The Fugees Album

Yo, this fucker I was wit the other day, I was chillin' 
with Scott and the minute that we got in front of our 
crib with a shotgun. Cause jokers gonna be bustin' up 
in there trying to get food, clothing, shelter, TV's, forks, 
radios or whatever they can get there hands on. Shit 
is getting mad ill out here man. Joker's running out here 
like with MASKS on; I was with my man Pee, he think 
he like Charlie Chan or Robert De Niro 
or Bruce Lee or some shit, jumping from behind trees on 
Muhfuckas, like Cowboys BANG BANG or whatever you 
know. Trying to shoot a joker he had beef with, he wound 
up shootin my man up in the street, tyring to be Cowboys 
they can't even shoot, trying to be gangsta's but when the 
Beast come on the muthafuckin' block everybody break out. 
They beat my man Bob G. up the other day, cops, pigs vampin' 
on him, everybody just standin' around just watching that 
shit take place. Cause they only gangsta's when it comes to 
being gangsta's to themselves. They want to be Corleone, Luigi, 
or Gambino or Gotti or whatever the fuck. They run around callin' 
themselves Rahiem or Fuquan or Mustapha cause we think they 
got power, but fuck them, I got power. I got power, I got family, 
I got Family Business on Avon, on Chancellor, on Prince Street 
on Chadwick, on Stratford on Chancellor on Vailsburg. All of the 
Brick City. That's my family, we gonna settle The SCORE, once 
and for all. I'm not lettin' nobody I'm going out like 
a bandit. And all of these ZEALOTS trying to steal and trying to 
bite what I got like all of these big record companies, these 
corporations these stores they try to rob me. Naw man, I'm going, 
I'm a get mine. Me and my girl we gonna go out together 
we gonna be a soldier kid. When I go out, she go out. And we 
gonna make what we believe Manifest cause if you ain't Ready 
now, you ain't never gonna be ready . . . 
I'm always ready. 


-- Ras Baraka

Intro: Wyclef Jean 

Pick up your microphones 
Pick up your microphones 


Chorus: Wyclef/Pras 

How many mics do we rip on the daily 
Say, me say many money say me say many many many 
How many mics do we rip on the daily 
Many money say me say many many many 

Verse One: Lauryn Hill 

I get mad frustrated when I rhyme 
Thinkin of all them kids that try to do this for 
all the wrong reasons Season change mad things 
rearrange But it all stays the same like the love 
doctor strange 
I'm tame like the rapper get red like a snapper, 
when they do that Got your whole block saying 
true dat 
If only they knew that, it was you who was 
irregular Soldier soul for some secular muzac 
that's whack 
Plus you use that, loop, over and over 
Claiming that you got a new style, your atempts 
are futile, oooh child Your puerile, brain waves 
are sterile You can't create you just wait to 
take, my take Laced with malice, hands get 
callous, from ripping microphones From here to 
Dallas go ask Alice if you don't believe me I get 
innovisions like Stevie 
See me, a sin from the chalice, like the weed be 
Indeed we like Kalid Mohammed MC's make me vomit 
I get controversial, freaky style with no 
rehearsal 
Au contraire mon frere, don't you even go there 
Me without a mike is like a beat without a snare 
I dare to tear into your ego, we go, way back 
Like some ganja and palequo or ColecoVision 
My minds make incisions in your anatomy 
And I back this with Deuteronomy or Leviticus 
God made this word, you can't get with this 
Sweet like licorice, dangerous like syphillis, 
yeah 

Chorus 

Verse Two: Wyclef Jean 

I used to be underrated, now I take iron, makes 
my shit constipated I'm more concentrated, so on 
my day off with David Sanonburg I play golf Run 
through Crown Heights screaming out "Mazeltoff!" 
Problem with noman before black I'm first hu-man 
Appetite to write, like Frederick Douglass with a 
slave hand Street pressure, word to papa I ain't 
going under One day I have a label and make deals 
with Tommy Mottola Mama always told me, "Your one 
in a million, Always watch our back, never tango 
with haitian-sicilians" Now I got a record deal, 
how does it feel? I'm never gonna survive unless 
I get crazy like Seal Cause the whole worlds' out 
a order So at night the feins dance on grease 
with John Travolta One got slaughtered as he 
caught blood from his mouth The other tried to 
duck and caught a left with my Guinness stout 
Brother, brother can't you get this through your 
head It's a setup by the feds, their scoping us 
with their infrareds 

Chorus 

Verse Three: Prazwell 

Too many MC's not enough mikes, exit your show 
like I exit the turnpike Dice and dynomite like 
Dolomite, double do's been like I don't Dick Van 
Dyke Starlight to starbrite the freaks come out 
at night Like my man Wyclef-"I wear my sunglasses 
at night" And my ponage with martial encourage 
Squash the squad and hide their bodies under my 
garage And when the cops come lookin, I be bookin 
to Brooklyn Beat the trails broken flipping 
tokens to Hoboken A clean Getaway like Alec 
Baldwin Driving in my fast car playing Tracy 
Chapman 

Chorus 
Many, many money many many many 
Many, many money, ha, ha, ha

Chorus: Lauryn Hill 

Ready or not, Here I come, You can't hide 
Gonna find you, and take it slowly 
Ready or not, Here I come, You can't hide 
Gonna find you, and make you want me 

