(Verse 1) In South Minneapolis, born and raised, on Nintendo is where I spent most of my days, playin' videogames, and watchin' Nickelodeon, imagination racin' out my mind, nothin' could hold it in, I was a silly kid, makin' up some comic books, drawin' pictures daily, askin' people if they wanna look, never got into fights, wasn't into violent livin', kept my nose clean, readin' Goosebumps books and science fiction, grapplin' with life, thirteen years as a wrestler, never fooled around with girls, but they were great friends to love, always wondered what it would be like to have a romance, pipe dreams for me, I never got to know that, got by anyway, tried to make something out of everyday, dreamed of havin' success and ultimately gettin' fame, I liked crackin' jokes, makin' people laugh and smile, validation, but I still felt empty inside half the time, though (Chorus 1) So, when I look at my life, I think about, everything that made me and what I found, who I am and what it is I represent, this music right here I make is evident, the spark inside keeps me rhymin' as I battle, and travel, over the horizon, the future's still in front o' me, the end has yet to come for me (Verse 2) See, I was born in the 80's, grew up in the 90's, came of age in the new millennium, lookin' back at what's behind me, when I was young, I put my clothes backwards like Kris Kross, and listened to the cookie cutter hip hop all the kids want, but long after the days of Ice and Hammer, my brother reintroduced me to rap the same time as Napster, thousands of songs in a computer folder, got me pretty heavily invested, ingested all of the culture, over time got into the mainstream and the underground, I loved the sounds, kept an open mind to all that was around, went back in time to pick up all of the classic rhymes, studyin' the history, how could I leave the past behind, decided myself that I should pick up the microphone, started to write some songs, as I tried to flow, little did I know that it would become my biggest passion, expressin' myself now, through the gift of rappin' (Chorus 1) So, when I look at my life, I think about, everything that made me and what I found, who I am and what it is I represent, this music right here I make is evident, the spark inside keeps me rhymin' as I battle, and travel, over the horizon, the future's still in front o' me, the end has yet to come for me (Verse 3) Startin' off, my rappin' used to embarrass my parents, and people around didn't understand why I cherished this art, a bunch o' teenagers goin' through phases, criticizin' Chris's rhymin' 'cause he's Caucasian, ironic, 'cause they were prob'ly bumpin' Slim Shady, and a few years later were ravin' 'bout Sean Daley, but that's okay because I didn't wanna live in a, stereotypical mold that most kids fit into, but the man who stands here today's not the same person that he once was because I've changed in spades, evolving instead of revolving, it's great, but hard to explain to those who don't ever stray, slowly but willingly I explored a world of new possibilities and found myself again through the hostilities, now I look at the future ahead and try to build, and will, until the day that I am killed (Chorus 1) So, when I look at my life, I think about, everything that made me and what I found, who I am and what it is I represent, this music right here I make is evident, the spark inside keeps me rhymin' as I battle, and travel, over the horizon, the future's still in front o' me, the end has yet to come for me (Chorus 2) Yeah, 'cause when I look at my life, I think about, everything that made me and what I found, who I am and what it is I represent, this music right here I make is evident, the spark inside keeps me rhymin' as I battle, and travel, over the horizon, the future's still in front o' me, the end has yet to come for me (Outro) We'll see

(Intro) Yo, man, I don't really think that people know what I'm about, like, what I do, I'm just kind of bored with everything in general, you know, bored with life, bored with people, I'm just tryin' to do my own thing, you know, show people something different, like here, check this out, yo (Chorus) I am hip hop, no doubt, the future lives inside of my mouth, my ears catch the rhythm as it walks by, and when I open up, this is what I talk like, so let's go, go, let's flow, flow, I am the arbiter of my soul, when it comes to stoppin', I don't, no, so until the beat does, I won't (Verse 1) Jensen, from the new school like a Freshman, but passed the test and graduated to a veteran, learned the lesson, but I still ask questions, takin' it step by step in the direction of what's destined, a real hip hop head, just check out my collection, real hip hop's dead, it needs a resurrection, so fuck doin' it blandly, I'm uncanny like the X-Men, and session after session's a reflection of expression, a new kind o' rhymer, designed a mind of invention, to use while I write up the lines inside of each sentence, revvin' like an engine with a heaven-like ascension, yeah, I guess I'm just a dreamer, I walk in the clouds like Bespin, I reach for what I want, but my arm lacks the extension, but continues to lengthen as I grow with progression, I imagine like Lennon, so, all these raps that I'm pennin' are my credo to the people, from beginnin' to the endin' (Chorus) I am hip hop, no doubt, the future lives inside of my mouth, my ears catch the rhythm as it walks by, and when I open up, this is what I talk like, so let's go, go, let's flow, flow, I am the arbiter of my soul, when it comes to stoppin', I don't, no, so, until the beat does, I won't (Verse 2) Wannabes ain't scary, seen about as much crime as Mayberry, they're underground for a reason, they should stay buried, fake rappers ain't passin' a lie detector, sellin' wolf tickets like they're scalpin' at the Target Center, what you're sayin' is quite clear, I can see through it, and you keep recyclin' trash like the Green movement, most of these Hollywood rappers used to be tighter, but now they only flip the script if it comes from a screenwriter, I'm all for branchin' out like trees and doin' something different, but it doesn't come with ease, so use a little thinkin', 'cause what you gonna do if both careers fizzle out, might o' been a lot smarter to charter a single route, on a big screen but can't see the big picture, now you're just fodder for some hungry up-and-coming kid's dinner, I'll stick you cash cows with a cattle prod 'til the brand you got's more hot, because your rap is not (Chorus) I am hip hop, no doubt, the future lives inside of my mouth, my ears catch the rhythm as it walks by, and when I open up, this is what I talk like, so let's go, go, let's flow, flow, I am the arbiter of my soul, when it comes to stoppin', I don't, no, so, until the beat does, I won't (Verse 3) We're like a telephone keypad, a star