The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
[Chorus 2X: Vocalist] + (KRS-One)
I know that you don't like
Things that I like
But just because I write
The things that'll take your mind to sky-high
(I write about life, I write about death
I write about strife, I write about stress
I write about the strong and the weak
I write about the hood and the street
I rhyme about my beefs)
[KRS-One]
Okay, here I go with a flow that be thumping the show
It's the Teacha KRS-One if you didn't know
Man I speak to the streets over beats every week
Forget crime, peace of mind, that's what you seek
Man I'm back with the heat, I keep rapping
Cause when people look at Hip Hop today, they be like "What happened?"
Here's what happened, one side is chilling
The other side, they already sold out their children
They want millions, forget nation building
If this was really the mob, we would've took them out and killed them
But this the Gospel, we fulfil 'em
I'm Hip Hop, I'm good, I'm omni hood, Kris rocks every block
Rise up, the lights up when I'm up
Challengers, you know exactly where you wind up
This the hand that fed you, I don't hate y'all
Some of y'all make me sick, it's more like a "hetchoo"
I bring life to your dead crew
My real name is love, and love's gonna get you
I got the TEC too, but it ain't about the TEC
It's about whether the owner of the TEC respects you
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
What you wanna hear bout central booking for?
Hip Hop, that's exactly what you looking for
If you don't represent the name, what you took it for?
I spit rhymes so raw, you need to cook it more
I'm from the Wild Style, Beat Street breaking
Nope, you're not the king, that seat's been taken
You young'ns on some crazy shit
Me, retire? Why dude, I made this shit!
So yo, get to spitting, freestyling or written
The clock is ticking, stroke your kit and you'll get broken and bitten
Ain't no coke in my kitchen
I got that fish, wheat, bread and chicken, y'all leave limping
I put out more cartoons than the Simpsons
You got them sucker emcee symptoms, look around
You don't even know your english, your verb or noun
You just a sucker emcee, you sad-faced clown
[Chorus]
I know that you don't like
Things that I like
But just because I write
The things that'll take your mind to sky-high
(I write about life, I write about death
I write about strife, I write about stress
I write about the strong and the weak
I write about the hood and the street
I rhyme about my beefs)
[KRS-One]
Okay, here I go with a flow that be thumping the show
It's the Teacha KRS-One if you didn't know
Man I speak to the streets over beats every week
Forget crime, peace of mind, that's what you seek
Man I'm back with the heat, I keep rapping
Cause when people look at Hip Hop today, they be like "What happened?"
Here's what happened, one side is chilling
The other side, they already sold out their children
They want millions, forget nation building
If this was really the mob, we would've took them out and killed them
But this the Gospel, we fulfil 'em
I'm Hip Hop, I'm good, I'm omni hood, Kris rocks every block
Rise up, the lights up when I'm up
Challengers, you know exactly where you wind up
This the hand that fed you, I don't hate y'all
Some of y'all make me sick, it's more like a "hetchoo"
I bring life to your dead crew
My real name is love, and love's gonna get you
I got the TEC too, but it ain't about the TEC
It's about whether the owner of the TEC respects you
[Chorus]
[KRS-One]
What you wanna hear bout central booking for?
Hip Hop, that's exactly what you looking for
If you don't represent the name, what you took it for?
I spit rhymes so raw, you need to cook it more
I'm from the Wild Style, Beat Street breaking
Nope, you're not the king, that seat's been taken
You young'ns on some crazy shit
Me, retire? Why dude, I made this shit!
So yo, get to spitting, freestyling or written
The clock is ticking, stroke your kit and you'll get broken and bitten
Ain't no coke in my kitchen
I got that fish, wheat, bread and chicken, y'all leave limping
I put out more cartoons than the Simpsons
You got them sucker emcee symptoms, look around
You don't even know your english, your verb or noun
You just a sucker emcee, you sad-faced clown
[Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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