Verse One: Wyclef 

Now that I escape sleep walk away 
those who convolate knows the world they hate 
Jails bars ain't golden gates 
those who fake they brake when they meet they four hundred pound mate if i could rule the
world
Everyone who have a gun and together of course we'd get the up in our their horse 
I kick a rhyme drinking moon shine 
I poor sip on the concrete, for the deceased 
but no don't weep, Wyclef in a state of sleep 
thinking about the robbe-RY that I did last WEEK 
Money in the bag, bank a look like a drag 
I wanna play with pelicans from here to Bagdad 
Gun blast, think fast I think I'm hit 
My girl pinch's my hips to see if I still exist 
I think not, I send a letter to my friends 
A born again, hooligan only to be king again 

Chorus 

Verse Two: Lauryn Hill 

yo, I play my enemies like a game of chess 
where I rest no stress if you don't smoke cess, less 
i must confess my destany's manifest 
to some gortex and sweats I make tracks like I'm homeless Rap orgies with Porgie and Bess 
capture your bounty like Eliot Ness YES! 
Bless you if you represent the FU 
but I hex you, with some witches vu if you do-do 
Voodo, I could what you do, EASY! 
Believe me, frontin' niggaz 
gives me heebe-geebes 
so why you imitatin' Al Capone 
I be Nina Symone and defacating on your microphone 

chorus 

Interlude: Lauryn Hill 

You can't run away from these styles I got 
Oh baby, hey baby cause I got a lot oh yeah... 
Anywhere you go, my whole crew gonna know 
Oh baby, hey baby you can't hide from the black gold no... 

Verse Three: Pras 

Ready or not, refugees taking over 
The buffalo soldier, dread like rasta 
On the twelve hour flyby in my bomber 
crews went for cover now they under pushin' up flowers 
Superfly, true lies do or dies 
toss me high only profile with my crew from Lacaille 
I refugee from Guatanamo Bay, 
dance around the border like I'm Cassius Clay 
Chorus

[CLEF] 
Another MC lose his life tonight, lord 
I beg that you pray to Jesus Christ, why 
O lord, father don't let him bury me, whoa 

[CLEF] 

I haunt MC's like Mephistophales 
Bringin swords and Damacles 
Secret service keep a close watch as if my name was Kennedy Abstract raps simple with a street format 
Gaze into the sky and measure planets by parallax. 
Check out the retrograde motion, kill the notion 
Of biting and recycling and calling it your own creation. 
I Feel like Rockwell, "Somebody's watching me" 
I got no privacy whether on land or at sea. 
And for you biting zealots, your raps are cacophonic 
Hypocrit, critic, but deep inside you wish you had the pop hit. 
It hurts don't it, the refugees come to your turf and take over the earth. 

[LAURYN]:INTERLUDE 
See my rhymes are the type of fly rhymes 
That can only get down with my crew 
And if you try to take lines or bite rhymes 
We'll show you how the refugees do. 

[LAURYN] 

Behold, as my odes, manifold on your rhymes 
Two MC's can't occupy the same space at the same time. 
It's against the laws of Physics. 
So weep as your sweet dreams break up like Eurythmics 
Rap rejects my tape deck, ejects projectile 
Whether jew or gentile 
I rank top percentile, 
Many styles, 
More powerful than gamma rays 
My grammar pays, 
Like Carlos Sanatana plays 
Black Magic Woman 
So while you fuming, I'm consuming 
Mango juice under Polaris, 
You're just embarrassed 
Cause it's your "Last Tango in Paris" 
And even after all my logic and my theory, 
I add a muthafuckker so you ignint niggas hear me. And you remember take notes, 
As I sow my rap otas 
And for you biting zealots, here's a quote. 

[CLEF]:(Chorus) 
Another MC lose his life tonight, lord 
I beg that you pray to Jesus Christ, why 
O lord, father don't let him bury me, whoa 

[CLEF] 
You can try but you can't divide the tri 
These cats can't rap, Mr. Author I feel no Vibe 
The magazine says the girl should have gone solo, The guys should stop rapping, vanish like Menudo. Took it to the heart, but every actor plays his part 
As long as someone was listening, I knew it was a start, For me to get a chance, grab my pen and revamp 
Do a cameo while everybody do the dance. 
Quick now, cause you runnin' out of lucka 
Playin' Mr. Big, I'm gonna get you sucka. 
While you munchin at your luncheon, I'll be planning your assassination 
Then hit you like the Dutchmen 

[PRAZ] 

I compress sound sets with my rap DBX 
Then drop vocals on my 456 AMPEX 
Bring terror to the shop of horror, 
As she cries "Mi amor" 
The phantom dies in the opera 
And to the youngin's who carry gadgets 
And kill 6 days a week then rest on the Sabbath. 
Violence ain't necessary, unless you provoke me 
Then get buried like the great Mussolini 
And for you bitin' Zealots 
Your rap styles are relics 
No matter who you damage 
Your still a false prophet. 