next to a zero, but rhymin' ain't like dialin', I don't text it to people, I never phone it in, I'm in your face live, there's no limit 'cause the road to riches ain't got interstate signs, posers and fake kids need to fall back like daylight savings, it might extend your fifteen minutes of fame if you wanna be famous for a little bit longer than just a dayshift, put in more work, the hip hop game is being cheated on by a bunch o' players, I put together words like Scrabble chips, but it won't be a bored game if I'm innovative with these raps I flip, sprayin' art from my mouth like graffiti, magical when I come out like a genie with sounds on a CD, individualistic, I'm proud just to be me, C.M.J., speak and say things with every ounce of my being, because (Chorus) I am hip hop, no doubt, the future lives inside of my mouth, my ears catch the rhythm as it walks by, and when I open up, this is what I talk like, so let's go, go, let's flow, flow, I am the arbiter of my soul, when it comes to stoppin', I don't, no, so, until the beat does, I won't (Chorus) I am hip hop, no doubt, the future lives inside of my mouth, my ears catch the rhythm as it walks by, and when I open up, this is what I talk like, so let's go, go, let's flow, flow, I am the arbiter of my soul, when it comes to stoppin', I don't, no, so, until the beat does, I won't

(Verse 1) She felt insignificant like a teardrop in an ocean, tryin' to convey every thought and emotion in the confines of her Facebook status, but there weren't enough characters for her sadness, face sort o' ugly, not to mention bumpy, her body kind o' chubby, and she wasn't really funny, she thought to herself this is what the problem is, she lacked self-esteem, but not self-consciousness, didn't have allure but she fished for compliments, anything to bolster her confidence, caked up in makeup, she stuffed her a-cups, tryin' to shake up her life and get a taste of what she pictured when her eyes were closed, she always thought there'd be more highs than lows, but when she stripped away her designer clothes, she still wasn't able to find her soul (Chorus) She was the girl with no face, hard to know where you are with no place, hard to like something with no taste, hard to get somewhere without a road traced, she was the girl with no face, hard to go at full pace, hard to shake her own angst, it's sometimes hard to find your own way (Verse 2) Hard to pull her own weight with all the baggage and a rickshaw, so her attitude was piss poor, how could things get any worse than before, they couldn't, she wouldn't ever get what she wished for, withdrew, and bought her clothes at a thrift store, dyed her hair blue, before she colored it orange, separated herself from the popular kids, and so she was labeled as alternative, and sometimes emo, sometimes freak, sometimes weirdo, sometimes geek, she was called everything but her own name, so she hung her head like a gold chain with a green stain, a fake, a phony, so unreal, so she made up her mind, it was a done deal, ran away from home and she didn't look back, and hurled herself off o' the tracks just like that (Chorus) She was the girl with no face, hard to know where you are with no place, hard to like something with no taste, hard to get somewhere without a road traced, she was the girl with no face, hard to go at full pace, hard to shake her own angst, it's sometimes hard to find your own way (Verse 3) On the road she was still just another, she was everybody's lover even though none of 'em loved her, any friends she made were simply acquaintances, frustrated with everything led to her anxiousness, so young, so dumb, and so precarious, a head full of problems and no one to play therapist, her life was a joke, but nothin' was hilarious, as the years went by, it just got more embarrassin', now in her late twenties, just waitin' to be dead, stressed and strung out, life hangin' from a thread, mind lost like a needle in a haystack, so she couldn't sew together all the pieces of her brain back, devoured by her own insecurities, digested and wasted in obscurity, 'cause some never find what they're searchin' for, and some endings aren't happy when the curtain falls (Chorus) She was the girl with no face, hard to know where you are with no place, hard to like something with no taste, hard to get somewhere without a road traced, she was the girl with no face, hard to go at full pace, hard to shake her own angst, it's sometimes hard to find your own way

(Intro: Christopher Michael Jensen & Andre Lipsey) Chris: Yeah, dude, I'm tellin' you, dude, I'm tellin' you, we'll just go on the track, you ready for this Andre: Of course Chris: Ha ha ha ha ha Andre: Uh, yeah, this one feels like the homestretch Chris: Yeah, man Andre: Uh, Andre Lipsey, the North Star in it Chris: And I'm Chris, huh, yeah, yo (Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) I'm feelin' good, tryin' to fight the bad days off, 'cause I'm dyin' to wipe the sad face off, everyday, like the sun, I'm risin', I get down like the ground, eyes set on horizons, past glories of my youth eclipse the shinin', but a voice keeps ringin' in my ears like Verizon, it's the part of me that knows that I can do better, got a college degree, now I just need a new venture, pronto, rhymes stronger than Samson, a killer with this jawbone, a lyrical champion, that's the fighter in me, stressed to be the best, I battle for respect and the press that it gets, am I a hungry artist or just starved for attention, feels like I'm lookin' for the start at the endin', but I'ma work it out like a jumpin' jack, and carry the weight until it busts my back, 'cause (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Andre Lipsey) Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon, I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon (Verse 2: Andre Lipsey) Uh, Apolo Ohno smooth on the syllables, C.M.J. and Dre, man, get a clue, we headed for that first letter, uh, I mean number, my eyes are redder than Phelps out the swimmin' pool, but you can guess where I'm headed to, watch a north star rise up to the top pedestal, better get ya rep up, respect, get it, dude, I never trade my goal for a check when I check the two, you gotta keep what you grind and you grit for, otherwise, it's like what you do this shit for, a real winner, I grind up from piss poor with his people in mind when it's time to get more, so, uh, you can just bet I'll make the first move whenever there's projectiles fired into the air to see who's the best, I'm winnin', another hit, Maurer, Twinnin' (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Andre Lipsey) Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon, I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen) A caffeine fiend, high off o' fructose, sugared bloodstreams keep the mind in a loophole, I chill out and get lost in a fantasy about pretty girls who make music and fancy me, sprinkle sand in my eyes, keep the dream goin', without a dose o' hope the soul keeps jonsin', but I'm awoken abruptly and I'm still in shock, so I treat each day like a building block, stack 'em one by one, use 'em as a staircase, lookin' up to such great heights, wonderin' how the air tastes, I stare face to face with my reflection, 'til one of us blinks, I can maintain direction, some say life's just a series of moments, each one different and it's how we approach it, the gold still glimmers and the blue is gorgeous, so I keep movin' towards it, 'cause (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Andre Lipsey) Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon, I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' Chris: I'm livin' Andre: I'm livin' my life, alright, and I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I'm winnin' Andre: I'm winnin' Chris: I go for the gold and the blue ribbon

