For niggas like Ice Cube
'Cause he was the champ, as the champion he was my idol
When you want to close the shows of your foes
And the chick the honky's ran to see
But I'm thanking God for niggas like Iceberg Slim
To march on Friday, yeah, it's kind of frightening
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
And my man's got the plans in his hand
(We're giving heartbeat props)
'Cause I ain't no punk, I ain't under man to Uncle Tommy
Blast out, before we're all assed-out
But there's a time to break necks and throw bolos
Told me to give her the full respect or get my ass kicked
(We're giving heartbeat props)
There was different type of brother that I used to look up to
(We're giving heartbeat props)
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
(We're giving heartbeat props)
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
Check it, when respect goes it's time to break a nose
Now they want me in the army but they can't harm me
'Cause he's living for you and you and you and you
(We're giving heartbeat props)
We're pumping up the brothers 'cause the brothers keep it pumping
Everybody get ready for the heartbeat props
I love to go on about the funk, matter of fact
Gangstarr, Gil Scott Heron, George the fuck Clinton, Louis Farrakhan
Let me move so I don't get hit by the bolt of lightning
But her heart stopped before
Yeah, Spike Lee, Alex Haley, Brand Nubian, sister Whoopi Goldberg
Tina Turner, the living legacy
I said I give my man props 'cause he's living
We're giving heartbeat props
I give my man props 'cause he's living
I said I give my man props 'cause he's living
But let me start with a fool I don't give a fuck about
And my man's got the plans in his hand
A dead leader can't tax your mind
Sister Queen Latifah, Bill Cosby, sister Angela Davis
Don't you hype on the mic ,yeah, they never get it right
Fuck that fronting, fuck that fronting
(Heartbeat props)
(We're giving heartbeat props)
She was the first black woman in 'em
When you wait for the TV to tell you what's going on
Proper respect is what we're giving
We're giving heartbeat props
When I was young Muhammad Ali had me sprung
So I want to give props to my pops because he told those
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
Only difference is Chuck might give you that call
Why wait until the heartbeat stops?
I give my man props 'cause he's living
Don't you know that proper respect is what we're giving
Uh, I said I give my man props 'cause he's living
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
Seems like you wondered each day if the Underground
She was the honky-tonk's fantasy
But why did it take them so many decades
Proper respect is what we're giving
Dick Gregory, X-Clan, sister Isis, BDP, Muhammad Ali, Stevie Wonder
If you're really that down then act what you say
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
Sister Oprah Winfrey, yeah, Jesse Jackson, nuff respect, Paris
In the pictures of Vogue and flashy fashion magazines
To give a little praise to who they ran rave to see
I wanted to give a fuck you out
(Heartbeat props)
And my man's got the plans in his hand
Yeah, you sound like an old bitch nagging
I give my man props 'cause he's living
Yo, my man's a prophet too, yo, god, you think he ain't?
But I'm still giving props where the props are due
Right or wrong, don't you think that he deserves a play?
Another chick they used to beg to see
You're giving more respect to a dead man than you do my man
(We're giving heartbeat props)
Get busy, G, go on and take 'em to school
That's why you see we gotta thank God, y'all
I'd love to be another funk front runner
You're giving more respect to a dead man than you do my man
To the nigga who went out on a whim
Well, I suppose respect is what respect'll get ya
(We're giving heartbeat props)
And check what my man's got to say
She was sex symbol befo' Marilyn Monroe
They loved the way she shook her money-maker
(Heartbeat props)
I ask you about Malcolm and you tell me that he's wicked
Don't you know, don't you know that proper respect is what we're giving
Karreem Adul-Jabbar, the Black Panther Party, James Earl Jones
But first we gotta deal with the fronters
With a dark complexion
'Cause they'll tell the record straight
Even if you know that I'm a junkie for a bump that's funky
Yeah, it's time spread the jewels
And fight in Vietnam the only way he felt, then he won the belt again
We're here to let you know it's just a human being thing
You're giving more respect to a dead man than you do my man
Poor Righteous Teachers, Andrew Jackson, Denzel Washington
(We're giving heartbeat props)
Check it out, y'all, proper respect is what we're giving
All the lagging and the dragging
Is going to stay down with the funky beats
A bass freak would say oohwee
He was a roody-poo for shooting Huey Newton
I'm the type of guy that's sly like a fox
And she's still got you tripping off the legs you see
(We're giving heartbeat props)
So do the right thing, it's not a black or a white thing
Yo, they took his title when he wouldn't take the gun
When she goes she'll roll over in a solid gold casket
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
'Cause foes are those that you got to break like windows
I said I give my man props 'cause he's living
Be a cold bro and throw low blows
You be thumbing in 'em, props to Beverly Johnson
Once known as Joanne Chesimard, Robert Townsend, Nelson Mandela
Therefore he's not a threat to your personal time
Proper respect is what we're giving
Props to Islam, it's getting brothers together before the big bomb
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
An honor roll student in the school of hard knocks
Proper respect is what we're giving
(We're giving heartbeat props)
Afrika Bambaataa, Miles motherfucking Davis, sister Assata Shakur
I give my man props 'cause he's living
(We're giving heartbeat props)
So I can't go on, it's time to drop a few bombs
You're giving more respect to a dead man than you do my man
I see you posing with the Dr King hanging on your wall
You got it all wrong
(We're giving heartbeat props)
The brother X tried but he died trying to get through
We're pulling out all stops 'cause it's time give heartbeat props
Smith & Wesson clear the lesson that your mama gave
(We're giving heartbeat props)
Mama gave PeeWee the same threats, she used drastic measures
(Heartbeat props)
Don't you know that proper respect is what we're giving
Was Josephine Baker, she had them hooked
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
It was my intention to relent just till the last kick
KRS and Chuck need support today
Pee, drop the bomb and end the pressure with the menace
Don't you know that the proper respect is what we're giving
So I'm giving them gifts before they're stiff like the pose
Peace to DU 'cause I like the way you do me
(We're giving heartbeat props)
And my man's got the plans in his hand
Yo, I got something to do that day
We're gonna make it funky with the heartbeat props, y'all
They gave props to the old pro
It's time to get busy with the heartbeat props
Uh, I said proper respect is what we're giving
And a fool for the loop, see, a groupie for the old one-twoiee
Yo, go on and give my man his props
Farrakhan comes you can't seem to buy a ticket
But give respect before the soul goes
Sister Sarah Sahad Ali, Public Enemy, Stokley Carmichael
Uh, I give my man props 'cause he's living
So why wait until the heartbeat stops?
Striking you down 'cause you're fronting
The entire Nation of Islam, nucka, know what I'm saying?
(Why wait until the heartbeat stops?)
It took a great man to mold those
We need to see that we got to start giving the props to the living