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 flippin' on kids

and the people in his neighborhood are flippin' 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