(Verse 1) In a space and a time, where the days of our lives are faced with the angst and the pain and the cries that we're mad as hell and we're not gonna take it, some just feel that we're not gonna make it, everyone says that they're sick of the fake shit, even though many still love to take it, affectation for fabrication, ignorance is blissfulness for half the nation, to me the message is blatant, to change it, understand that there's no rest for the salient, I don't wanna be left on the pavement, but foes and woes are testin' my patience, society's ills get prescribed placebos, lies taste good if ya wanna eat those, but I find it hard to swallow the deceitful, spit up in the face of the hollow and the see through, everyone's lookin' for someone to preach to, but why would anyone come to their steeple, what is this, preschool, grow up, people, ya can't teach kids if there's no one to teach you, answers jammed in the keyhole, stuck in a rut, doors stay shut, trapped in a prequel, forward movement reduced to a read through, words spoken but not acted in the sequel, hard to achieve what we need to be equal, if we don't believe in the dream of the peaceful, ya can't fight back if ya lack what is needful, I speak on the beat which to me is an easel, a canvas to practice my tactics and speech through, speak to the people and lead by example, a candle to fan all the flames of my heroes, hold up my hands to the masses and be true (Chorus) We crawl, we walk, we run, we fight, we stop, we sit, we wait, goodnight, we do everything, then we don't do enough, so I'm askin', where will we end up, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, done, and done, and done, and done (Verse 2) The news is abused, skewin' the truth, a dude in a suit with a view that is used, instead of the facts, no integrity, fakes murderin' the journalism, it's pretend to me, reality check, what's real anymore, it seems like just what appeals to you more, no matter what, they won't let us be, so, how can the truth really set us free, there's nothin' better than science and logic, so, why is everyone tryin' to top it, the lies of a prophet, fool yourself again, why don't you just school yourself to think, with new intelligence we could accomplish more than before when the leaders abolished lesson plans, and medical research, but times are hard, these intellectuals need work, huh, yo, what a concept, but it's so big, like oh, what a project, but no, we can solve it, I hold onto hope, solutions danglin' like soap on a rope, I don't wanna choke, and be apathetic, I'm grown now, no time to be adolescent, the past is the present given to the future, the gift of hindsight to headlight our new world, but there's a war bein' waged amongst us, staged in our brains, keepin' change from the youngsters, groups are divided, recruits for the fightin', friends are seized, enemies bloomed from the mindsets, lines are drawn in the quicksand, all of us sinkin', communities fall out and disband, death of a dream, survival of the fittest, but if it's left up to me, I don't wanna live this (Chorus) We crawl, we walk, we run, we fight, we stop, we sit, we wait, goodnight, we do everything, then we don't do enough, so I'm askin', where will we end up, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, done, and done, and done, and done (Verse 3) I love what I do, and I love who I am, if I can't change the world, maybe this music can, maybe we can hang ten on a brainwave, and surf our way to the space age, 'cause we keep goin' in circles like a protractor, but I choose to move ahead, not go backwards, the human race has not been won yet, the finish line is inside, but where's the compass, stitchin' a flag from the fabric of time, so everyone that is alive can have it to fly, representing all the types, classrooms oughtta salute a globe instead o' stars and stripes, a world citizen, that's most important, if we drop the bullshit, we can focus on it, take our minds off o' the trivial nonsense, and talk about improvin' our minimal prospects, America, I love very much, that's why I care enough to criticize things that embarrass us, we need to stop gettin' caught in hysteria, and conflatin' patriotism with our arrogance, various characters disparage us, got me feelin' like the future is perilous, things keep scarin' us, roadblocks, barriers, set up in the front, but let's jump, I'm darin' ya, just take a leap and believe in humanity, we're the land of free, fuck the insanity, already chopped down the learning tree, time to plant new growth and disperse the seed, that's how you overcome adversity, that's how you weather the tides and turn the sea, hope the best has come when it's all said and done, but curious if I should even hold my breath and lungs (Chorus) We crawl, we walk, we run, we fight, we stop, we sit, we wait, goodnight, we do everything, then we don't do enough, so I'm askin', where will we end up, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, when it's all said and done, done, and done, and done, and done (Outro) And

