[Hook: MeLa Machinko w/ ad libs] In my heart and in my mind I'm gon' win, in due time Show me the way, give me a sign And I'm gon' shine, I'm gon' shine I'm gon' shine, I'm gon' shine I'm gon' shine, I'm gon' shine I'm gon' shine, I'm gon' shine I'm gon' shine, I'm gon' shine [Verse 1: Pharoahe Monch] Look man, do not get my block pissed, we'll blast your brain Two hundred thousand dollar whips and chains Crooked cops, Crips, crack cocaine 2Pac, Chris, I'm still feelin the pain Seven year old girl, shot and slain? What does it all mean? We go insane In the struggle, the stress make him asthmatic We're I'm from, we do not eat organic (talk about it) You see my mama can not afford Whole Foods She break fast for the bread, call it soul food Where I come from... let it breathe Where I come from, no one runs when funds run low in lump sums We chose to dump dumb dumb but live dunn dunn We livin hum drum in the slums Where scum conceal stun guns The words mum for fun son Conundrums, AIN'T PRETTY! In this cess pool called New York Shitty I call it that cause it smell like SHIT! Walk around hunchbacked or you might get hit (talk about it) I knew a nigga sold crack to his moms That same motherfucker sold crack to his kid Lookin like three hundred comin back from his bid Like "Pharoahe, let's get this money for real" [Hook: w/ ad libs] [Verse 2: Pharoahe Monch] He said "Pharoahe, let's get this money up" What the fuck, what you need me to holla at Steve Rifkin? Hit him, "Escape from New York" like Snake Plissken I told you from the gate that you needed more marketing And these major labels are not listenin Stood in a B boy stace, teeth glistenin From the gold in his mouth, the summer breeze was whistlin I contemplated my retort, eyes fixed in On a crucifix around his neck, I guess he was Christian Just then, the police siren had pitched in To the soundtrack of the hood, so I spoke with conviction Spoke as if I was 6'10" with thick skin Put a little bass in my voice like pitchmen Cause where I come from Where I come from, we all come from Sky, moon, the stars, the Earth and Sun Multiple skin tones, your blood is one The pen is the ammo to my automatic gun Bring to fruition what I write to get me out of the slums And I'm a shine, sh-sh-shine, shine, shine Shine like the Sun, the world is mine Each line of speech designed to transcend time And reach, the unborn to transform your mind And I'm a shine, shine [Hook: w/ ad libs] [Outro: Pharoahe Monch] Now New York if ya in the house and ya turnin it out Without a doubt, know what I'm talkin about Just scream and shout and everybody say Sh-sh-sh-shine, shine, shine Now Detroit with the funky beats, gettin wild in the street See the mark of the beast, say fuck the police What up X? Shine, sh-sh-sh-shine, shine, shine Chi-town with the funky sound, soul by the pound Just get on down with the w-w-woo! w-w-whoa! Say sh-sh-sh-shine, shine, shine West coast, side with the most Holdin your toast, ya brag, ya boast What the,.. what the whoa! Everybody say, sh-sh-sh-shine, shine, shine Dirty, ah ah, dirty (ya know) (2x) Dirty, ah ah, dirty (come on) (4x) I say, sh-sh-shine, shine, shine