[CLEF]:(Chorus) 

Another MC lose his life tonight, lord 
I beg that you pray to Jesus Christ, why 

[CHORUS] 
Warn the town the beast is loose, 
Word 'em up y'all 
C'mon 

[LAURYN] 
Conflicts with night sticks 
Illegal sales districts, 
Hand-picked lunatics, keep poli-TRICK-cians rich 
Heretics push narcotics amidst its risks and frisks, 
Cool cliques throw bricks but seldom hit targets 
Private-DIC sell hits, like porno-flicks do chicks. 
The 666 cut W.I.C. like Newt Gingrich SUCKS DICK 

[CLEF] 
Meanwhile the government brings Star Wars from glocks to glockers 
C.O.P. has an APB out on Chewbacca 
Mista Mayor, can I say something in yo honor 
Yesterday in Central Park they got the Jogger 
Okay, okay. 
Let's get the confusion straight in ghetto 
Gotham The man behind the mask you thought was Batman is Bill Clinton. 
Who soon retire, the roof is on fire 
Connie Chung brung the bomb as it comes from Oklahoma 
Things are getting serious, Kuumbaya, 
On a mountain satan offered me, Manhattan help me Jah Jah 

[CLEF] 
You can't search me without probable cause 
Or that proper ammunition they call reasonable suspicion 
Listen I bring friction to your whole jurisdiction 
You planted seeds in my seat when I wasn't lookin. 
Now you ask me for my license/registration "WHAT THE FUCK" is my name 
"WHAT THE FUCK" is my occupation 
Well I'm an MC, I'm down with the Fugees 
Mother Mary caught a flashback like Rodney now the cops got Lolly. 

[LAURYN] 
The subconscious psychology that you use against me, If I lose control will send me to the penetentiary 
Such as Alcatraz, or shot up like al Hajj Malik Shabazz 
High class get bypassed while my ass gets harrassed. 
And the fuzz treat bruh's like they manhood never was, 
And if you too powerful, you get bugged like Peter Tosh and Marley was.
And my word does nothing against the feds, 
So my eyes stay red as I chase crazy bald heads, WORD UP. 

[CHORUS] 
Warn the town the beast is loose, Ah - ah, Ah - ah Word 'em up y'all 

[CLEF] 
The chase is on I feel like the bad guy 
Fifth gear 125 like New Jersey drive 
Looked in my rear view mirror 
Police was getting closer 
Heard a roar in the sky, 
Looked up and saw the Blue Thunder. 
My inner conscious says throw your handkerchief and surrender, BUT TO WHO??? 
The star spangled banner ooh. 
Say can't you see cops more crooked than we 
By the dawn's early night robbin' niggas for kis. Easy low key crooked military 
Pay taxes out my ass but they still harrass me. 

[PRAZ] 
The streets of corruption got me bustin and cussin' in the concrete jungle 
Thoughts being dribbled like that tall kid Mutumbo Handled by Hannibal 
Soon I'm gonna be a fugitive like Dr. Kimble. 

[CLEF] 
Hey yo should I slow down? 

[PRAZ] 
Nah kid go faster, 
Just cause they got a badge, they could still be impostors. Probable cause, got flaws like dirty draws 
Meet me at the corner store so we can start the street wars. 

[CHORUS] 

[CLEF] 
We used to be number 10 
Now we're permanent one, 
In the battle lost my finger, Mic became my arm 
Pistol nozzle hits your nasal, blood becomes lukewarm 

Tell the woman be easy Naah squeeze the Charmin 
Test Wyclef, see death flesh get scorned. 
Beat you so bad make you feel like you ain't wanna be born 
And tell your friends stay the hell out of my lawn. 
Chicken George became Dead George stealin' chickens from my farm. 
Damn, Another dead pigeon 

If your mafiosos then I'm bringin' on Haitian Sicilians 
Nobody's shootin', my body's made of hand grenade 
Girl bled to death while she was tongue-kissing a razor blade. 
That sounds sick maybe one eday I'll write a horror 
Blackula comes to the ghetto, jacks an ACURA Stevie Wonder sees Crack Babies Be-Coming Enemies of their own families. 
What's going on? Armageddon come you know we soon done 
Gun by my side just in case I gotta rump 
A boy on the side of Babylon, trying to front like he's down with Mount Zion. 

[LAURYN]:CHORUS 
Oooh La La La, 
It's the way that we rock when we're doing our thang 
Oooh La La La, 
It's the natural LA that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, 
Sweeeeet Thing 

[LAURYN] 
Yeah in saloons we drink Boone's and battle goons till high noon, 
Bust rap toons on flat spoons, take no shorts like poon poon's. 
See hoochies pop coochies, for Gucci's and Lucci Find me in my Mitsubishi, eatin' sushi, bumpin' Fugees. 
Hey Hey Hey 
Try to take the crew and we don't play play 
Say say say 
Like Paul McCartney, not hardly, 
ODD-ly enough 
I can see right through your bluff 
Niggas huff and they puff but they can't handle us, WE BUST 
Cause we fortified, I could never hide, seen "Cooley High", Cried when Cochise died. 
I'm twisted, black-listed by some other negroes, 
Don't remove my Polos on the first episode. 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You shouldn't diss refugees, and 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You whole sound set's bootie , and 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You have to respect JERSEY, cause I'm superfly when I'm super-high on the Fu-Gee-La. 

[LAURYN]:CHORUS 
Oooh La La La, 
It's the way that we rock 
when we're doing our thang 
Oooh La La La, 
It's the natural LA that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, 
Sweeeeet Thing 

[PRAZ] 
I sit 90 degrees underneath palm trees, 
Smokin' beadies as I burn my calories, 
Brooklyn roof tops become Brooklyn tee-pees, 
Who that be, enemies, wanna see the death of me. 
From Hawaii to Hawthorne, I run marathons, like 
Buju Banton, I'm a true champion, like, 
Farakkhan reads his Daily Qu'ran it's a phenomenon, 
lyrics fast like Ramadan. 

