[Intro: DJ Premier and a second caller]

"Yo"

"Yo... Premier?"

"Yeah, whassup, G?"

"That trip to L.A.–may be delayed"

"Why, whassup? I'm on my way to the airport now"

"Yeah, well – your boy Guru got knocked"

"WHAT?!?"

"I don't know what this is about – sounds crazy, man

Something about a gun..."

("The court calls Keith Elam to the stand – please approach the bench")

[Verse 1: Guru]

Yo, they got me handcuffed, I'm down in Central Booking

Things are fucked up, the way my future's looking

But I'm too fly, I'ma change this scenario

Make some power moves and tighten up my bankroll

Chumps are leary though, they see me as a threat

I'm like the black Dutch Schultz when you get me upset

5-0 makes me wanna flip, Larry Davis style

Got a nigga depressed, while he's awaiting trial

It's okay though, 'cause from grey skies come blue

Through darkness comes light, and I be known as the Guru

And this I certify, we all should be alerted by –

The traps within the system–our youth is getting murdered by

The D.A. says they got me on a felony

I'm trying to live my life, so what the fuck is you telling me?

The streets are war, that's what brothers carry weapons for

And I take the weight, as I did before

The next thing you know, they got me on the radio

"A rapper arrested," suckers showing me on video

Of course, I know – that I'm a role model

But, yo – this rap life is real life, sometimes it's full throttle

Right now I gotta think about me – fuck the industry

You gets no love, except those who support me

"What's the story?" "What happened when I went to L.A.?"

Mixing shit up – no, not there, I got family

Nothing happened, mind your business – yo, step

You know we connect – JFK to LAX

[Chorus]

They wanna lock us all up, and throw away the key

Don't wanna see us come up, don't wanna see us making G's

Long as we know this is the key to our destruction

Let's make moves, no discussion

[Verse 2: Guru]

Peace to my man Haas, a knowledged man–paying the cost

All the 25-to-life'rs, all my brothers getting tossed

Into the system, supposed to rehabilitate

It's why you gotta regulate your own mindstate

Read, study lessons, and build your inner power

The next level–doesn't tolerate cowards

For example – I know this rich Nigerian

Powerful American, that's proud to be an African

He asked me, "Why do all us brothers be getting trapped?"

I told him I'd explain it, broke it down in a rap:

"Whether you got naps, braids, waves, or no hair

Without esteem for yourself, nigga – you're going nowhere"

And you can swagger, like you rude as Josey Wales

Unorganized revolt almost always mostly fails

Give up the savage ways, be effective soldiers

To elevate the mental is to be poor no more

There's war in the streets, prepared men know best

I rhyme as live as it gets – JFK to LAX

They're always making trouble, yo–against the righteous

Killing us in cold blood–those beasts, those vipers

And as I sit, feeling the pain in my wrist

I vow to myself that I'ma change this shit

Or at least I gotta try, or part of me will die

And only by action will any ideas solidify

So I inhale, exhale as I ponder

This grown man will make mistakes no longer

I've been there, I've seen how they make us fall victim

To their tricknology; with no apology, I diss em

And so I rip facts, to dope tracks I caress

You're gonna hear about it–from JFK to LAX