KRS One

Health Wealth Self

KRS One


Yeah.. yeah.. yup! 
You know what? I was just downstairs 
and I was on my way up here to the studio and 
a guy bumped into me and 
and he said.. he said "Yo Kris! 
How is it that you stay in this music? 
You know this rap music ex specially for SO.. LONG.. SO.. LONG" 
I said "Well you know years ago I made a deal with the Goddess" 
He said "The Goddess?" 
I said "Well yeah you might know her as God 
but I know her as the Goddess" 
The universal mother 
The mother of everything you see in existance 
I ax-ked her for assistance 
in lyrical persistance 
and she gave it to me, under one condition 
She said, "I'll give you the gift 
but use the gift to uplift" 
I said, "Okay mom!" 

So I tell you the truth, really 
Me nah gon' need nuttin else 
but health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 
Me nah gon' need nuttin else 
but health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 

In the beginning was the word, the word was made flesh 
Knowledge K. Reigns R. Supreme S. 
Some of us guess while others of us are blessed 
Take heed to the word, that I manifest 
I manifest the future, the present, followed by the past 
Everything in nature, rules by kickin ass 
What they tellin me, but yo, you a friend to me 
so I'ma tell you the secrets of MC longevity 
Secret one: if it ain't fun, you're done 
And about your career, huh, well choose another one 
If you don't like what you do, you're through 
Lesson two: make sure you got a dope crew 
Not some crew, that's like an anchor on a shoe 
A MAD CREW, that's of some benefit to you 
Lesson three, might be contradictory or funny 
but MC's should have OTHER WAYS of gettin money 
That's to say learn other things beside music 
Make money elsewhere, Hip-Hop you won't abuse it 
Too many MC's, just emcee 
so their longevity, is based on an Uncle Tom 
at the record company 
Lesson four: sell your image, never sell a record 
Image is respected, records come and go 
and get collected 
Even the records of platinum artists, that used to rip shop 
can be bought, for a quarter at the thrift shop 
Which brings me to lesson number five, the illusion 
has me thinkin, the minute they drop a record 
they'll be cruisin, in the Acura 
Slow down! You're still a amateur 
What seperates the pro from the amateur is stamina 
Not how long you can rhyme, but how long you've been rhymin 
changin with the times, and findin yourself 
still CLIIIIIIIIIIIIMbin for wealth 
Blow for blow, you're still growin, still showin 
(all knowin) now that's a pro at it 

Me nah gon' need nuttin else 
but health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 
Me nah gon' need nuttin else 
but health, wealth, and knowledge of myself 

Thank you Mother, I'm out