Black Star — What Is Beef?

[Intro: Dave Chappelle] So I got a little riddle for you: What happens when you take two of Brooklyn's finest MC's And put 'em together in a group? Well, then you have my next guests, make some noise Mos Def, Talib Kweli — Black Star [Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Both] This is a real nigga PSA From the Black Star Embassy (Yes, yes) of Brooklyn Entitled: What Is Beef? [Verse 1: Talib Kweli, Mos Def & Both] Yo! I was sold to a sick European by a rich African, battlin'! Middle Passages, I can't go back again Battlin' years of denyin' history, lies and mysteries Wives with misty eyes watchin' their niggas be beaten viciously (Brooklyyynnn!) Battle in the wilderness of North America Ran by the river, only stoppin' to pray, chased by predators Terrorists with etiquette who vote and kill their president Their capacity for evil so evident and prevalent Ain't no hesitation involved, a nation dissolved While we sit back waitin' to evolve Those who would trade in their freedom For their protection deserve neither Fuck a name, fuck tradition, religion — you learn Jesus Turn the other cheek, inherit the Earth, just stay meek Fuck the way you speak Try to walk? We chop off your feet Fast forward to 2003, niggas beef The psychology of children are slaves to run deep, yo [Hook: Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Both] Hell yeah (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yo) What's beef? (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yo) That's beef (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah) It's always your own peoples Sometimes, it's your own peoples yo Yeah, yeah, (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yo) What's beef? (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yo) That's beef (Hell yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yo) It's always your own peoples Sometimes, it's your own peoples, yo [Verse 2: Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Both] Beef is not what Jay said to Nas (C'mon) Beef is when workin' niggas can't find jobs So they tryna find niggas to rob Tryna find bigger guns so they can finish the job (Yeah) Beef is when the crack kids can't find moms 'Cause they in a pine box, or locked behind bars Beef ain't the Summer Jam for Hot 97 Beef is the cocaine and AIDS epidemic Beef don't come with a radio edit (Nope) Beef is when the judge is callin' you 'defendant' Beef, it come with a long jail sentence Handed down to you in a few short minutes Beef is when your girl come through for a visit Talkin' 'bout "I'm pregnant by some other nigga" (C'mon) Beef is high blood pressure and bad credit Need a loan for your home, and you're too broke to get it And all your little kids is doin' is gettin' bigger You tryin' not to raise 'em around these wild niggas Beef is when a gold digger got your seed in her A manicured hand out like, "Pay me, nigga Or I'm tellin' your wife" Or startin' up some foul rumor that'll ruin your life Beef is when a gangster ain't doin' it right And other gangsters done decided what to do with his life Beef is not what these famous niggas do on the mic Beef is what George Bush would do in a fight (That's right) Beef is not what Ja said to 50 Beef is Weldon Irv not bein' here with me When a soldier ends his life with his own gun Beef is tryin' to figure out what to tell his son Beef is oil prices and geopolitics Beef is Iraq, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip Some beef is big, and some beef is small But what y'all call beef is not beef at all Beef is real life happenin' everyday And it's realer than them songs that you gave to Kay Slay This has been a Black Star PSA (C'mon) From Mos Def, Pretty Flaco, black Dante And the Black Star embassy (Black Star) B to the K!