[Chorus]
What does it mean to be UNDERGROUND?
It means you gotta be free to be UNDERGROUND
Yo, you got your own key when you're UNDERGROUND
If you're listening to me yo you UNDERGROUND

[Verse One]
It's time that I open with a thunder sound
Now look around your own town for the UNDERGROUND
Yo, you rhymin for the TV, or a million CD's?
You ain't a MC, you ain't UNDERGROUND
You could be platinum or gold, hot or cold
But it's the respect you hold that's UNDERGROUND
When the critics don't get, that for the streets you spit it
When your lyric they fear, that's UNDERGROUND

[Chorus]

[Verse Two]
Yo, white kids, black kids, skinny kids, fat kids
Them Asian cats be UNDERGROUND
Chicanos, Palestinians, Milanos, fuck the Lone Ranger
Where's Tanto? That's UNDERGROUND
Freddie Foxxx, Blackalicious, Kweli
M.O.P., GangStarr that's UNDERGROUND
Mad Lion, Smif-N-Wessun, Buckshot
Armageddeon T.S. that's UNDERGROUND, UHH!

[Chorus]

[Verse Three]
Yo, the t'cha returns, I told y'all I went to Cali to learn
And that shit was UNDERGROUND
If the cops be eyein you, cause survive is what you try to do
Yo I'm wit you, you UNDERGROUND
If it's justice you want, and you protest the ice they flaunt
You want skills that's UNDERGROUND
Yo it's not about a rugger rapper, or an actor
It's about your subject matter that's UNDERGROUND
LOOK!

[Chorus]

[Verse Four]
Chevonne Dean from Ruff Ryders, all the Outsiderz
Young Zee, that's UNDERGROUND
When all your money's spent, and you're still hangin on
to 50 Cent (get it) you UNDERGROUND
When you rep the collective consciousness of hip-hop
Not hip-pop, you UNDERGROUND
Yo it ain't about jewels, bitches and cars
It's about Nas, that's UNDERGROUND, yo!

[Chorus]

[Verse Five]
To be underground simply means that you're down
for the struggle, get 'em up, that's UNDERGROUND
You could be a classy lady or a whore
But if you protest the war, for sure, you UNDERGROUND
If the government can't see you, or deceive you
You love your people, believe you UNDERGROUND
If you refuse to play the game, you go against the grain
You ridin the train, you UNDERGROUND - get it!

[Chorus]

[Verse Six]
Yo, yo, that blast from the past, like Grandmaster Caz
Bam and Flash, that's UNDERGROUND
Doug E. Fresh, Lord Finesse, KRS
If you listenin to this you UNDERGROUND
Turn it up now KRS about to show you how
They go wow, BLAOW for the UNDERGROUND
Mr. Walt, Evil Dee, KRS, BDP
Kenny P, that's UNDERGROUND - do it!

[Chorus]

[KRS-One]
(Alright!) Turn it up ah, turn it up ah
Turn it up ah, turn it up ah
Turn it up ah, turn it up ah
Turn it up if you UNDERGROUND - LISTEN!