 2: Chuck D]
Profit off the soul of black folk
Turn em into bitches, n***as, and stupid ass jokes
Laughin' with us, or laughin' at us? That's what I'm guessin'
We interrupt this program with that question

[Interlude 2: Flava Flav and Chuck D]
They came in and sat at the feet (uh-huh)
Of our ancient ancestors; they learned (yeah)
They took it back, They came back, then they imitated (right)
Once they got enough, they came back and destroyed!
[Verse 3: Chuck D]
Laughin' all the way to the bank; remember them own the banks
And them god damn tanks (god damn right)
Now what company do I thank? Ain't this a bitch?
Heard they owned slaves, in a ship that sank!

[Interlude 3: Flavor Flav]
Aight aight aight aight yo yo
Where all the Louie's? Where my Louie's? Ehehe

[Hook: Chuck D]
If you don't own the master, then the master own you
Who you trust, from Swindler's Lust?
From the back of the bus, neither one of us
Control the fate of our soul, in Swindler's Lust

[Interlude 4: Chuck D]
This to the blues people in the Delta
This for everybody in the 50's that didn't, get their money
Little Richard gettin half of a penny
All of the super soul singers of the 60's
All the bands of the 70's on the outside lookin in
All the people that didn't make a dime off their session playing
And even the rappers in the 80's and 90's
Still tryin' to get paid from what they put in, yeah
[Hook: Chuck D]
If you don't own the master, then the master own you
Who you trust, from Swindler's Lust?
From the back of the bus, neither one of us
Control the fate of our soul, in Swindler's Lust
Hmm...