(Intro) Hey, hey, man, can you, like, just, like change the effect, on the beat, like, ya know, yeah, yeah, there you go, uh, yeah (Verse 1) All I need is one mic, and two vocal cords, to go and expose my feelings like open sores, but the music is cathartic, so it helps to heal the pain, and reveal my brain's thoughts to all, when I feel insane, get it off my chest and share it with the globe, either that or carry it and keep it buried in my soul, my outlet of choice is the sound of my voice over beats that are poundin', get my frown to rejoice, this was born in the Bronx, adopted by the masses, formed on a block from chopped records and scratches, now I give my heart to this art like organ donors, stand on legacies of those passed like I'm on their corpses' shoulders, who said dancin' on a grave was disrespectful, I'll do it as a tribute, pop and lock on top o' headstones, no matter who dies, their spirit's always alive, so I R.I.P. the mic each time I rhyme (Chorus) Everybody all around the Earth, sing along to the song and just shout the words, and do it loud 'til your lungs collapse, dance 'til your spine gives out and ya hunch your back, when the beat comes on it's time to have fun, so make no mistake, I want everyone, to come unite and ignite the party, this song's for everybody (Verse 2) Yeah, ignite it like a matchstick, nicer than a cashed check, in your head it stays imbedded like it was a mattress, people come together like the first song on Abbey Road, and that alone speaks volumes like a catalogue, the power of love is greater than the round in a gun and more encompassing than the mushroom cloud from a scud, if we can taste blood, we can feel compassion, it's the twenty-first century, time for some action, 'cause we've come a long way from Neanderthals, risin' up, and standin' tall, rubbed together two sticks and started a flame that today still burns in the heart of the game, it's about progress and how it's evolved us, how that same flame shed some light on the darkness, bridges, extendin' over the ridges of difference, able to bring us together to lessen the distance (Chorus) Everybody all around the Earth, sing along to the song and just shout the words, and do it loud 'til your lungs collapse, dance 'til your spine gives out and ya hunch your back, when the beat comes on it's time to have fun, so make no mistake, I want everyone, to come unite and ignite the party, this song's for everybody (Verse 3) Hip hop is the language of the streets and the suburbs now, everybody wonders how, 'cause it's multicultural, it took a long time for that to be a true statement, but when it brought us together it led to different views changin', African and Caucasian, Middle Eastern and Asian, Indian, Latino, all people embrace it, breakin' down walls one at a time, so bring the chorus back, yeah, just come on and rhyme, sayin' (Chorus) Everybody all around the Earth, sing along to the song and just shout the words, and do it loud 'til your lungs collapse, dance 'til your spine gives out and ya hunch your back, when the beat comes on it's time to have fun, so make no mistake, I want everyone, to come unite and ignite the party, this song's for everybody (Interlude) Once more, come on (Chorus) Everybody all around the Earth, sing along to the song and just shout the words, and do it loud 'til your lungs collapse, dance 'til your spine gives out and ya hunch your back, when the beat comes on it's time to have fun, so make no mistake, I want everyone, to come unite and ignite the party, this song's for everybody (Outro) Got it

(Verse 1) The revolution won't be televised, it'll be on YouTube, independence representin' the essence of new youth, a little bit o' this, and a little bit o' that, people scratch their heads like vinyl, sampling each path, 'cause the puzzle's too big to think we got every piece, no one truly knows where we go when deceased, I lost my footing when I tried to take a stand, so I put things together the only way I can, religion says that ya need a deity, but I no longer believe them, I just believe in me, what you get out of life is more opinion than fact, what I choose to do, tell me, whose business is that, the next generation won't be disenfranchised, no allegiance to the vision in the man's eyes, push a weed whacker though the grassroots, built from the ground up, without the foundation of your castles (Chorus) This world that we're livin' in, never givin' in, bitterer than vinegar, so we can't taste the cinnamon, the old guard doesn't protect, so to hell with being ignorant, there's no time to be innocent, vexed, perplexed, depressed, brains riddled with Ritalin, anti-depressants, answering questions they quiz us with, I've tried to be direct, but there's too many middlemen, so, instead I'm connectin' the dots with a squiggle pen (Verse 2) Some look to a book written by human men, they say their eyes are opened but they blindly take their truth from them, and I used to embrace a faith that I was raised up with, but as I came of age I changed up things, 'cause the light I saw at the end of the tunnel was refracted, which led to a skewed point of view and reaction, so I had to reroute the passion, I can't keep goin' through the motions of this repetition, if faith was certain, it wouldn't be faith by definition, debated and related through interpretations and discussions, but the so called instructions before leaving earth are hardly basic if every holy text contains contradicting statements, so much love and common sense mixed with intolerance, yeah, I got a problem with (Chorus) This world that we're livin' in, never givin' in, bitterer than vinegar, so we can't taste the cinnamon, the old guard doesn't protect, so to hell with being ignorant, there's no time to be innocent, vexed, perplexed, depressed, brains riddled with Ritalin, anti-depressants, answering questions they quiz us with, I've tried to be direct, but there's too many middlemen, so, instead I'm connectin' the dots with a squiggle pen (Verse 3) There's meaning in the cracks if ya read between the lines, meaning underground if ya dig deep enough to find, life's like a movie, except with better actors and no plot, and half of us don't watch, tossed out the script, improvised the dialogue, maneuver through the Rubik's Cube while others sit inside a box, the common man ain't the wanted man, the ideas of those on the outside are treated like contraband, steppin' into ideological warfare, cultures clashin', all the masses torn there, the window to the answers is tinted, life's just a coin flip from the moment it's minted, if ya stare long enough into the void, eventually you're gonna see your own singular voice, and hear it, too, and some call that spiritual, but life is what you make it, it's all how it appears to you (Chorus) This world that we're livin' in, never givin' in, bitterer than vinegar, so we can't taste the cinnamon, the old guard doesn't protect, so to hell with being ignorant, there's no time to be innocent, vexed, perplexed, depressed, brains riddled with Ritalin, anti-depressants, answering questions they quiz us with, I've tried to be direct, but there's too many middlemen, so, instead I'm connectin' the dots with a squiggle pen