[CLEF] (2X) 
What's goin' on 
Armageddon come you know we soon done 
Gun by my side just in case I gotta rump 
A boy on the side of Babylon, trying to front like he's down with Mount Zion. 

[LAURYN]:CHORUS 2X 

Oooh La La La, 
It's the way that we rock when we're doing our thang 

Oooh La La La, 
It's the natural LA that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, 

[OMEGA] 
Where I was born, nothing is promised 
My life is filled with less hope than the 
prophecies of Nostradamus Omega marks the ending 
of predictability, birth of agility Who will it 
be to test me and expose their futility. Iron 
like a lion from Zion stop tryin' so hard, I 
think I smell your brain cells fryin'. The 
family's behind you if you're worthy Philosophies 
developed deep in the back streets of dirty 
Jersey Troops with scully hats and Timberland 
boots No more break-dancing for loot. 
Niggas hustle and shoot 
In the Garden State, it grows stink weeds and 
criminals Government funds are minimal 
Oppression's subliminal 

[CLEF] 
These days its hard for we to find peace of mind 
Between insanity and sanity there lies a thin 
line. 
Some dwell in hotels with Jezebels 
A stone age and fall a victim to the Plague 
Unclean bad dreams of Wyclef being a fiend, 
One last kiss from my sweet serpentine 
Eliminate then break, 
Navigate to rejuvenate thoughts of suicide with 
my nickel plate. Reconcilation came from my 
enemy-friend 
Who said family don't bend 
We stay silent till the end. 
Now who would think that your best friend 
Would be your worst enemy and your enemy your 
best friend. Stare into the air inspiration from 
the atmosphere I think of old ghosts, that ain't 
even here. Like Alex Haley take notes on this 
Biography 
My family tree consists of street refugees. 
A ghetto land, where we talk slang 
Stolen cars bang, like my chitty bang-bang 
sh-bang 
For the heads, we ain't sellin' cocaine today 
So refrain and let my family reign okay 
[OMEGA]:CHORUS 
Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 
It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next 
day 
At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 
So defend the family that's the code to obey 

[CLEF] 
But if I fall asleep and death takes me away 
Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay 
At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 
So the family sticks together and we never betray 
[CLEF] 
Nah fuck that 
Fifty-two pick up, no cops around 
Fifty-two thousand in cash, I don't want no 
savings bonds Have the money ready, I smell 
something fishy 
Your wife's in my custody 
One false move and you'll find her body in the 
sea. 
That's the voice of the kid, that's the kidnapper 
I do my work and then I catch my ticket to 
Jamaica. 
Meet me in the alley, make sure you bring the 
money 
This ain't the seventies I'm far from a jive 
turkey 

[LAURYN] 
My circle it can't be broken 
Open, cut-throatin', provokin' 
Record promotin, tokens chokin' on they words 
like smoke and. Cause we soft spoken, doesn't 
mean that we've forgotten Your bootie smells 
rotten and one day you will be gotten See joker's 
is scatter-brained, their focus is unrestrained 
My army is trained, you never find us beefin' in 
vain. Cause I've seen fire and I've seen rain You 
claim fame, while modest niggas remain. I can 
judge a character like Ito judge a verdict And if 
you bringin' threats I give you sex if I ain't 
heard it. 
See poppin' shit's about your attitude and how 
you word it I've seen the biggest niggas on the 
block get murdered And they deserverd it 
Or so the beast said when they served it ??? 
That shit is nervous 
So what's my purpose? 
Family, we must preserve it. 
Your number's retired 
I hope you like the hell fires 
You'll be screamin' Murder she Wrote like Chaka 
Demus and Pliars. 

[OMEGA]:CHORUS 
Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 
It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next 
day 
At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 
So defend the family that's the code to obey 

[LAURYN] 
If I should fall asleep and death takes me away 
Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay 
At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 
So the family stick together and we never betray. 
[FORTE] 
We used to jump rope, 
But now we gun hope 
Bustin' shots off of project roof tops 
Sending signals with the blunt smoke. 
Ock, don't talk a lot if you can't hold it in 
lock 
If you think lips sink ships, 
Imagine full glock clips. 
I hold a glass of Remy Martin 
Gettin' milks by the carton 
Extortin' the light weights for thinkin' they 
important The night pays and heavenly ways 
Ain't nothin' free ah 
Knowledge of your family and steppin' to your 
B.I. 
You see I, stay on top of s*** like a fly 
My niggas reach when they got beef 
Then jet down to South Beach 
Yo mouthpiece is yappin' 
I hear it in your rap and 
My family is thick so that bulls** could never 
happen. 

[CLEF]:CHORUS 
Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 
It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next 
day 
At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 
So defend the family that's the code to obey 

[LAURYN] 
If I should fall asleep and death takes me away 
Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay At night the evil armies of Satan don't play 

Strumming dub plates with our fingers, 
Eliminate sounds with our song, 
Killing a sound boy with this sound, 
Killing a sound boy with this sound, 
Taking sound boys' lives with this dub, 
Killing him softly with this sound. 
Strumming my pain with his fingers, 
Singing my life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song, 
killing me softly with his song, 
Telling my whole life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song. 

