Chorus:
gotta be the illest brother to claim respect
it takes the illest brother just to get respect
got to be the illest brother when itand's time to get wreck
got to be the illest brother when i get my mic check
iand'm one of the illest brothers known to man
but if you donand't understand see iand'm a grown man
and i stand 5and'8andquot; and 3 quarters
giving orders to my sqaudron cuz iand'm like the sergeant
or general but let me keep this minimal
i used to hang with kids who like to live trife with a knife
cutting kids for fun and pulling out much guns
and like riflery champs fellas start to get real amped
dead bodies lay stamped to the pavement so i gave it some thought
remembering the brothers who are gone now
i will make a strong vow to make things right
ignite the mic, get hype and all that
suckers try to menace but they always fall
flat to the ground as i astound come around
iand'll put you down about the brothers who think theyand're the boss
think theyand're getting large but in the end they pay the cost
of their lives and that ainand't the way to go out
even take their boys with and'em cause they know their boys will go out
but when it comes to facing some time
theyand're like crying like weeping, wanna call mom dukes
but mom dukes is fed, fed up with the shit you did
she knows that you shot and she knows that you cripples kids
but whoand's to judge when youand're trying to survive
the one who moves first might be the one to stay alive
so when you think youand're hard and dominating the set
just remember the illest brother claims respect!
like i said iand'm an ill kid, so never dare test me
they wanna arrest me cuz iand'm causing a frenzy
fake gangsters come and fake gangsters go
real gangsters chill cuz real gangsters know
that quietly you stalk your prey on the down low
cuz too much talk will get you beef on the street
and brothers in the city have to live this way
it may cause dismay but immaand' tell it anyway
yo guns are easy to get and like a puppet
some young kid is gonna be the subject of internal oppression
an example of hard times
cuz to make it out the trap in your mind itand's a hard climb
but even if you change and come right and exact
thereand's another brother scheming so just watch your back
i know a brother who thought he had it all
but little did he know he was bound for a down fall
heand'd pick up the heater and go stick somebody
he wouldnand't give a damn if he killed somebody
cuz if somebody would get in the way of him getting loot
thereand'd be no hesitation heand'd just shoot
itand's like the good, the bad and the ugly
except itand's reality and you donand't see it on tv
brothers keep dying in the streets cuz the streets are designed
to keep you from having peace of mind
i know an old man, heand's got a rifle to stifle
any young punk, he hides it under his bunk
and i know a kid whoand's been to jail
and he told me that the system had failed him
so now heand's out the joint and heand's like flippinand' on kids
and the people in his neighborhood are flippinand' their wigs
but you gotta check the move cuz thereand's a reason
a method to the madness and you know what iand'm meaning
cuz rather than being the herb, vic, or chump
you can be just like my man cold holding the pump
but living like that you take a chance with your life
but some things in life, sometimes will make you uptight
iand'm like an avalanche of knowledge pounding down all fools
all fakes, all snakes
and ones who try to break the rules and regulations
stipulations made by the gangstarr
you try to flex muscle but you know you canand't hang ha
youand're making me vexed but yeah you can go next
just remember the illest brother claims respect
chorus repeat
yo money donand't front you know you blew your chance
and now itand's my turn so immaand' take command
cuz iand'm like the one whoand's got all the juice
i always get loose i got the balls to reduce your crew
very easily i got more ammo
iand'm like the ill kid the psycho man yo
cuz now iand'm past the point and i ainand't gonna return
and when it comes to your destruction i ainand't really concerned
about the consequences cuz iand'm living day to day
so who are you to comment about me and my ways.
i get my attitude from living and i never forget
you got to be the illest brother just to claim respect!
