Boogie Down Productions - You Must Learn

Just like I told you, you must learn It's calm yet wild, the style that I speak Just filled with facts And you will never get weak in the heart In fact you'll start to illuminate Knowledge to others in a song Let me demonstrate the force of knowledge Knowledge reigned supreme The ignorant is ripped to smithereens What do you mean when you say I'm rebellious 'Cause I don't accept everything that you're telling us What are you selling us, the creator dwellin' us I sat in your unknown class while you're failin' us I failed your class 'cause I ain't worth your reasoning You're trying to make me you by seasoning Up my mind with see Jane run See John walk in a hardcore New York It doesn't exist, no way, no how It seems to me that in a school that's ebony African history should be pumped up steadily But it's not and this has got to stop See Spot run, run get Spot Insulting to a black mentality, a black way of life Or a jet-black family, so I conclude with one concern That you must learn (Chorus): Just like I told you, you must learn Just like I told you, you must learn I believe that if you're teaching history Filled with straight-up facts, no mystery Teach the student what needs to be taught 'Cause black and white kids both take shots When one doesn't know about the other one's culture Ignorance swoops down like a vulture 'Cause you don't know that you ain't just a janitor No one told you about Benjamin Banneker A brilliant black man that invented the almanac Can't you see where KRS is coming at With Eli Whitney, Haile Selassie Grand Bill Woods made the walkie-talkie Lewis Latterman improved on Edison Charles Drew did a lot for medicine Garrett Morgan made the traffic lights Harriet Tubman freed the slaves at night Madame CJ Walker made a straightenin' comb But you won't know this if you weren't shown The point I'm gettin' at, it might be harsh 'Cause we're just walkin' around brainwashed So what I'm sayin' is not to diss a man We need the 89 school system One that caters to a black return Because you must learn (Chorus)