[LAURYN] 
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style, 
And so I came to see him and listen for a while. 
And there he was this young bwoy, stranger to my eyes, 
Strumming my pain with his fingers, 
Singing my life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song, 
killing me softly with his song, 
Telling my whole life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song. 
I felt all flushed with fever, 
Embarrassed by the crowd, 
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud. 
I prayed that he would finish, 
But he just kept right on strumming my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song, 
Killing me softly with his song, 
Telling my whole life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song 

[CLEF] 
Yo L-Boogie, take it to the bridge 

[LAURYN] 
(Bust it) 
Strumming my pain with his fingers, 
Singing my life with his words, 
killing me softly with his song, 
Killing me softly with his song, 
Telling my whole life with his words, 
Killing me softly with his song. 
Strumming my pain with his finger, yeah he was . . . 

[CLEF] 
Look into the rhyme 
Rum to the ripple 
Sing boo, 
But at times I come in triple. 
Blaow, blaow put the heater to your head 
Now your dead. 
Wyclef don't give a *beep* if your dead. 
Raaaaah, raaaah 
Let me attack just like the black cat 
You in the wrong neighborhood, check the map. 
Hooo, you've got to go for backup 
To do what you gotta do. 
So you'll be back with France CU 
Traitor in your crew is mafo heat 
Put the poison in your tea 
and kill the toad, But I'll be back with the centipede 
I'm on some new technique, drunken bamboo 
Awoo hoo a hoo, I'm taking all crews what. 
Competition, stimulation for the rap man 
Losers check your tooters 
While I'm suckin' on your girls hooters. 
Don't play macho, while you got the gun 
Cause if you got to reload . . . 

[CLEF] 
Wyclef the multi-talented 
Average heads can't handle it 
I'll bring it to you live 
Only if you want it. 
Me and my guitar go back like the days of the RMC's 

[C'mon check out my melody] 
The W-Y-C-L-E-F, Wyclef 
Through any contest 
I'm victorious 
Still keep it real, if you will and manifest 
Through your skills, not by how many shells you peel. 

[PRAZ] 
I'm a bring down the ruckus 
Play the nutcracker 
Rough-neck rednecks make me no bother 
Time after time, ask Cyndi Lauper, 
Boss, you don't want to fuckk with my partners 
Motion, commotion, what's your proposal 
Uphold two-fold, the crew is disposal 
Like utensil, false idental, 
I autograph my lyrics with a number 2 pencil 

[LAURYN] 
I'm the L, Won't you pull it 
Straight to the head 
With the speed of a bullet 
Cuttin' jokers off at the meeky-freeky gullet 
Lyrical sedative, keep niggas medative 
Head rushers I give to creative kids and fiends 
Dreams of euphoria, 
Aurora, 
To another galaxy 
Phallic-sy 
Be this microphone, but get lifted 
Lyrically I'm gifted 
Burn on in without the roach clip (it) 
Henders, mind-bender 
Pleasure sender, 
So frequently your nerve endings belong to me 
Wrongfully you put me down not receiving the full capacity of my smoke Wack niggas choke 
From the fumes that I emote, 
Or emit shit 
See even I feel the mahogany L 
Natural hallucinogen 
Turning boys to men again 
With estrogen dreams 
Release blues, yellows and greens 
From Brownsville to Queens 

[DIAMOND-D] 
I creep like a theif, no doubt the man's swift 
I'm more magnificent than Lee Van Cliff 
You stand stiff and got the nerve to let your man riff 
[We know where to run] 
And start flakin' like dandruff. 
C'mon son my steelo's tight 
Cause by far I'm the best producer on the mic 
On the right, analytical conceptions 

[CHORUS] 
Have you ever worn the mask one-two one-two, 
M to the A to the S to the K 
Put the mask upon the face just to make the next day, 
Feds be hawkin me 
Jokers be stalking me, 
I walk the streets and camouflage my identity, 
My posse in the Brooklyn wear the mask. 
My crew in the Jersey wear the mask. 
Stick up kids doing boogie woogie wear the mask. 
Yeah everybody wear da mask but how long will it last. 

[CLEF] 
I used to work at Burger King. A king taking orders. 
Punching my clock. Now I'm wanted by the manager. Soupin me up sayin "Your a nice worker," 
"How would you like a quarter raise, move up the register" "Large in charge, but cha gotta be my spy, 
Come back and tell me who's baggin my fries, 
Getting high on company time." 
Hell no sirree, wrong M.C. 
Why should I be a spy, when you spying me, 
And you see whatcha thought ya saw but never seen. 
Ya missed ya last move, Checkmate! Crown me King, Hold my 22 pistol whipped him in his face. 
Hired now I'm fired, sold bud now I'm wired, 
Eyes pitch red but da beat bop my head 
Hit the streets for relief, I bumped into the Feds, 
I got kidnapped they took me to D.C., 
Have me working underground building missiles for World War III. 

[CHORUS] 
M to the A to the S to the K, 
Put the mask up on the face just to make the next day. 
Brothers be gaming, Ladies be claiming. 
I walk the streets and camouflage my identity. 
My posse Uptown wear the mask. 
My crew in the Queens wear the mask. 
Stick up kids with the Tommy Hil wear the mask. 
Yeah everbody wear the mask but how long will it last. 

[LAURYN] 
I thought he was the wonder, and I was stunned by his lips, Taking sips sipping Amaretto sour with a twist, 
Shook my hips to the bass line, this joker grabbed my waistline, Putting pressure on my spine trying to get L-Boog to wind, I backed up off him then caught him with five finger to his face, I had to put him in his place, This kids invading my space, 
But then I recognized the smile, but I couldn't place the style, So many fronts in his mouth, I thought he was the Golden Child, Then it hit me that's Tariq from off the street around Grams. I haven't seeen him since fifteen, when he got booked for doing scams. I tried to walk away but he wouldn't let me leave, He ran up quick behind me asking, "Yo what happened to my nigga Steve?" Steve was like this kid I went with back in Grammar School. I chuckled knucklehead I seen him yesterday he's cool, He's busted, "so who you checking for now?" Probably some intellectual. I kept the conversation straight and he kept trying to make it sexual. Then his old lady tried to play me waved her hands up in my face, Yo I told her check your man cause Bitch you acting out of place. 

