Lyrics of 'Self Sufficient' by R. Kelly

(Cause it's better to have money and not to need it
than to need it and not to have it
and there's a good place in this world for money, yes sirie
and I know where it is, it's right here in my pocket
- Hey, gimme some
- You're talkin' just like a pimp
...
- Answer him, answer him
- I don't get mad at people like that
You know why? Cause he's a revolutionary)

[ VERSE 1: Key-Kool (patterned after Ice Cube's "Gangsta Gangsta" verse) ]
Here's a little somethin' 'bout a MC like me
Dropped "Kosmonauts" and "Galleries" independently
Key-Kool, I likes to say
That I'm a fresh lyricist from around the way
Since I was a youth, a straight b-boy
Now I'm takin' out all the sucker decoys
Flippin' a rhyme or two, that's what the hell I do
You don't like how I'm livin', well ( *scratch* ) you
This is hip-hop and I'm in it
My man Rhett will cut you up in a minute
With a cut, stab ( ? ) so (funky)
And then he blames his crew the Beat Junkies
Everywhere we go they say (damn)
Visionaries is ( *scratch* ) up the program
And then you realize that we all care
For those who just don't know we're throwin' V's in the air
And keep makin' straight up (sh...)
Does it look like I have to make a hit?
To a major label that wanna sign me
Rap ain't nothin' but a way to make money
But I'm the type of MC that's built to last
If you wanna pimp me I put my foot in your ass
See, I don't give a ( *scratch* ) how many records you're sellin'
Yo, what the ( *scratch* ) are they yellin?

Make money money, make money money money
Make money money, make money money money

( *Rhettmatic cuts up* )
(Self sufficient, independent) --> D-Nice
(It's not about) (reality) --> KRS-One
(It's all about) (a salary)
(Self sufficient, independent)
(I just get down and I go for mine) --> Erick Sermon
(Self sufficient, independent)
(But now I learn to earn cause I'm righteous) -->Rakim
(Self sufficient, independent)

[ VERSE 2: Key-Kool ]
Just like King Midas, as I was told
In this rappin' Olympics fools are rushin' for gold
With or without cold, better change your mold
Tryin' to be down with dough on the yellow brick road
Wizard of Oz complex is goin' for the riches
No heart, no brain, cowardly loss to the bitches
Too weak to lead, so they're followin'
Week-kneed MC's now only suck to swallowin'
Fallin' in the trap of big money crap
The only real big baller who started rappin' is Shaq
They act large but it's evident
You only make minimum percent unless you're the president
I'm on self-empowerment, so others'll pay me rent
And I can control my artistic intentions
Make investments, count all my blessings
See the Age of Aquarius, a fifth dimension
Comprehension like Babu
Dynamic like the Duo, it's the two you know
Key-Kool and Rhettmatic always come well equipped
And like a club in Manila we'll make your whole party flip

( *Rhettmatic cuts up* )
(Self sufficient, independent) --> D-Nice
(It's not about) (reality) --> KRS-One
(It's all about) (a salary)
(Self sufficient, independent)
(I just get down and I go for mine) --> Erick Sermon
(Self sufficient, independent)
(But now I learn to earn cause I'm righteous) -->Rakim
(Self sufficient, independent)
(The rap race will be lost without a trace) --> D-Nice
(Self sufficient, independent)