The Illest Brother

(album: Daily Operation - 1992)

[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 it's time to get wreck
Got to be the illest brother when I get my mic check

I'm one of the illest brothers known to man
but if you don't understand, see I'm a grown man
And I stand 5'8" and 3 quarters
giving orders to my sqaudron cuz I'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
I'll put you down about the brothers who think they're the boss
think they're getting large but in the end they pay the cost
Of their lives and that ain't the way to go out
even take their boys with 'em cause they know their boys will go out
But when it comes to facing some time
they'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 who's to judge when you're trying to survive
the one who moves first might be the one to stay alive
So when you think you're hard and dominating the set
just remember the illest brother claims respect!

Like I said I'm an ill kid, so never dare test me
they wanna arrest me cuz I'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 Imma' 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 it's a hard climb
But even if you change and come right and exact
there'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
He'd pick up the heater and go stick somebody
he wouldn't give a damn if he killed somebody
Cuz if somebody would get in the way of him getting loot
there'd be no hesitation he'd just shoot
It's like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
except it's reality and you don'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, he's got a rifle to stifle
any young punk, he hides it under his bunk
And I know a kid who's been to jail
and he told me that the system had failed him
So now he's out the joint and he's like flipping on kids
and the people in his neighborhood are flipping their wigs
But you gotta check the move cuz there's a reason
a method to the madness and you know what I'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
I'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 can't hang ha
You're making me vexed but yeah you can go next
just remember the illest brother claims respect

[Chorus repeat]

Yo money don't front you know you blew your chance
and now it's my turn so Imma' take command
Cuz I'm like the one who's got all the juice
I always get loose I got the balls to reduce your crew
Very easily I got more ammo
I'm like the ill kid the psycho man yo
Cuz now I'm past the point and I ain't gonna return
and when it comes to your destruction I ain't really concerned
About the consequences cuz I'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.