Tony D – Listen To Me Brother lyrics

[Verse One:?]
Listen to me brother, so we can discover
Why they will not play this
Their minds are enslaved with, this commercial style
But meanwhile rap is exiled
Off of the radio, not on the playlist
No rotation, so listen when I'm statin that
This style, may not sell many units
It's just to protect the rep of our music
We gave birth to the sound of the 90's
And most of you who sing, can't deny me
That rap rhythm, now makes you a livin
But who will listen to the rhyme that's given?
What do you fear most, about the sound that we're teachin
To tell the truth is my reasonin
Seems to me that the radio should play the truth
To enlighten, today's black youth
Cause your education's not teachin them
It only weakens them, and they rebel to violence
I can not be silent, kick the petty rhyme
Pick up my royalty check and keep slimin
As if there was nothin wrong, this indeed
Is a sell-out, and that is not the way I go out
I was put here to give enlightenment
But there are some who want to change my writin
Into somethin which I can not be
A sell-out mc, let me be free
To do what I do best without all the preachin
Yo Tone - why can't we teach them?

[Chorus:]
Listen to me brother... Yo this is for the children
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]
Listen to me brother... It's strictly for the kids
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]

[Verse Two:?]
Yo "radio" black radio
Pull their rap out, for fear of a whiteout
They sellout like suckers and come from out their position
Fear the man on the mission but didn't bother to listen for
Lessons instead, you let the critics discriminate
Put a twelve on the 12 but still you don't let it rotate
You're prime time, just another rhyme I can dance so
I loaded my lyrics and then I pumped them like ammo

Through the heart of the ghetto it's time that they know the truth
Rap music is television to mind of black youth but
The system's corrupt, they watch us all self-destruct
Instead of knowledge of self, they teach to sell-out for wealth
So take 'em back to your army, that [?] outsell
P. E. Knew the time, Chuck D would fight and rebel
Follow the Minister entered to teach a lesson to all
Yo the suckers won't play this cause this is yo' "Final Call", so

[Chorus:]
Listen to me brother... Dj's stop sleepin
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]
Listen to me brother... Program director, wake up
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]

[Tony D]
(Tell them!) Yo "radio" give me some airplay
If rap was a golf course, that'd be the fair/fareway
And we'd run through the charts like Herschell
But daytime's only for commercial
Material, man who you tellin?
Despite the lack of play we're still sellin
More, units, than ever before
Flyin in and out of your record store
It's hip-hop, stronger than ever
Ain't no stoppin us now, the time is never
Thanks to you and your lack of promotion
... There's been a video explosion
Four o'clock kids be glued to the tv
You think they're tuned to you? Man, believe me
They're not - eyes are fixed to the cable
As of now forget the turntable
Until late at night when you might hear a rap show
Thirty-five and down be tuned to the flow
As your daytime dull [?] pleases the old heads
I'll be coolin with the kids and the dreas, so

[Chorus:]
Listen to me brother... Yo it's here to stay
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]
Listen to me brother... Rap will never die
Listen to me brother... [Chuck D: "suckers never play me"]

[Ad libbed Chuck D scratches to fade]