(Intro: Christopher Michael Jensen, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.) T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's in the buildin' Chris: Yeah T.O.N.E.: Yeah, yeah, Chris, what's good Chris: What's goin' on, Tony N Squared: Yo, N Squared, representin' St. Louis Park T.O.N.E.: It's T.O.N.E., got my T.C. fitted on, ha ha N Squared: Ha ha T.O.N.E.: Let's go (Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Yo, I'm Minnesota nice on the mic, the Minneapple is ripe, so I'm takin' a bite out o' life, venture to Uptown, travelin' Hennepin to pick up my musical medicine before the sun's down, a child of the Midwest, livin' without a care, who needed Six Flags when ya had a Valley Fair, plus Camp Snoopy, this damn loose leaf is full of Minnesota memories of the man you see, unravelin' the rhymes like a big ball o' twine, flow like the Missisip' with every intricate line, you can never have too much love like First Avenue, for the place you were raised and got family, too, Minnesota, we're the star of the north, and hip hop's our bread and butter, man, it's just par for the course, you can be big without bein' from Bed-Stuy, flyin' through the atmosphere like a loon over the Red Pine (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.) Chris: The winters are cold, but the summers are hot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock N Squared: Some call it soda, but we call it pop Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock T.O.N.E.: East, west, dirty south, maybe they forgot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock, the Twin Cities puttin' it down for hip hop, Minnesota's the place that we rock (Verse 2: N Squared) M-M-M-M-M-Minnesota, the land of ten thousand places to commit a drownin', if you talkin' shit, you clownin', you need to stop the shoutin', I've stumbled across a fountain of youth and produced somethin' cooler than the top of a mountain, I'm rollin' through in my helicopter, while these felons are connin' folks like they're sellin' water, for seven dollars, me, myself, I got my ducks in a row, yo, even though it blows when my whip is stuck in the snow, ha, you're never lost, in the state of the blue ox, young rappers scrapin', hopin' that they can make it like 2Pac, I'm in the basement of a vacant shoe shop, puttin' pencil to paper, my eraser's nearly been chewed off, we're the strike force from the great white north, Nick and Chris, sick as it gets, give me that mic cord, and don't be taken by our cheery exteriors, Minne's like a Great Lake, our state's clearly superior (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.) Chris: The winters are cold, but the summers are hot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock N Squared: Some call it soda, but we call it pop Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock T.O.N.E.: East, west, dirty south, maybe they forgot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock, the Twin Cities puttin' it down for hip hop, Minnesota's the place that we rock (Verse 3: T.O.N.E.) Minnesota made head high, gotta focus, hottest MC, never lie, I'm the dopest, hocus pocus, it's magic when I spit, South Side's mayor, every man should admit I'm the shit, livin' life so erotic, drunk off o' rap and this mic is hypnotic, no chronic, but I'm Minnesota blazin', cold like a winter, fire hot, so Cajun, ten thousand lakes, that's where I was raised in, swimmin' through the swamp, girls say he's amazin', bam, tattooed, it's permanent, I love Minnesota, put it on the map, it's over, yeah, put it on the map, explosion, blueprint one, number two takeover, yeah, ya better take your dosage, relapse off o' this, never had mo' potent (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.) Chris: The winters are cold, but the summers are hot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock N Squared: Some call it soda, but we call it pop Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock T.O.N.E.: East, west, dirty south, maybe they forgot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock, the Twin Cities puttin' it down for hip hop, Minnesota's the place that we rock (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.) Chris: The winters are cold, but the summers are hot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock N Squared: Some call it soda, but we call it pop Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock T.O.N.E.: East, west, dirty south, maybe they forgot Chris, N Squared, & T.O.N.E.: Minnesota's the place that we rock, the Twin Cities puttin' it down for hip hop, Minnesota's the place that we rock

(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) Yeah, I'm killin' the beat, the studio's the scene o' the crime, I wanna be bigger than Jesus and the Beatles combined, I'll stop when it isn't fun, ever since I was young I moved to a new groove and a different drum, didn't know one day I'd be rappin' to it, but I'm thankful like Pilgrims in Massachusetts, classic music that's a vast improvement over all the wack and stupid radio crap that's movin', units, over and over again, so I'm flowin' and holdin' a pen that I use to stroke on the canvas and manage to open my head, let the ideas spill out and blow in the wind like the words of Bob Dylan, 'cause yours I'm not feelin', how'd you get top billin', your verse is not ill and if you think it is, you're foolin' yourself, stop feelin' yourself, rap's problem, nothin' good still on the shelf, and that's an unfortunate fact, but when I spit to breaks, I defibrillate the corpse of a track, and breathe new life through it, yo, man, why the hell else would I even write music (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) So put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all love this music, 'cause if no one does, then I'm the one who might just flip out and lose it, so put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all support this movement, let's, organize and support the lives of everyone we know who do it (Verse 2: Christopher Michael Jensen) I don't got a pocket full o' stones, got a wallet full o' ones, just a broke rapper, no one's callin' on the phone, so it's up to me to make it happen, wonder if I'll make it rappin', gotta do it, I'll pursue it, love it, it's my favorite passion, but troubles that I face are tragic, stumblin' while I ache from that shit, runnin' from it, but it's somethin' that I must just face and grab it, and own my destiny, the only way I'll profit is if I invest in me, never sell out to the weakest route, takin' Robert Frost's road, meet me at the crossroads Bone Thugs were speakin' 'bout, this is what I dream about, read about, seekin' out a plan to jam in front of fans in a screamin' crowd, ain't no bush to beat around, I'll be as blunt as I can, I keep smokin' what I'm holdin' without a blunt in my hand, consider this as Christopher's dissertation on inspiration, how to manage it and handle it, channel it into statements, 'cause innovation is the way in, the game has no room for you two bit rappers' outdated pixilation, I pirate music, the treasure's in the chest, every time my heart pumps I can measure the success (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) So put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all love this music, 'cause if no one