Talib Kweli - Children's Story

[Child #1] ...and then Jackie Chan just started kickin em 
like POW! POW! POW!

[Child #2]   Whaaaaa??!  

[Mos Def] Alright y`all, alright y`all enough of that
it`s time to go to bed y`all
Time to go to bed -- I don`t wanna hear that
You know what time it is, you know what time it is

[Children] Uncle Mos?
[Mos Def] Yeeesss?
[Children] Would you read us a bedtime story please?
[Mos Def] Okay, okay.  Ya`ll tucked in?
[Children] Yeessss...
[Mos Def] Heeeere we go...

Once upon a time not long ago 
When people wore Adidas and lived life slow
When laws were stern and justice stood
And people was behavin` like hip-hop was good
There lived a little boy who was misled
By a little Sha-tan and this is what he said
`Me and you kid we gonna make some cash,
Jackin` old beats and makin` the dash...`
They jacked the beats, money came wit` ease
But son, he couldn`t stop, it`s like he had a disease
He jacked another and another, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder
Set some R & B over the track for `Deep Cover` (187!)
The kid got wild startin` actin` erratic
He said `Yo, that presidential I got ta have it...`
With liquor in his belly son, he made up the track
But little did he know that his joints was wack
The shiny A & R said `Great new hit G!`
`Whenever you need a loop, yo come get me...`
The kid got amped and he starts to figure
`I`m-a get dough like all-a these otha niggaz!`
So, he`s in the studio workin` `round the clock
For pop radio, jacked the beat to `Planet Rock`
Was out in the street when he met this sister
Who couldn`t sing for shhhh but the mix wit` her sister
Hooked up the track and in excitation
He decided he`d head for the radio station
But (But!) he was runnin` and he made a left
Was skeezin` at top speed and ran into Mos Def
I slowed the young man down and I started: `Yo money,
Yo, why you sellin` lies to our wives and children?`
He ran upstairs up to the top floor
Opened up the door then guess what he saw? (Who?)
JANE the chickenhead radio host 
Who be yappin` `bout beef between east and west coast
He said `This one`s a bullet, you got ta give it run!`
The chicken said `Thanks.` and spanked it #1
He went outside, was gettin` props all over
Then he dipped into his ride, the 4-point Rover
Raced up the block doin` 83
Some cats with Hennessey saw him at a R-E-D
He winked his eye like his star status mattered
They rat-a-tat-tatted to make his blood splatter
`You rockin` crazy ice and all you do is cling static
And rollin` down to Brooklyn late night is problematic...`
His eyes was bloody red, he hung on every word they said
They told the kid `Back down, that playa shit is dead.`
Deep in his heart, he knew he was gone
But he grabbed his 45 and decide to blaze on
Wit` shades on founded had him astounded an`
Before long, the young man got surrounded
Those grabbed the guns, so goes the glory
And that is the way I got ta end this story
He was out chasin` cream and the American dream
Tryin` to pretend the ends justify the means
This ain`t funny so don`t you dare laugh
It`s just what comes to pass when you sell your ass
Life is more than what your hands can grasp
Good Night!

(kids talking)
Knock `em out the box Mos, knock `em out Mos
Knock `em out the box Mos, knock `em out Mos (3x)

Knock `em out...

A-nother...Mos Def...Black Star MOVEMENT...
presentation... CRUUUMBS!