Boogie Down Productions Follow

When some get together and think of rap
They tend to think of violence
But when they are challenged on some rock group
The result is always silence

Even before the rock and roll era
Violence played a big part in music
It's all according to your meaning of violence
And how or in which way you use it

No, it's not violent to show in movies
The destruction of the human body
But yes, of course it's violent
To protect yourself at a party

And, oh no, it's not violent
When under the Christmas tree is a look-alike gun
But, yes, of course it's violent
To have an album like KRS-One

By all means necessary
It's time to end the hypocrisy
What I call violence, I can't do
But your kind of violence is stopping me

By all means necessary
The rap audience must grow up
The same type of fightin' we do
They do except we've got nothing to blow up

It doesn't matter if you win or lose
It's only how good you play the game
This is the oldest sneak attack
Because it takes away our senses to gain

If all I do is play the game
Then I am just mediocre
We strive to be the best we can be
Not to just get over

Some people say that life on a whole
Is serious and nothing is funny
That's only if you base your life around
Competition and money

Yeah, I'm making some money
He's making some money
But none of these things are necessities

What I find to be a necessity is controlling a positive destiny
With this, money, fame, glory and credit will come in time
The people down with me know this
Every minute they hear me sayin' rhymes

I got some friends, I got some allies
Like Stet and Big Daddy Kane
They know that by all means necessary
That peace is the name of this game

Whether peace by war, or peace by peace
The reality of peace is scary
But we must get there, one way or another
By all means necessary