does, then I'm the one who might just flip out and lose it, so put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all support this movement, let's, organize and support the lives of everyone we know who do it (Verse 3: Nobuddie) Yo, bigger than Jesus and the Beatles, shit, Chris, I want my album bigger than Happy Meals, yo, my appeal is stronger than steel, that's how I feel when I'm searchin' for a ehra-ehra record deal, r-r-r-record deal, r-r-r-record deal, smashin' beats is a part of my dreams, yo, I'm the buddy that is mix and matchin' honeys, 'cause these chicks can't help but love me when I spit raps that are lovely, I'm, so skinny and weird, I can barely grow a beard, if that's not enough, my last name rhymes with queer, huh, ugly mothersucker, I feel sorry for my mother, no reason why I have another brother, yo, I'm a musical dude with a spiritual mood, I'm a lyrical fool that's been gifted to move, people hands in the air like we don't what, we put our hands in the air 'cause we don't care, I came to smash this track and rap my raps, I got ShawnWayne and C.M.J. to have my back, if that don't explain it, I'll tell you why I do this, as I raise a hand for this hip hop music (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen) So put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all love this music, 'cause if no one does, then I'm the one who might just flip out and lose it, so put your hands up now and scream out loud if you all support this movement, let's, organize and support the lives of everyone we know who do it

(Intro) Oh, oh, put your hands together, oh, and keep 'em clappin' like this, come on, yeah (Chorus) I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', so keep on clappin' your hands (Verse 1) I'm fueled by bags o' Doritos and Chipotle burritos and a mix of Subway sandwiches, I eat 'em by the feastful, yo, I drink a lot o' Dr. Pepper, so they call me Phife Dog, on a quest 'cause life's short, but my hopes and dreams are lifelong, I'm funding my album by gettin' money from plasma, so I am literally givin' my blood if I have to, and that's a fact, I'm gonna master every rappin' facet crafted since the days of Grandmaster Caz up until the current chapter, I spit to tracks with different raps while corporate lackies kissin' ass, afraid of pissin' in the wind and gettin' hit with that, I don't take any shit, though, Chris don't ever take no scat, shit talkin' while hip hoppin', sure, but I'm never makin' crap, layin' back and writin' cadences, with mics I'm dangerous like givin' kids some matches and havin' 'em go inside to play with them, in the mainstream everybody lives in a club, pimpin' as thugs, slingin' with drugs or blingin' with rims spinnin' on trucks, but they're never mixin' it up, I'm cool with the subject matter but it has to be creative, not just simplistic as fuck, I'm sick of these chumps, they're borin', so like Steve Borden, I'm stingin', venomous sentences, rap and snap into the mic like it's a Slim Jim, but I ain't Randy Savage, it's more like The Rock, when I talk and verbally lay the smackdown on their candy asses, because I go all in with all guns blazin' like an assassin, but you can't imagin' unless you have the passion that I have and I don't think you do, I don't think that you even have a fraction, go back home and do the math, I'm sure that you'll be comin' back with just the same thing, the equation isn't hard to fathom, if you're bad at math, then try to drop the science while I keep 'em clappin' (Chorus) I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', so keep on clappin' your hands (Verse 2) It's beautiful like Ellen Page is when everybody gets to loving and joining in celebration, elevation and upliftin' of the human condition through the music's terrific, that's the pursuit of my mission, but anyone fittin' to battle is gettin' ripped a new asshole, while the beat's ridin' like it was just strapped into a saddle, impeccable ability I'm usin' as artillery, equipped with a license to ill, man, my own skills are killin' me, my music's comin' for your ear like There's Something About Mary, drive the crowd insane like House Of Pain, got 'em jumpin' around very quick and emphatically while I'm rippin' it rapidly, but the trick's for each rap release to be made into a masterpiece, kids today don't know what the definition of classic means, which is a tragedy, that's why I think that I have to speak, 'cause the repetition is borin' me, and I'm sick of the corny beats, it's all got me feelin' more pessimistic than Morrissey, but I'm repeating this, spoke 'bout it in the verse previous, seems I'm just obsessed with how much the music biz reeks of shit, have you turned on the radio lately, it's like fellatio daily, everything blows, what's bad versus what's good, the ratio's crazy, but Christopher Michael is ill and sicker than Swine Flu, 'cause music is my life, period, like a chick on her cycle, my other love is comedy, and honestly, I don't wanna see all of these trendy new comedians doin' it awfully, the day that I'm laughin' at 'em will be a cold day in hell, it's times like this that I'm wishin' because I'm missin' Dave Chappelle, but man, whatever, there's so many things I can address, but at the end of the day I'm just gonna make 'em put their hands together (Chorus) I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', so keep on clappin' your hands (Chorus) I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', so keep on clappin' your hands (Chorus) I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', yeah, I keep the people clappin', right, I keep 'em clappin', so keep on clappin' your hands

(Verse 1: Christopher Michael Jensen) The soundtrack to my life could never be licensed for retail, too many artists, high prices, and details, I'm caught in the dissonance of various songs, carried along in my iPod, together's where they belong, Cobain was right, the worst crime is fakin' it, so walk on hot coals, make a bed o' nails and lay in it, 'cause keepin' it real should be everybody's ethos, strip away everything, bare it all like peep shows, free as a bird, writin' lyrics with a feather, spill from the quill and stain the page with miracles forever like an angel, replaced the halo with a Kangol hat, me and Matt havin' a blast like Space Ghost, I spread it on thick like bagels, with page after page, words burstin' at the staples, so you know it's goin' down like Draino, it's all gravy, mash the beat up like potatoes (Verse 2: Model Citizen) Straight out o' Uptown, it's the 80's babies makin' a fuss now, lately we ain't even patient, we've been waitin' to announce our arrival, I'm an atheist, denouncin' the Bible, but sweet Jesus, this beat is takin' me out to revival, and my, sound and my style and my flow are so superior, right now I'm so high that my toes are nowhere near the Earth, I'm