[CHORUS] 
M to the A to the S to the K, 
Put the mask up on the face just to make the next day. 
Brothers be gaming, Ladies be claiming. 
I walk the streets and camouflage my identity. 
My posse Uptown wear the mask. 
My crew in the Queens wear the mask. 
Stick up kids with the Tommy Hil wear the mask. 
Yeah everbody wear the mask but how long will it last. 

[PRAZ] 
3 A.M. in the morning on the Boulevard, 
I'm still at large engaged with my entourage, 
Me and Godfather and a 67 Dodge. 
I stepped out the note to post up my guard 
Searching for my car that was stolen from Scotland Yard. My first instinct was to check the chop shop garage. As I rung the bell someone tapped me on my back, I turned around to look it was a rookie in a mask. He said, "I got a itchin' on my trigger, 
Don't move nigga I'm taking you for murder." 
See cops got two faces like two laces on my Reeboks. 
My knees knock as I step back for a claear shot, 
Well did you shoot him? Naw kid I didn't have the balls, That's when I realized I'm pumpin'too much Biggie Smalls. 

[CHORUS] 
M to the A to the S to the K, 
Put the mask up on the face just to make the next day. 
Brothers be gaming, Ladies be claiming. 
I walk the streets and camouflage my identity. 
My posse Uptown wear the mask. 
My crew in the Queens wear the mask. 
Stick up kids with the Tommy Hil wear the mask. 

This is the Fugees, Outsiders up in here: 

[CLEF]:CHORUS 
Everyone wants to be a cowboy 
Grab your guns boy 
Forty-five by my side, 
No the nigger dies. 

[PACE1] 
Zen, zen zen zen zen zen zen 
You shot your bullet, but the bullet when **** 
Desperado, do work for new boy 
I pull out my gun and plug two like Trugoy 

[WYCLEF] 
Wyclef 

[PACE1] 
Pace 1 

[WYCLEF] 
Yo this was how the West was won, 

[PACE1] 
Our motto, a true Desperado. 

[WYCLEF] 
Rappers want to be actors 
So they play the Jesse James Character 

[PACE1] 
And get they bones fractured. 

[PACE1] 
You ain't got no guns, you off to the precinct 
Inside tuff guys are feminine like Sheena Easton 

[WYCLEF] 
Woman cry, woman cry, Son still dies 
Thrown off the building like the Fall guy 
Caved in the grave cause you didn't know how to behave 
Playin' cowboy now you sleep with the slaves 

[PACE1] 
Who's the desperado, sellin' bottles in the alley On some villain shit, wearin' a mask like Jim Carrey 
With his gat cocked, stinkin' up the crack spot 
Pace 1 dies with both eyes on the jackpot 

[WYCLEF] 
The town that I'm from beggars eat cat chowder 
Sundance Kid is the everyday purse snatcher 
If you see him coming, you better start running 
Like a terrorist I guarantee you he'll be humming. 

[PACE1] 
Dynamite, dynamite, Clef I got the cash 

[WYCLEF] 
Yo let's skip town like Harlem nights. 

[LAURYN] 
We make moves in stage coaches 
Ra Digga likes the roaches 
If anyone approaches 
We be like noches, buenos 
And I compose a poem for the many gun-slingers 
R & B singers, perpetrating guns with two fingers. 

[RA DIGGA] 
My style is perhaps one of the foulest 
I inhale large clouds of smoke through my chalice. 
(Buckin' at stars) and write rhymes for hours 
The ghetto missy, drinkin' whiskey sours. 

[LAURYN] 
Bust this scenario, can't no other niggers in the barrio (From Newark to Ontario), bust us when we in stereo. Cause me and Rashida rock the battles 
It's apparent, your no talent, cause your blazin' in your saddle. 

[RA DIGGA] 
Watch these rap bitches get all up in your pockets 
Then bounce with accountants that give me good stock tips Cause props is up, Digga's through the roof Burnin' niggers like I'm 90 proof. 

[LAURYN] 
And for all you head beaters 
The lead eaters, the cheaters soon to be retreaters 
While mamasitas carry real heaters. 

[RA DIGGA] 
I rock the Dooby and 
L rocks the Nubian twists 96 
Muthafuckas gettin' dissed 

[CLEF]:CHORUS 
Everyone wants to be a cowboy 
Grab your guns boy 
Forty-five by my side, 
No the nigger dies. 

[YOUNG ZEE] 
Yeah, when the OUT's hooked up with the Refugees 
It be more niggas than the NAACP 
Comin' up on weed of all type 
Smokin' home-grown out tobacco pipes. 

[PRAZ] 
(You've got to know when to hold them, 
Know when to fold them) 
I can take the sunshine, piss in your wine 
Steal your concubine, walk away with your goldmine. 

[YOUNG ZEE] 
So ooh aaah achiga, Mamase Mamasa Mamakusa 

[PRAZ] 
Fuck the sheriff, I shot John Wayne 
Push him off the runaway train in the movie Shane Yeah me and that kid, um "What's his name?" 

