[Intro: Greg Nice sample & Third Degree sample – scratched by DJ Premier]

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr" "Represent"

[Verse 1: Guru]

One of the meanest and the cleanest

And still, I'm kind of fiendish when I'm at this

Been doin' this for eons, peons best to catch this

Vision of excellence, precise rappin' ability

'Bout to make some dead presidents – mackin' a million, G

The money, though – it's got people acting funny, yo

As soon as some niggas get some light, they be like dummies, yo

Products and puppets and pawns, gettin' played out

When authentic niggas step up – respect be laid out

Major effect to your sector, I'm the corrector

Live and direct, wavin' my mic like a sceptor

Supreme exalted, universal leader

Descendent of the kings and queens, the overseer

The overlord, cream of the crop, crème de la crème

Spent years building with cats in the streets–so they my men

Again – Gang Starr has done it

Remember too much jewels back in the days? You'd have to run it

Check it, the ground be hot under our feet

So we be listenin' to beats to keep the cypher complete

Whether you kids be holdin' on the block all day

Or you be puffin' lye out in the back hallway

Or whether you be in school, or in the library

Wherever you are, baby paw, realize that your essence–

Is divine, son, and let it shine, son, as we refine, son

Ayo, this shit'll blow your mind, son – we're royalty

[Chorus: K-Ci and JoJo]

Whatever I do, wherever I go

I won't accept nothin' less than the best

Whatever I choose, I choose to do

I have to stand out from all the rest

Whatever I do, wherever I go

I won't accept nothin' less than the best

Whatever I choose, I choose to do

I just wanna stand out from all the rest

[Verse 2: Guru]

And all the girls, they want to spoil me

My honey anoints me with oils, G

After work, she greets me and treats me like royalty

Works with me, giving herself, by my side

She don't sweat me for loot, my fame, or my ride

A lot of ladies out there be looking lovely

But they don't got no control of their life – inside, they're ugly

Word to Bugsy, and to Red Alert

Sway and Tech, and Funkmaster Flex to make your head jerk

Chicks go berserk when they see us in the spot

K-Ci, JoJo, and Preemo–creepin' to the top

And to the sweethearts out there breakin' hearts

While we're taking part of this hip-hop art

Listen, yo, the best way, it ain't always the fast way

And yes, the best way, it ain't always to act nasty

I'll open up the door always, before you pass me

Baby doll, because you're royalty

[Chorus: K-Ci and JoJo]

Whatever I do, wherever I go

I won't accept nothin' less than the best

Whatever I choose, I choose to do

I have to stand out from all the rest

Whatever I do, wherever I go

I won't accept nothin' less than the best

Whatever I choose, I choose to do

I just wanna stand out from all the rest

[Scratch Break: Greg Nice sample & Third Degree sample]

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

"Gang Starr has gots to be the sure shot"

"And it's like that"

[Break: K-Ci & JoJo ad-libbing]

[Outro: DJ Premier]

To whom it may concern –

This goes out, to anybody, who’s doing the bullshit – straight up

Yo... everybody’s calling me, my lawyer, everybody on this

"Yo, did you scratch 'such-and-such name', or 'this, that, and the third', on the record for a hook?"

Y’all keep calling me on that shit – and y’all supposed to be Hip-Hoppers and all that?

And letting the industry control the rules of the Hip-Hop world that we made?

Y’all need to knock that shit off!

That’s some greedy-ass, fake bullshit!

Knock that shit off, for real!

Y'know'm sayin'?

And when that shit come and slap you in the face, yknowhatImsayin?

That greed? I’ma be right there, laughing at y’all…

And one other thing –

What’s the deal with you break-record cats, putting out all the original records that we sample from, and snitching by putting us on the back of it, saying we used stuff?

You know how that go!

Stop doing that, y’all are violatin' – straight up and down!

Word up, man, I’m sick of this shit

Y’all muthafuckas really don’t know what this Hip-Hop is all about

So, while you keep on faking the funk –

We gonna keep on walkin' through the darkness, carryin' our torches

Underground will live forever, baby

We just like roaches – never dying, always living…

And on that note, let's get back to the program…