When It Sounded Like This

[Verse 1: Ill Conscious]
Ayyo, remember when it
Used to take a stand against the injustice and inequality?
Now it’s “fuck it,” no substance, and where’s the quality?
But as a realist, we function with our philosophy
That we fully responsible amongst all the commodities
But all these artists, they be talking like they so lethargic
They only recognize the pioneers on collages
Consumers ain’t educated, we see what’s on the market
Niggas brave-hearted and faking behind their entourages
Back in the day, see, it was more rebellious
What happened to painting the pictures and the storytellers?
We living underground, go and let the shorties tell it
‘Cause it’s a bunch of corny fellas that be fully dwelling
See, it was never about a couple endorsements
Rocking the slick Adidas with all the colors distorted
Thugging in order, taking care of mothers and daughters, we value
The struggle but understand the hustle’s important, come on!

[Verse 2: Ill Conscious]
Check it
We came a long from Pete Rocking, but now it’s
More than a stretch from breakdancing and beatboxing
It used to be all the elite just had the streets popping
And everybody that was beliefs was our complete doctrine
Like the poison of the industry released toxins
Won’t hesitate to crucify you if you speak knowledge
Won’t be acknowledged doing this with discreet options
In the last of the industry, the weak blossom
This the culture, we spraying graffiti messages
Unity in communities before meeting executives
Threats to society and defeating the pessimists
I step out on the corners, and what I’m breathing is excellence
(Whoo!) Let’s go and take it back to the times
When everybody was rhyming like they were still alive
But now it’s all about your hoes, chains, and your rides
Your status is selling your soul for the dollar signs

[Verse 3: Ill Conscious]
Check it
This one for Dilla, so let it bump in your speaker systems
Rest in beats, and your legacy? Yeah, we keep it living
Cutting and sampling, innovating with deep precision
Just dope beats and dope rhymes, we see the rhythms
This was passed from the ancestors, we them descendants
Showing no limits of all the music that’s been invented
This ain’t the radio, nigga, I know you’ve been conditioned
This is soul, you hearing that jazz implemented
So let me calm it down, kicking it honor sounds
Got every nationality meeting on common grounds
Blowing the ganja loud, all around, and the poss-
-ibilities endless with all the things we can conquer now
That was the early 90s, it was survival of fittest
And so I’m rocking it ‘til my vitals is finished (Word)
It’s just a mindless addiction, it’s so oblique, so I’m
Feeling at peace when the vinyl spin, come on!