[YOUNG ZEE] 
That would be me, Young Zee from No Brain 
Smokin' pure from the health fodd store, 
While my whore slaps cops like Zsa Zsa Gabor 
Fuck with OUT's it's like those Islam brothers, 
We march through your hood with a million muthafuckas. 
So let's get high off the Fu-Gee-La 
When the east is in the house, like I'm Blahzay-blah 

[FORTE] 
When pandemonium strikes, at midnight 
Full moon splits soft niggas in a lunatic 
On some absurd shit 
You talk back, hustlin' crack don't make you bigger 
Niggas who take your measurements quick, don't make it quicker. Stick and slide with vigor 
City streets hot like liquor 
21 gun salutin, shootin' niggas from the roof and Got nerve to mouth about it and the weight you claim you movin' Your whole style is loose and we gon' sew it like it's cotton. You fail to recognize that everybody could get gotten the bounty on your head, says your dead by manana Pop babies whisperin' that there's a body dropped, behind the lot Police blew up the spot and locked the whole block Medina is the east side of town lounge never till we yawnin' Gun players regular front page is the bonus Life will keep existing while I'm shitin' on the corners Life will keep existing while I'm shitin' on the corners 

[CLEF]:CHORUS 
Everyone wants to be a cowboy 
Grab your guns boy 
Forty-five by my side, 

[CLEF] 
A dedication to all the refugees worldwide 
One time say, say, say 
I remember when we used to sit in the government yard in Brooklyn. Observing the crookedness as it mingled with the good people we meet. Good friends we had, 
Good friends we've lost along the way. 
In this great future you can't forget your past, So dry your tears I say And to my peeps who passed away, 
No woman, no cry, no woman no cry, say say say. 
Hey little sister don't shed no tears 
No woman no cry say say say. 
I remember when we used to rock in a project yard in Jersey, And little Georgie would make the firelight, 
As stolen cars passed through the night 
And then we'd hit the corner store for Roots, paper, and brew. My drink's my only remedy 
For pain of losing family, but while I'm gone Shorty, 
Everything's gonna be alright, everything's gonna be alright, Fugees come to the dance tonight, everything's gonna be alright, O everything's gonna be alright, The gun man's in the house tonight, 
But everything's gonna be alright. 

[CHORUS] 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 

[CLEF] 
No woman no cry, no woman no cry. 
Hey, little sister, don't shed no tears 
No woman no cry say say say. 
I remember when we used to sit in a government yard in Trenchtown. 
The hypocrites as they mingled with the good people we meet. Good friends we had Oh good friends we've lost 
Along the way hey. 
In this great future, 
You can't forget your past so dry your tears I say 
And no woman no cry. No woman no cry say say say. Hey, little sistser, don't shed no tears 
No woman no cry and to my peeps who passed away 

[CHORUS] 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 
Oh ah oh ah 

[CLEF] 
I woke up this morning 
I was feeling kind of high 
It was me, Jesus Christ and Haile Selassie 
Selassie said greetings in the name of the most high, 
Jah Rhastafari, 
Christ, took a sip of the Amaretto, 
Passed it down the table said today I'll be betrayed by one you 12 disciples 
Give me a clue who could do this to you? 
The kid on the block who makes less money than you. 
Crooked cops pulled up, they offered him 30 pieces of silver All he got to do is deliver the savior 
Right on Bergen St. from bad luck to good luck 
My cup runneth over, pass it down, guzzle up 
The time has arrived, the prophecy will manifest 
I saw death, I got scared, butterflies on my chest 
Father if possible, pass this cup before me, 
But it's too late I chose my destiny in Gethsemane. 

[LAURYN] 
You see I loved hard once, but the love wasn't returned I found out the man I'd die for, he wasn't even concerned And time it turned, 
He tried to burn me like a perm 
Though my eyes saw the deception, My heart wouldn't let me learn From um, some, dumb woman, was I, 
And everytime he'd lie, he would cry and inside I'd die. My heart must have died a thousand deaths 
Compared myself to Toni Braxton thought I'd never catch my breath Nothing left, he stole the heart beating from my chest I tried to call the cops, that type of thief you can't arrest Pain suppressed, will lead to cardiac arrest Diamonds deserve diamonds, but he convinced me I was worth less when my peoples would protest, 
I told them mind their business, cause my s*** was complex More than just the sex 
I was blessed, but couldn't feel it like when I was caressed I'd spend nights clutching my breasts overwhelmed by God's test I was God's best contemplating death with a Gillette But no man is ever worth the paradise MANIFEST 

[PRAZ] 
Gun-clap Shell cap, 
Got them crawling on they back 
Come through with the Fu 
They be who the F**k is that 
It's unpredictable, when my tongue performs like Jujitsu Cut you with my lyrics, stab you with my pencil Lethal injection, witness protection 
Refugee camp's under investigation 
Gunshot bursts in all directions 
For the wack MC's we read your revelations 
Discharge through your pores 
Get raw and kill Boors 
I can Capleton when I'm on a Tour 
Some manifest, with slugs in they chest 

[CLEF] 
We used to be number 10 
But now we're permanent one 
Wyclef, Preacher's Son, Ichi bang, 
Listen Mrs. Tin Can 
I'm your candy handy man 
Me without you is like American without the Band Stand 
Cool fellow, dancehall stay mellow, 
All that guntalk who would have thought you died yellow Damn, another hero wannabe 
Now he sleeps with his friends in the mortuary 
Dude, I find it rude, when you intrude, 
My pistol nozzle hits your nasal, 
Doo doo comes out your anal 
Just because your buff, don't play tuff 
Cause I'll reverse the earth and turn your flesh back to dust. 

