[Intro: Yasiin Bey]
Brilliance
Nice, nice levels
Thank you Mr. Taxton
Fix up, look sharp, yo
[Verse 1: Yasiin Bey]
I resolve, me and mine involved
A lot of cats talk live, they ain’t live at all
Sideline check, hush when it’s time to ball
Said you was charged an' all, I’m surprised at y'all
You could have a thousand rhymes, a thousand dimes
The house to shine, coupes on the routes recline
Be on Greenwich Mean, Beech Street, or Mountain time
But weigh it up, duke – your pound ain’t a ounce of mine
You’re down for mine, ashy and ground for mine
Yasiin so clear, true, pronounce divine
Pull down the blinds, shade them out or shine
Everything from Bangkok to Bucktown is mine
Say Black Star, great things sprout the mind
Full moons and starry nights, new life and true light
Desert flames and ancient names, cinematic classic frames
Beautiful and fantastic things
Like peace, equality; Allah see everything
Don’t call it a comeback, I was home anyway
Ain’t mister measure for all any time we been away
Travelling man I carry home with me every day
Bey, slim body push heavy weight
Fix up look sharp, elevate
And I don’t mean Copperfield or David Blaine
We on solid ground and far above the clouds, Black Star
[Verse 2: Talib Kweli]
The wait is over, or is it overweight
The game is bloated, there’s no escape
They sub-standard, we substantial
We got the great names, they got the love handles
We slimming down, trim the fat
Sit it down with all that chitter-chat
You talking this and that—simmer down
Got my name in your mouth, spit it out, son
The music so powerful, use it to see the parallels
I could make it rain but I make it plainer than Malcolm does
Black Star, baby powder fresher than the talcum, yup
People charged up, yup, we good with or without the plug
You doubted us, but you’re still hating – wow, I’m proud of ya!
Committed to your cause and it’s caused you to be a sourpuss
Ain’t a number that could measure your level of cowardice
You Power Puff, you pale in comparison, don’t get out enough
Turn up the motherfuckers, the speakers ain't nearly loud enough
Black Star rocking it, Chaka would be proud of us
You had enough, callous as shallow and narrow-mindedness
Preparing for the battle, the shadows is where you finding us
You tryna bust – you dead, you synthetic as a designer drug
The populace is ignorant, thank you for reminding us
Separate myself from these rappers who hustle backwards
Yup, they got zero property, like the laws of algebra
[Hook]
Fix up look sharp
Black Star, good God
And when the sky look dark
Shine a light, look ahead, look up
[Verso 3]
Malcolm X and Marley Marl, the word of God, the works of art
(Portraits of the brain and other unexplained phenomenon)
Shut down Babylon (Smash all automaton)
Feel the beat (Got 'em feeling geeked like it's Comic-Con)
Far from the hardy-har (more like a Tomahawk)
Rocket launch, Ali right cross knock they choppers off
(Kweli and Mr. Bey) Fresh not from concentrate
Looking very sharp today (Thank you brother, Danke Schoen)
Craft working more than German engineering
(And all the frequency that don't adhere to interference)
Flashes of the spirit (Seekers of the clearing)
They say that the tongue is the mirror of the heart so mirror mirror
(Look, in that window is a freedom fighter’s grandson)
Fixed up looking sharp, automatic handgun
Look, parade, caravan (Diplomat, degenerate)
Messiah (Pariah) The leader of the syndicate
(Peace treaty written in) loophole penmanship
(Same rows, two sides) Palaces and tenements
Dispossessed native tongue noble open the lonely heart
(Peel apart) Come together (Come together) peel apart, come together
