Public Enemy — Shut Em Down

[Intro: Chuck D] Hold it, now! Oh! Come on, come on! Huh! Alright, y'all! [Verse 1: Chuck D] I testified, my mama cried Black people died when the other man lied See the TV, listen to me, double trouble I overhaul and I'm coming from the lower level I'm taking tabs, sho nuff, stuff to grab Like shirts and it hurts with a neck to wreck Took a poll 'cause our soul took a toll From the education of a TV station But look around, here go the sound of the wrecking ball Boom and pound when I shut 'em down [Chorus: Chuck D and Flavor Flav] I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) [Interlude 1: Chuck D] Huh! Alright, y'all! Alright! [Verse 2: Chuck D] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine What I use in the battle for the mind Hit it hard like it suppose, pull no blows to the nose Like Uncle L said, I'm rippin' up shows Then what it is is only five percent of the biz, I'm adding woes That's the way it goes Then you think I rank I never drank, point blank I own loans, suckers got me running from the bank Civil liberty, I can't see to pay a fee I never saw a way to pay a sap to read the law Then become a victim of a lawyer Don't know ya, never saw ya Tape cued, getting me sued Playing games with my head, what the judge said Put me in the red, got me thinking 'bout a trigger to the lead No, no, my educated mind say Suckers gonna pay anyway, there gonna be a day Cause the troop they roll in, to posse up whole from the ground Ready to go, throw another round Sick of the ride, it's suicide for the other side of town When I find a way to shut 'em down [Chorus: Chuck D and Flavor Flav] I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) [Interlude 2: Chuck D] Hold it! Come on! Alright, y'all! Alright, y'all! Come on, now! Hey! [Verse 3: Chuck D] Who count the money in the neighborhood? But we spending money to no end, looking for a friend In a war to the core, ripping up the poor in the stores Until they get a brother kicking down doors Then I figure I can get bigger, look 'em dead in the eye And they wince, defense is pressurized They don't really want it to be another racial attack In disguise, so give some money back I like Nike, but wait a minute The neighborhood supports, so put some money in it All corporations owe, they gotta give up the dough To my town or else we gotta shut 'em down [Chorus: Chuck D and Flavor Flav] I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) I shut 'em down (Shut 'em down, shut 'em, shut 'em down) [Ad-lib: Chuck D] Alright, y'all! One more time, here we go again! Alright, come on! Uh, get down! Hold it, come on! Uh, wait a minute now! Huh! Hey, hey, hey! Yeah, yeah, I know you got soul! Pump the beat, pump the beat The fall beat, y'all! I'm bringin' low, bringin' low, bringin' low, y'all! [Skit] Howdy y'all. This is Bernie Crosshouse, yours truly of the KKK. I'd like to express our deepest gratitude at the destruction of the inferior nigga race. And I’m especially pleased to report it's destroyin' itself without our help. To all you gangs, hoodlums, drug pushers and users, and other worthless niggers killin' each other, we’d like to thank y'all for savin' us the time, trouble and legality for the final chapter of riddin' y'all off the face of the Earth. Your solution to our problem is greatly appreciated, so keep sellin' us your soul. Thank ya!