"[1]

Muthafuckas—say that I’m foolish ‘cause I’m rapping for school

Do you fools read my reviews or do you just skim through ‘em?

I’m influenced by the ghettos I grew in

The same dude who paid dues decided to change rules

Never been stupid, and won’t assume it of you, but if you

Don’t see my picture I ain’t painting for you

It’s just music I meant for you to listen to. Don’t confuse it

With what it’s not. If you can use it, you should use it. If not

Then do what you do. It ain’t for you to…condemn or condone it

I make it, then I say it and I own it

Never promoted hate speech

I’m more for break beats, but if it takes me

Using that to get from there to over here, then I’m a make these work

You see, I see the folks I teach like a mirror

And when I teach me, it’s this type of approach that is clearer

So I’m a be me, and stand behind my ‘fuck you’ to critics

So if you get it, then you got it and you get it. It’s as simple as that

[Hook]

All I do is pass time studying for class rhyme writing

Last night it was a different one. Today I’m back like tomorrow’s coming

Reading what I’m needing for next time. Teaching, trying to earn my keep

Time keep running, so I’m on it

And I can only say it how I see it, give it how I get it, speak it how I live it

Therefore, this thinking of mine you only get sixteen at a time

[2]

Since I’m in a position to talk to these kids and they listen

I ain’t an academic, but I’ll kick it with ‘em a minute

You see I teach and I rap, and some people call it a gimmick

But I never thought it was different. Just got in where I fit, it’s

Not rocket science. If I am the most inspired by poems

And then I write ‘em. How can I be expected to go on

And live without it. Let alone, never do what I say

So take your Sophocles, and I’ll do what you’re doing with Jay

But just wait—this ain’t to say that what you’re doing is wrong

And I’m right. I’m sure there’s no two people who are alike

There’s pedagogical problems, and if I claim I can solve ‘em [and I might]

Who’s to say what I do might do for the night, but then tomorrow

The same thing that we saw being done is being done

I guess that kind of brings us back to square one. Where to start

Is where you are. I say you do what you can

If you can’t, then I don’t think you should be teaching. I’m saying, just think about it

[Hook]

All I do is pass time studying for class rhyme writing

Last night it was a different one. Today I’m back like tomorrow’s coming

Reading what I’m needing for next time. Teaching, trying to earn my keep

Time keep running, so I’m on it

And I can only say it how I see it, give it how I get it, speak it how I live it

Therefore, this thinking of mine you only get sixteen at a time

[3]

See, I’m a poet to some—sometimes I have to teach Shakespeare

A teacher debating if what he’s saying relates here

To the moment we’re living in, in America now

Is wasting time. I say you put him up against rhymes

Of some of the best of the present. Prepare your lectures accordingly

Then you’re good. It’s not so boring being historically open-minded

Hope you find it a better approach. Research. He ain’t the only one who said what he wrote

And ain’t no story original. Every one is another

So every song that you hear is another lesson discovered

Another story uncovered to couple up with the canon

And the planning might be a pain. But give it time, understanding

That’s a process. And there’s a lot less

That you could do and do worse. And what’s a little bit of change gonna hurt?

Not much. Besides, they say that what we do is the future

So, that’s time that’s well invested if it’s reaching your students, right?

[Hook]

All I do is pass time studying for class rhyme writing

Last night it was a different one. Today I’m back like tomorrow’s coming

Reading what I’m needing for next time. Teaching, trying to earn my keep

Time keep running, so I’m on it

And I can only say it how I see it, give it how I get it, speak it how I live it

Therefore, this thinking of mine you only get sixteen at a time."