Frankly Speaking

[verse 1]
R.A.P. stands for Reprimandin' All Perpetrators
I'm Awesome Dré and I came to demonstrate a new style
That's kinda wild, while others rappers choose to be mild
I say what I feel, down with Ivan Ill
Got much money, don't have to steal
Cuz I'm well off, number one in a spell-off
It ain't a man in the land I won't tell off
Or beat down to the concrete ground
In the street, right here in Motown
My town, Detroit murderous
Yes, the city's quite scurrilous
I deal with it on a daily basis
Ain't got time to be fightin' with the races
It really ain't about thе color of skin
It's all about how you begin from within
Are you fake or arе you authentic?
Sleep on that thought for a minute
Now, back to reality
What's the problem, lost your morality?
You don't like to hear the words I'm sayin'
Tough shit, cuz that's how it's layin'
The real ones out there, they know the time
That's why they support my rhyme
My songs are strong, and never will weaken
You wanna know why? Cuz I'm frankly speaking

Radio — suckas never play me

[verse 2]
So take that LL shit and stuff it
Cuz he ain't nothin' but a people's puppet
When I say people, not relatin' to the masses
Only the kind that will tell you, kiss their asses
If you want a job, don't even turn the knob
The door to opportunity is locked to a slob like you
So what you gonna do now?
They don't consider you highbrow
They sit you on a pedestal and make you look good
I wish they would, they ain't from the hood
They're fake, never say what's really on their mind
They just say what they think you wanna hear all the time
They don't speak the truth, they never talk frank
Compared to me, they're like a bike, I'm a tank
What a matter for a kid to look up at
What's gonna happen when the kid is up to bat
In this game of life that we play, every day
Another sucka gets blown away
We don't want him to have the heart of a sucka
We want him to be a strong mothafucka
"Don't do that, that's not right
It's not nice to cuss, it's not nice to fight"
Fuck that, I say what I want to say
The First Amendment made it that way
Learn the facts of life, fuck the fables
I'm teachin' knowledge, he's workin' turntables
My songs are strong and never will weaken
You wanna know why? Cuz I'm frankly speakin'

Radio — suckas never play me

[verse 3]
They don't wanna play me on a radio station
Cuz they might get an early vacation
What's the explanation for the situation?
Haven't you heard of realization?
This ain't a fairy tale or a story
It's real life and it can get kinda gory
Not hunky dory
Cuz it's do or die in my territory
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a racist
But I hate it when my people trade places
You know where you come from, son, so don't act dumb
Talkin' that "we shall overcome" bullshit
Don't tell us what we can't get
Get in our way and you'll get your skull split open
My army is scopin'
Just like a rodeo, I will be ropin' you
So what you gonna do?
Matter fact, shut up, let me continue
Sure, it would be nice to eliminate violence
But you can't, so you must get it straight, and I hate
When people try to block it out
Ignore a situation, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout
Critics, and censors on the radio
Don't wanna hear the truth, so they don't play it
So what, my record still sells well
You hear it on the streets and in the clubs as well
Long as Dré's collectin' pay
No motherfucker tells me what to say
My songs are strong and never will weaken
You wanna know why? Cuz I'm frankly speakin'

Radio — suckas never play me

[verse 4]
What's more appropriate, radio or television?
For the children, parents must make the decision
They can hear it but they really wouldn't comprehend
But if they see it, it really would sink in
They wanna run out and imitate the actor
That's the key, a real important factor
All of the violence in TV today
I can run off a list of shows, but that's OK
I'm sure you get my point
They're smokin' caine, rollin' joints
Committin' murders and using scandals to exploit
Prostitution and forms of extortion
That's an example, a very small portion
Of material exposed to the public
But they don't care because they live it and they love it
On the other hand, a radio program
Don't wanna hardly hear a man say "damn"
That's stupid, they're living in a fantasy
They're blinded by imagination and they can't see
Or maybe they're just plain weak-hearted
No one has before, so they don't wanna start it
Take a chance, spark a little controversy
I bet the people eat it up like a Hershey's
My songs are strong and never will weaken
You wanna know why? Cuz I'm frankly speakin'

Radio — suckas never play me
Frankly, I don't give a damn
HCC Hardcore Committee, Detroit city
Rulin' with an iron hand
War, we outta here
FUCK