floatin' where the meteors are whizzin' right past, homie, carryin' some Beefeater hidden inside a flask, I'ma crash your party, ya'll, and turn your bachelor pad into Mardi Gras, I'll have your girls flashin', discarding all of their clothes and inhibitions on the floor or in the kitchen, it's the Citizen, though, so ya'll should know this is a given, and if you didn't, then listen, 'cause I'm cluin' ya in, I get belligerent and grip a number two or a pen, and the shit that ends up written is the flu, it's the bends, it's the mumps, it's the sickness that you and your friends bump (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: I, I can do it, I can do it now, I, I can do this Chris & Citizen: Beautifully stupid music, vibe to this Chris: I, I can do it, I can do it now, I, I can do this Chris & Citizen: Beautifully stupid music, vibe to this (Verse 3: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: I'm scary with the wordplay, and the children are startled, king of the mountain, how I could just a Kilimanjaro Citizen: Fill a cigar full, of the sticky icky icky, it's the Twin Cities indi committee flippin' the diddy, admittedly, me and Chris be like Pippen and Jordan, see, I'm slick with the assist, give him the brick and he's scorin' Chris: Hit up BitTorrent, you can cop it for free, if you feel it, you can steal it, it's not botherin' me Citizen: Dog, anonymously, I could write your measly record for a nominal fee, see, you could finally be respected Chris: You injected the vain and it infected the game, a bunch o' lames with inauthentic prosthetics and canes Citizen: Yo, you act tough, but I swear your sound's slapstick, you're crackin' me up like dry air without chap stick Chris: This is a classic from the Jensen brothers, bringin' back the boom bap Chris & Citizen: On pretentious fuckers (Chorus: Christopher Michael Jensen & Model Citizen) Chris: I, I can do it, I can do it now, I, I can do this Chris & Citizen: Beautifully stupid music, vibe to this Chris: I, I can do it, I can do it now, I, I can do this Chris & Citizen: Beautifully stupid music, vibe to this

(Verse 1) Late night in my room and I should be sound asleep, eyes obscured by tears as I'm countin' sheep, it haunts you, to feel that nobody wants you, hard to move on when there's nothing to move on to, battling depression while I'm straddling aggression, it's saddening, maddening, a gradual progression, fixed on an ideal that's a bad little obsession, but I should prob'ly stop straw-graspin' and pretendin', 'cause I know I'll never have it, gotta get out of the habit of seeing what other people have and thinkin' I can match it, fiendin' like an addict for something to fill the gaps with, but never being able to clear my head of the static, things are always feelin' tragic, masturbate away the pain, deposits of myself left inside a napkin, naked and alone, jaded as the stone, at a loss for words, how do I state it in a poem, it's like (Chorus) I'm falling down into a hole, I'm calling out, but I'm alone, nothing to feel, nothing to grasp, nothing is real, nothing will last (Verse 2) If love is a battlefield, I'm armed to the teeth, marching into the heart of the beast, but it's startling me, ill prepared, asking for it but still as scared as I ever have been, afraid it'll kill me there, I never wanna get hurt, but I'm in pain from longing, ball it all up and abstain from talking, try to deal with life like everything is okay, while you're pleadin' with your demons, desperate for your soul mate, I've been dying since birth, I need something to sustain me, crying at first, but the numbing insolates me, warm as a uterus, the only place that's safe, no one for you to trust or whom to place your faith, thinking 'bout the problem 'til it no longer exists, but the longer that I wait, the more stronger it is, pondering this, until I fall into a deep slumber, takin' me away from the day into sleep's comfort (Chorus) I'm falling down into a hole, I'm calling out, but I'm alone, nothing to feel, nothing to grasp, nothing is real, nothing will last (Verse 3) I wish I had more friends that were girls, huh, melodramatic like it's the end of the world, the lack of a feminine specimen can mean everything, too much testosterone, I think I need some estrogen, but I'm passin' by these girls feelin' caterpillars in my stomach, the ones I do meet don't move me, they're doing nothin', clutchin' on a pillow, wishing it was alive, to hold me and stroke me and look into my eyes, I feel inanimate, like I'm just a mannequin, panicin' because I'm in a void that I feel stranded in, people younger than me married and raising kids, and it's hard for me to even picture bein' in relationships, alienation, relation is minimal, over time, the older I get, the more cynical, woe is me, pitiful, just another miserable blip in the universe, it's all cyclical (Chorus) I'm falling down into a hole, I'm calling out, but I'm alone, nothing to feel, nothing to grasp, nothing is real, nothing will last

(Verse 1) New life blooming, into a sunny sky, but nothing's constant, and everything dies, and as your life's renewing, and a light is shined, your new leaf's fallin', 'til you're frozen inside (Chorus) Season's greetings on a gust of wind, and we float along and land on anything, how this life, passes by (Verse 2) Melted sadness, as you warm your soul, to the reaps of harvest, but it all just goes cold, and so the thunder crashes, as you sweat and moan, 'cause the fruits of hardship, are buried in snow (Chorus) Season's greetings on a gust of wind, and we float along and land on anything, how this life, passes by (Verse 3) Aimlessly floatin', so let's drift, never knowin' where we're goin' 'cause life's a head trip, I never wanted to be absent from the guest list, but as the shooting star burned out, I made a death wish, or did I, so hard to understand it, a gambit, tryin' to undo the damage, I never planned it, some things are just handed to us, we gotta do what we can and I'm tryin' so hard to make it all make sense, reachin' out for my own version of the apex, everything movin' at a speed that's breakneck, so I'm buildin' up a stronger spine to replace it, I don't give a damn how long it has been, that's why I'm breezin' with the seasons and I'm gone with the wind, nothin' I land on ever seems to stick, a life worth livin', I just want a piece of it, please (Chorus) Season's greetings on a gust of wind, and we float along and land on anything, how this life, passes by

