[Verse 1: Lauryn Hill]
Ah, check the crippled man sittin' in the church
My conscience hurts, flesh like me hits the dirt
She's paralyzed from her feet to her thighs
And the man who pulled the trigger didn't even lose his left eye
I check Jimmy cuttin' hair at the barbershop
He plays the bass guitar like David plays the harp
His knowledge name is Greek 'cause whenever he speaks
He's got the wisdom of King Solomon, bags in his eyes from no sleep
Sometimes he thought of the fame in Madison Square Garden
So some seek stardom, but they forget Harlem
But "Seek ye, first of all the kingdom of God," that's what my pops told me
So if I fall, could the choir catch me?
I flew away, on a mountain, got tempted by Satan
Got bitten by a cobra, but the Lord took my venom
So who's side am I on? I'm on the righteous
Always check the lyrics, no time to contradict

[Chorus]
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
They keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty

[Verse 2: Lauryn Hill]
Well, ayo, family, I beseech you in the hopes that I may reach you
My mother taught me one day that Judgment Day would come someday
Born a dark Black child with kinky hair, grown wise
And teachers disliked me 'cause I knew where my culture be
So now, yeah, my brief history, I can't neglect my passion, see
Rocking's kind of new to me 'cause my true love was poetry
White was good and bad was black but black was just a massa lackey
Built for that B. Nimble Jack and I'd like to save you from the wicked
D-Dog clear I wouldn't be wet; The black to mourn, tomorrow's death
The evil things, glad that I, while angels wrote this violence, why?
Help me make me comprehend my black bezerk and why cast it
Time to blaze the angels nappy heads are braided that you make me
See what's wrong with me that don't make you flee when I enter your vicinity
You see my God ain't never asked of me
So, yo, I be wised up with Greek to go and be
But, alas, I clearly see what's wrong with me
It be your insecurity of me and my ability
So, prithee, won't you let me be or has thou asked too much from thy
To tell the truth and not to lie? Oh my
[Chorus]
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Brothers keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Sisters keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty

[Verse 3: Lauryn Hill]
But as I grew, I knew 'cause the master told me
From a baby to a woman, from a woman to a baby
Life is so short, hardcore becomes hard-corpse
Stiff in a coffin where the money's no longer the source
There we go, there we go, there we go
I got mine, now won't you get yours? We never open doors
So we neglect, and don't protect the ones that's left
People never really seem to care
And then they cry out, "My people! Why aren't we treated equal?"
As we flee, we flee our own communities
We leave our family in poverty
And then we blame it on another, so, family, please recover
Oh c'mon, please, you can come with me now and blow it now
If you want to, we're through
[Chorus]
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Families keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
People keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
We keep our pockets full, but our souls run empty
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Brothers keep their pockets full, but their souls run empty

[Outro]
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem
Some seek stardom, then they forget Harlem