Soul Is Back - Intellectual

[Intro]

It began in Africa

Kick it!

(You was unappreciated)

Tell ‘em what we gon’ do now

1991, look how far hip hop has come

And we still in there

We still kickin’

You know what I’m sayin’

Def Jef the boy with soul back on wax

I like to say what’s up to my crew

The Flavor Unit

And I got my boys, the soul brothers

And they gon’ kick steps to this

While I drop a funky ass verse

(Let’s get on down)

[Verse 1]

Look out, soul is back in a true form

Rhymes on sampled drums in new form

Hip hop brought back the bottom in black music

Cause we had enough of wack music

Soft lyrics from so called R&B

I reach and teach the youth but you’re barring me

From airplay

But I don’t really care if they choose to ignore me

But turnabout’s fair play

Cause you bore me anyway with your format

When I perform at a jam, it’s jam-packed

You hear the thunder sound of bass and beats

Underground as word of mouth on the streets

So so people know Def Jef from my videos

Adults, teens, even little bitty kitties know

(It began in Africa)

They come up and say they love the rhymes I say

And they bought the tape and they play it ten times a day

But not only me, there’s thousands of dope MC’s

Selling records, tapes, and CDs

So where does that leave radio stations?

I’ll tell you where, on permanent vacations

Tryna keep up with the Joneses, but Mr. Jones is

Just as much out of touch as you homes is

Just gettin’ hip and start to flip hop hop

Like it or not, we’re rippin’ up shop

The soul is back

[Refrain]

(On me, on me)

Soul is back

(On me, on me)

(It began in Africa)

(On me, on me)

Soul is back

(On me, on me)

Soul is back

(On me, on me)

(It began in Africa)

(On me, on me)

[Verse 2]

As I go maniac on an ill track

Look out ‘cause soul is back and it’s still black

And rawer than ever before never before heard

While ya dancin’ I’m advancin’ forward

With more words, phrases, and clauses

(Hold it now)

Even pauses

Drummer get funky cause ‘imma get funky too

MC’s get monkey see monkey do

Syndrome cause I stain your brain with an imprint

Dance to this and you might get a shin splint

I do wind sprints when I’m in a rhyme race

Breeze past MCs to first place

Cause they just ain’t swift enough

Plus their fly weights and they can’t lift enough

So move you crack addict

Let a pro take a crack at it

And watch a funky rhyme come automatic

From brain to manuscript to lip

I let a rhyme drip, and dip hop on the tip

Ha! Like a condom

Word is bond from Chinese to black

Even blue eyed blonde ones

But give me a sista with soul I’ll admit it

And that makes sense since I’m a poet wit’ it

And I ain’t the type of brotha to hold it back

I kick rhymes to let ‘em know soul is back

[Refrain]

(Aye, come on!)

(Louder!)

(Come on!)

(Aye)

(Louder!)

(Come on!)

(Louder!)

(Come on!)

(I look fantastic)

(It began (with the soul) in Africa)

[Verse 3]

Soul is back and this time it’s changed around (turn it up!)

Make up broke down and we changed the sound

A quick track so you can’t kick back

As I kick a slick rap to stay apart from the wick wack

The one’s you see on the back of the bandwagon

Weighing it down til the tail pipe’s draggin’

Along for the ride, but it’s gonna be a brief one

As I bring you relief from the weak like a thief come

Steal the show leaving much evidence

Half a stage and a mic with fingerprints

Comp is dead on arrival, no hope for revival

They didn’t survive, all was done to keep him alive

Call the next of the kin

Parent or guardian

Close relative or close friend

Stops and pauses, too many flaws is

The reason his style died of natural causes

But I never liked it anyway

So I won’t be mournin’

Bring the real styles on in

Load em’ up over there, and over there too

Let’s get a round of applause for my crew

K-R the A the I the G the E

The L-E the G the E the N the D

The V-dash the LUV with E in me

The P the O the E the T

The soul is back!

(You was unappreciated)

(Black is a soul with a solid B)

[Refrain]

Neh neh neh neh neh neh

[Verse 4]

Give it here, I give you rhythm till my soul is free

Three soul brothers the poet with soul is me

E-R-I-C-K V- double A-N

Playing turned tables like

Drums so stay in time with the rhyme

If you know how the words go

No? Well follow along while the words flow

As I storm your mind and transform you

Warned you with the few first jams I dropped on ya

California based and I’m down for my colors

Red, black, and green ‘cause we’re blood brothers

Others tryna flip this style, but you ain’t agile

Your voice’ll crack like eggs, cause you’re fragile

Be careful don’t strain your brain

You’ll blow a fuse out

And wind up in the dark and lose out

To a new generation

New ideas, ears to the ground

If you hear what I hear

You know the soul is back