When I came out with my first rap jam
I had no idea that the record would slam
It did real good without radio play
Maybe at night but no airplay in the day

I couldn't understand why to be exact
Our music was good and I was far from whack
Then came the answer, commercial was the key
To get airplay and a spot on TV

Like Ed Lover and Doctor Dre from Yo, MTV Raps
A show, mainly for the black
And still we can't ill, 'cause to them that's wrong
Cause like P.E. said, we're too black and too strong

But hey, what can I say?
Brothers and sisters, that's a price a rapper must pay

Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

[Incomprehensible]
Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

As airwaves collapse rap shows at a standstill
Some racial circuits the frequencies can't handle
The funk tracks produced by EPMD
But it's a fat jam, that will never win a Grammy

Unless we sellout and kill the black movement dead
Which means swallow our pride and become flunkies instead
And stop the rap about freedom, thoughts of a black president
And rap about a black crack, the mayor in our residence

Give me a break brothers, it's time to take a stand
And kill that, "No sir, yes sir, and thank you, ma'am"
'Cause the word is a luxury a black man can't afford
That's why poverty's on the rise and we still ignored

And it's a setback and yet the clock still ticks
And if we let it, rap would be run by politics
I read it somewhere that every man's created equal
But not in this day and age, maybe in the sequel

Which means next time, so observe these rhymes
And take a stand and go for yours cause I'm going for mine
That's why I

Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

[Incomprehensible]
Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

Why is that when wrong is done by the black
It's blown out of proportion and immediately attacked?
By the press and yes, conflict is caused
By the kids at concerts who bum rush the doors

One child gets hurt, the press gets pesty
But what about the Beatles, G, and Elvis Presley
Same stuff was rough, rap does not cause violence
So fight the power and make them understand
But too much power and you might get banned

So if you want airplay
You can't be too black and hey
Watch what you say, but ayo

Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

[Incomprehensible]
Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen

[Incomprehensible]
Got to give the people
Ladies and Gentlemen
Give the people what they want
Ladies and Gentlemen