"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
[Chorus: KRS-One]
Well are you ready for this? (We ready for this)
Are you ready for this? (We ready for this!)
Well we just can't miss (just can't miss)
Well we just can't miss (drop the beat like this)
Well are you ready for this? (We ready for this)
Are you ready for this? (We ready for this!)
Well we just can't miss (just can't miss)
Well we just can't miss
[KRS-One]
Well when I speak this
I'ma be like this, I'ma be like Kris
I'ma teacher, I'ma preacher, I'ma free my kids
I'ma grow dem and show dem what a leader is
I'ma teach dem the laws of receive and give
Knowledge Reigns Supreme, believe and live
You done heard the hype, COME to where the talent is
"I'm Still #1," yup you heard right
People say, "KRS-One you shine bright!"
Others say, "Yo - you rhyme tight"
When you find me, you find light, and that's alright
I don't know about pimpin, sellin women like retail
Or turning coke into crack for resale
But I do know if we fail
In 2020 our children by the million gonna be jailed
We got the victory over the streets
God willin we chillin, we know we gon' eat
I'm a whole different kind of MC, hoes don't like
not tempt me but the ladies treat me oh so gently
Universities sendin me stretch Bentleys
My seminars and lectures, are rarely never empty
We teach students plenty, honorary degrees
Gold and platinum plaques I got many, ask Kenny
People get shocked when I walk into Denny's
Or the corner Kwik-Stop, they say, "That's Hip-Hop
right there," and yeah it's really quite clear
2004 might be the right year
for mental and spiritual repair
The solution is in the resolution you just declared
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
When I speak like this
Knowledge Reigns Supreme, hip-hop philosopher
All in the street well I'm very popular
All through the hood I make all the stops and I
avoid the cops and them random shots well I
love hip-hop and I, live hip-hop so I
spit that shit to get you off your block cause I
can't understand and I, wish I could see dem
cats that talk bout they love the hood and they
never bring the hood anything that's good, and they
rap for the money tree, chasin a company
But I think you can now see, rap is fun to me
I got a ministry, a class, a staff that's under me
KRS in pop rap? Nah, it ain't ought to be
It'll never happen like, you eatin pork with me
Amateurs hawkin me, DON'T EVEN talk to me
My house is in Atlanta but I still got New York in me
Walk with me, most rappers are short to me
I'm like Chamberlain, dominatin the sport you see
I toss MC's off of me
When you hear KRS you say that's how it ought to be
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
I drop heat like this!
Well are you ready for this? (We ready for this)
Are you ready for this? (We ready for this!)
Well we just can't miss (just can't miss)
Well we just can't miss (drop the beat like this)
Well are you ready for this? (We ready for this)
Are you ready for this? (We ready for this!)
Well we just can't miss (just can't miss)
Well we just can't miss
[KRS-One]
Well when I speak this
I'ma be like this, I'ma be like Kris
I'ma teacher, I'ma preacher, I'ma free my kids
I'ma grow dem and show dem what a leader is
I'ma teach dem the laws of receive and give
Knowledge Reigns Supreme, believe and live
You done heard the hype, COME to where the talent is
"I'm Still #1," yup you heard right
People say, "KRS-One you shine bright!"
Others say, "Yo - you rhyme tight"
When you find me, you find light, and that's alright
I don't know about pimpin, sellin women like retail
Or turning coke into crack for resale
But I do know if we fail
In 2020 our children by the million gonna be jailed
We got the victory over the streets
God willin we chillin, we know we gon' eat
I'm a whole different kind of MC, hoes don't like
not tempt me but the ladies treat me oh so gently
Universities sendin me stretch Bentleys
My seminars and lectures, are rarely never empty
We teach students plenty, honorary degrees
Gold and platinum plaques I got many, ask Kenny
People get shocked when I walk into Denny's
Or the corner Kwik-Stop, they say, "That's Hip-Hop
right there," and yeah it's really quite clear
2004 might be the right year
for mental and spiritual repair
The solution is in the resolution you just declared
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
When I speak like this
Knowledge Reigns Supreme, hip-hop philosopher
All in the street well I'm very popular
All through the hood I make all the stops and I
avoid the cops and them random shots well I
love hip-hop and I, live hip-hop so I
spit that shit to get you off your block cause I
can't understand and I, wish I could see dem
cats that talk bout they love the hood and they
never bring the hood anything that's good, and they
rap for the money tree, chasin a company
But I think you can now see, rap is fun to me
I got a ministry, a class, a staff that's under me
KRS in pop rap? Nah, it ain't ought to be
It'll never happen like, you eatin pork with me
Amateurs hawkin me, DON'T EVEN talk to me
My house is in Atlanta but I still got New York in me
Walk with me, most rappers are short to me
I'm like Chamberlain, dominatin the sport you see
I toss MC's off of me
When you hear KRS you say that's how it ought to be
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
I drop heat like this!
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
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