(Verse 1) I know you got problems and nothin' ever solves 'em, you keep chasin' the same things but haven't gotten, any closer, running in place like a treadmill, your heart beats faster but you feel dead still, feelin' lonely as a playground at night, secluded in your room and stay out o' sight, sick of the wait, so you put on weight, tryin' to use the extra pounds to crush the pain, and every crush you had saw nothing gained, ya fell in love once and it was just the same, rejection, the first signs of your depression, a cardiac C-section from your best friend, compared to others you feel ostracized, an emotional box that you're locked inside, and everything gets worse on the side, so when you do come to, it's all ya find (Chorus) Daylight turns to dusk, and in the morning everything is lost, and you wonder where it all has gone, but then the darkness turns to dawn, and you can finally find your way home, and you realize that you've just begun (Verse 2) They say seek and you'll find, but I know that you got a lot o' flack from speakin' your mind, havin' disagreements and fights with even people ya like, and sometimes have trouble seein' the line between sellin' out and lettin' things go, and it's got you wound up like a spring load, feelin' out o' touch with your family and friends, they helped shape you, but the shape expanded within, now it doesn't quite fit, you're part of a different puzzle, language changes without the muzzle, the pieces rearranged, reading from the anagram, but your new view's unsteady like a handycam, tryin' to adapt and get it under control, wondering so intently how to muster the growth, get out from under the rock and get up on the stone, and put your foot down 'til it covers the old (Chorus) Daylight turns to dusk, and in the morning everything is lost, and you wonder where it all has gone, but then the darkness turns to dawn, and you can finally find your way home, and you realize that you've just begun (Verse 3) No one was around when you cried the most, as your spirit left you like a ghost, drops fell from your vision like precipitation, cloudy as your world disintegrated, buried in a blanket, feelings dug up, and poured down on you like a dump truck, slowly everyday became the same, and everything ran together as you faced the angst, monotony, responsible for the robbery, taking everything so you can't become who you wanna be, I know what it feels like, honestly, I was you, and I still can't shake it off o' me, maybe my foundation lacks the mortar, or my well-being is out of order, at times it feels like my painting is still hangin' in the corner, but I think it's 'bout time that we looked forward (Chorus) Daylight turns to dusk, and in the morning everything is lost, and you wonder where it all has gone, but then the darkness turns to dawn, and you can finally find your way home, and you realize that you've just begun (Outro) That you've just begun

(Chorus) I'll rock a Public Enemy shirt like John Connor, fight for the future and use a mic to author the words that get scrawled on the manifesto, music's a revolution, so let's roll, these days everything is cliché, people do whatever just to be played by the DJ, I want songs that are quotable, that I can think about, not just jams with a dance that make my phone ring aloud (Verse 1) All the suits always got a new trend to follow through, whether it's chopped and screwed music or it's Autotune, but that's not what I'ma do, because creativity I'm thirstin' more for than Sonic Youth, I might have to go to war with all o' you, don't care if ya make money, so do whores and prostitutes, it's cool to make some cash along with the art form, but as a rapper, I care about the latter far more, it seems like ever since everything went digital, now people only care about residuals, record companies strictly concerned with how the business goes, 'cause their bank accounts suffer the biggest tolls, they call the downloading criminal, but the crimes against art that they've committed, are reciprocal, so a lot's changed since the old days, but not necessarily for the better, so I proclaim (Chorus) I'll rock a Public Enemy shirt like John Connor, fight for the future and use a mic to author the words that get scrawled on the manifesto, music's a revolution, so let's roll, these days everything is cliché, people do whatever just to be played by the DJ, I want songs that are quotable, that I can think about, not just jams with a dance that make my phone ring aloud (Verse 2) People say there's a generational gap, but not everyone's the same in this new generation o' rap, I was born in '86, I'm part o' Generation Y, I'm not the only one askin' my generation why, we're not all the same, we're not all as lame, we're not all constricted by the radio's ball and chain, maybe now you understand what Nas was sayin', it makes me sick, it's nauseatin', I don't give a shit, so it's constipatin', sold your soul for a hit, you got a bond with Satan, lookin' for somethin' to fit, but it's always changin', identity crisis, but the industry likes it, when everyone bites shit, 'cause once hip hop turned to pop, that's when the bubble burst, so, I guess the name's fitting, and it fuckin' hurts, too much bubblegum stuck up on the billboard, is this really what Biggie and Pac got killed for (Chorus) I'll rock a Public Enemy shirt like John Connor, fight for the future and use a mic to author the words that get scrawled on the manifesto, music's a revolution, so let's roll, these days everything is cliché, people do whatever just to be played by the DJ, I want songs that are quotable, that I can think about, not just jams with a dance that make my phone ring aloud (Verse 3) Ignorance plagues blogs and message boards, websites get hyped off pretended wars, hip hop beefs, rumors, and sales of records, and whose song is the hottest, but they fail to get it, their history is skewed, confusin' facts with opinions, and can only see a distance of a couple of inches, the spectrum is wide, the scope is enormous, but it's hater this, paper that, slowin' the progress, and hip hop dudes need to get their priorities straight, stop worryin' about which performer is gay, for a bunch o' supposed heterosexuals, you're way too concerned about how other men are dressed in clothes, forget about the fashion and get back into the rappin', the craft has been lackin' the passion it had in decades past when it was about the artist and the skills they possessed, so start with that first and we can fill in the rest (Chorus) I'll rock a Public Enemy shirt like John Connor, fight for the future and use a mic to author the words that get scrawled on the manifesto, music's a revolution, so let's roll, these days everything is cliché, people do whatever just to be played by the DJ, I want songs that are quotable, that I can think about, not just jams with a dance that make my phone ring aloud (Verse 4) Because it pains me to see the mainstream cut off so much of what's out there like gangrene, so much talent, we gotta restore balance, countless amounts are left off the ballots, a stagnant culture, put on an alter, and sacrificed for the sake of the vultures, fight with a pencil, on instrumentals, music's a revolution, never let go