"Message In The Song" lyrics - RAKIM

Yall know what my purpose is
I spit verses that lift curses off my dead president worshipers
Back where the surface is gangsters and murderers
Making money made us merciless
It's the birth of the streets its over they said
Rappers crossed over they dead
I spit my verse with technique till they know when they ledge
First to compete then I'm over their heads
He too lyrical and too subliminal
Every day from spiritual too criminal
It's a message in the bottle open it
It's a lesson in survival cope with it
It don't make sense to die for the root of evil
It get too cerebral when that don't seem lethal
Either way is hell I can't save the world
But I can show them how to save themselves
From the?

Evil things that people do, sometimes, legal dreams that we pursue, sometime we don't think that we can lose, sometimes
Call it >>>>, it's the root of evil we the proof, some times it's a plea from me to u

I seen through the eyes of the prophets
King tutankhamun
And Martins and Malcolms
And Elijah Mohameds
Wise with knowledge
Paid in full interest aside in the pockets
Just rise with the topics
Rise economics I show you that time is more valuable than them diamonds in your watches
U grind where the block is you die for those dollars
Plus work for them too u know right where wallet is
Thugs is pitchin chicks is in the club stripping

Flippin drugs and pimpin hood is flood of grippin
Latin kings and black guerillas governments
In fact hopng we don't go at these go at these cracker killers
It sound like a set up and we the victims
One out of a million will beat the system
Here and wish for flippin brinks is over with
Take your chips and go legit
From the?

Evil things that people do, sometimes, illegal dreams that we pursue, sometime we don't think that we can lose, sometimes
Call it >>>>>>>>>>>, it's the root of evil we the proof, some times it's a plea from me to u

To my g's on the block that do what they gotta do
Don't get me wrong I don't judge I'm not knockin you
Guess that's what not having a job will do
People starving gotta get their dollars too
Get that prop at night it's a lot of strife
My advice is don't get blinded by the lights
Drug money and blood money got a price
6 feet under or 25 to life
Do the crime and u might do the time you served it
What it's worth when you do a crime and get murdered
Time is precious it's time we earned
Its time to questioned your grind isn't working
It's time that we changed the game
We been waitin for change and exchange
Why play with death play it safe momma
And do your best to stay away
From the?