[Soul sample cut]
"You might wanna say it" Testing "O, Ya got to understand"
[Chorus:]
"what ya gotta" speak the truth for real
"you might want to say ?" "you got to understand"
We trying to tell you the deal from our perspective
The J5 collective will wreck cuz you
"You got to understand" keep it together and try
"you might want to say ?" but you "you got to understand"
We're more than meets the third eye, words fly
Reppin' from the bird's eye view
[Akil:]
I ain't hating I just heard better
Up the ante on the game and apply the pressure
Understand I was a fan
Before I was a member of your favorite rap band
Understand that I'm still a fan
[Soup:]
And you can keep playing after the fact
Related to the game and came after crack
Cuz every nigga I know is out ta get a plaque
So why you wanna go and do that, huh?
[Chali 2na:]
I don't know man cuz we see fiends who dream c.r.e.a.m
Reppin' the west through special effects and green screens
And it seems you need to be the one to flash that cannon
Or sign the autographs till the last cat's standing
[Marc 7even:]
Brother pass that action, and your trashin' is real
Your only way of coming up is probably inking a deal
While your thinking the skills, some are thinking the mills
In a never-ending quest ta get the house on the hill
AND THAT'S REAL
[Chorus]
[Akil:]
I need some understanding in this world between me and my girl
She want the diamonds and the pearls to be a part of my world
Twenty four-sev, but love don't pay the rent
So love me when I'm home and cherish the moment
[Chali 2na:]
Uh-Huh
Cuz some of you women are men's mirrors
I know some women who dodge balls like Ben Stiller
Please understand, it's not to offend or seem bitter
But every queen, need a king wit her
[Soup: singing]
Ms. Thing I don't know, but ever I leave you ready to go
My Momma told me about how it flow
But I didn't wanna listen but she told me so
Now if it ever came to the bank account
Who'd ya pack ya things and get up and bounce
These the type of things that I be thinking about
To all my other fellas "you got to understand"
[Chorus]
[Chali 2na:]
And all the times I tried ta do ?what this wanna god do?
It's cuz I see the world from the Artist eye view
You live life the next part is you die, too
And there's no one on this earth it doesn't apply to
[Soup:]
Now that's true, cuz every single day I live
I'm obligated just ta say it like it T-I is
And I ain't gon talk about no cat whose decision is poor
Trust me man my hand is just as dirty as yours
[Marc 7even:]
Either they like you, or they hype you, it's a cycle
Choices that we make in the vi-tal
Cuz in the blink of an eye it can all go awry
And the next man will quickly take your title
[Akil:]
Yeah, between me and myself and all of these things
Understanding is a theme when we doing our thing
From the job to my queen and chasing my dream
The whole world needs a little understanding
[Chorus: w/ad-libs from Akil]
[cut sample until fade]