That's What It Is - Lyrics - Immortal Technique & Dj Green Lantern

[Invasion] Ok... let's go... talk to em'... holler Don't you get tired of hearing *** say that ***?... all the time? Why can't you shut the *** up and rhyme ***?! [Invasion] Yeah... yeah... used to run around getting my fight in the streets on Back in the day before Harlem had a green zone What good is a good education with no direction? Like the right to vote with no one to vote for in an election Like a gun with no bullets in the clip for protection Like the crowd packed in the front without the midsection Used to live robbing and stealing and being reckless It took time for my mind to put the ghetto in perspective I used to live in the back, of a holding van Used to be offbeat, like the white girls' shoulder dance I wrote rhymes a cappella, no beat, behind bars Shed blood to make it, like the story behind scars I used to be a battle champion, in the meanwhile Before some of you little *** learned to freestyle Prematurely senile, underground prima donnas I was Oliver North during Iran Contra Cause I, never snitched, and that's backed by evidence I learned it by watching you, don't ever forget it *** Cause everybody knows how the government do They never snitch on themselves, but they want you to snitch on YOU Evolution from Australopithecus Primitive commercial *** to hard-core lyricist Your wax is useless Rappers are dropping like Icarus Technological revolution... *** picture this (*** what?) Yeah... I told you what it was, but this is what it is now Lyrical bullets, packed to the top of the clip now Treat it like a robbery, I'm shutting this *** down Fellas put your hands up and the all the women strip down That's not misogynist, you ostriches, cause I could just, apocalypse Talk politics to the populace Or challenge what the market is With militant caucuses That'll smash the spirit of Hip Hop out the sarcophagus This is the curse of Tutankhamen, I bring the drama on I'm sinful, I eat you, broad daylight on Ramadan Hip Hop, reparations, now we taking back Delucci Don't tell me you spent it on coke, like Danny Bonaduce We're tired of being on the outside, looking in Wondering what the *** Hip Hop would've been This is what it is, as opposed to what it used to be And this is your corporate tax ID eulogy Dominant speech is the new breed, that won't let you breath I'll make you die for what I believe So we got nothing in common There ain't no comparison You got beef with ***, I got beef with Aryans White power Nazi European Americans Rapid Poverty pimps, and fake vegetarians The resurrection, ripping a ball through the record (wrecking?) section Flight connection to the gentry board of all guerrilla lessons *** a middle man distributor, I got a choice now This ain't Volume 1., I got a grown man's voice now Toured the country four times over, I'm older and wiser Poisonous words, you'll find strychnine in my saliva (*** what?... Bring it to 'em raw) I told you what it was, but this is what it is now 50 caliber bullets, I don't need a clip now *** your private jet *** we shooting the *** down Bomb wall street and make the stock market dip down I told you what it was, but this is what it is now You the *** ***, I don't care about *** now I play the role of Abraham, idols get ripped down Melt the ice caps, and make all of this *** brown (No one out there can *** with me) (*** what?) (I speak that real ***) (to smash the airwaves) (I don't want to tell you *** again)