[LAURYN]:CHORUS 
Ooooh La La La, 
It's the way that we rock when we're doing our ting 
Oooh La La La, It's the natural LA that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, Sweeeeet Thing 

[FORTE] 
I stay high off the Fu-Gee-La 
Bust when we rush, 
Through you must, know ruckus 
Crew got G's like the refu's 
So F who 
Ever want to test 
Bring me stress, 
West coast back to east, 
Grab my toast when I reach 
Truly curvin', swervin, lifestyle is urban, 
Sippin' Bourbon, surviving 
We real to keep the word when 
A boy want fa testthis set 
Then you get wet-up 
Just a bit to unprepared to to shoot him fair bet 
[LAURYN] 
Fake bullets can't scar me 
I can smell the weak out like safari 
Play you out like Atari 
Sacrifice you Hari Kari 
And I'm sorry, 
To every single rapper, Dick and Harry 
Saying they want to spar me 
Cause how thick my repertoire 
And my memoir be 
Reminding me of eating Calamari in the Khalahari with a band of Rhastafari. 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You shouldn't diss refugees, and 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You whole sound set's bootie , and 

[LAURYN]:CHORUS 
Oooh La La La, It's the way that we rock when we're doing our ting 
Oooh La La La, It's the remix sound that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, Sweeeeet Thing 

[PRAZ] 
I sit 90 degrees underneath palm trees, 
Sitting in the cool breeze in the West Indies 
Flea to sea, Ship my keys 
On the Santa Maria, sip Sangria with senoritas 
(They keep telling me this and telling me that) 
They smile in my face then they talk behind my back 
But what they lack is the facts about my stats 
My rap impact will kill you softly like Roberta Flack 

[CLEF] 2X 
Ayo, What's goin' on 
Armageddon come you know we soon done 
Gun by my side just in case I gotta rump 
A boy on the side of Babylon, 
Trying to front like he's down with 

CLEF:
We used to be number 10 
But now we're permanent one 
Wyclef, Preacher's Son, Ichi bang, 
Listen Mrs. Tin Can 
I'm your candy handy man 
Me without you is like American without the Band Stand 
Cool fellow, dancehall stay mellow, 
All that guntalk who would have thought you died yellow 
Damn, another hero wannabe 
Now he sleeps with his friends in the mortuary 
Dude, I find it rude, when you intrude, 
My pistol nozzle hits your nasal, 
Doo doo comes out your anal 
Just because your buff, don't play tuff 
Cause I'll reverse the earth and turn your flesh back to dust. 


CHORUS:
(Lauryn): oooh La La La, It's the way that we rock when we're doing our ting 
Oooh La La La, It's the natural LA that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, Sweeeeet Thing 

FORTE:
I stay high off the Fu-Gee-La 
Bust when we rush, 
Through you must, know ruckus 
Crew got G's like the refu's 
So F who 
Ever want to test 
Bring me stress, 
West coast back to east, 
Grab my toast when I reach 
Truly curvin', swervin, lifestyle is urban, 
Sippin' Bourbon, surviving 
We real to keep the word when 
A boy want fa testthis set 
Then you get wet-up 
Just a bit to unprepared to to shoot him fair bet 


LAURYN:

Fake bullets can't scar me 
I can smell the weak out like safari 
Play you out like Atari 
Sacrifice you Hari Kari 
And I'm sorry, 
To every single rapper, Dick and Harry 
Saying they want to spar me 
Cause how thick my repertoire 
And my memoir be 
Reminding me of eating Calamari in the Khalahari with a band of Rhastafari. 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You shouldn't diss refugees, and 
Ha Ha Ha Ha, You whole sound set's bootie , and 

(LAURYN) CHORUS:
Oooh La La La, It's the way that we rock when we're doing our ting 
Oooh La La La, It's the remix sound that the Refugees Bring 
Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, Sweeeeet Thing 

PRAZ:
I sit 90 degrees underneath palm trees, 
Sitting in the cool breeze in the West Indies 
Flea to sea, Ship my keys 
On the Santa Maria, sip Sangria with senoritas 
(They keep telling me this and telling me that) 
They smile in my face then they talk behind my back 
But what they lack is the facts about my stats 
My rap impact will kill you softly like Roberta Flack 


(CLEF) REPEAT 2X:
Ayo, What's goin' on 
Armageddon come you know we soon done 
Gun by my side just in case I gotta rump 

Sung by: Wyclef 

Mista mista 
Can I get five dollars 
So I can get something to eat 
HELL NO MOTHERFUCKA 
You can't get no money from me 
Cause everytime I give you a dollar 
You go get shot up with more and more needles 
And you tell me that you're drug free 
Drug Free 
Mista mista 
I haven't ate anything for a week 
Can I get a quarter? 
HELL NO MOTHERFUCKA 
What can a quarter get you? 
Nothing motherfucka 
You are just fucked up 
Off them fucked up drugs 
You know you need to leave alone 
But you keep telling me that you're drug free 
MOTHERFUCKA 
You ain't drug free, you're a fiend 
And everytime I try to help you 
You pretend as if it's okay 
Then later on in the week 
You go back to shootin' needles, to sniffin' 
Oh mf, but you told me you were DRUG FREE 
DRUG FREE 
You ain't drug free motherfucka