The 4th track on KRS-ONE’s album Adventures In Emmeein.

Krs talks about the role that money’s playing for people, how important it is, and how it effects people.[MM Lyte]

Money - M-o-n-e-y

(Money!)

Money - M-o-n-e-y

(Money!)

[KRS-One]

M-o-n-e-y, what you need to just get by

Money, honey, ain't it funny?

Money, people wanna die

It seems without money, people cry, people will lie

You cannot deny, without money you can't apply

For anything that catches your eye, I wonder why

The root of all evil, let me teach you, now who am I?

The Emcee, teachin' my people "Don't live that lie"

You got to get money, but don't let money get you, guy

I can break it down like whatever you want

Whatever you spend your money on strong, yo that's what you flaunt

Spend your money on these honeys, yo if that's what you want

Spend your money on attorneys if you're goin' to court

If I look around your neck I can see what you bought

What, you think you get respect? No, you takin' a short

Yo, you need the money, of course, you need it to live

(Yo, what you put your money on, Kris?) Yo, right on my kids

[MC LYte]

M-o-n-e-y, don't ask why. It IS the root of all evil

Though very necessary to your livelihood

It's all good when you got enough

Til enough ain't enough and you hit upon rough times

You make your money and I'll make mine

(Yo, we need the...) (Money!)

[KRS-One]

Don't get me wrong, mistakin' this song

Like money is not important - yes, it is, just be strong

It's the reason for the thievin' and that war goin'on

It's the reason that you seein' all these girls in their thong

It's the reason that the radio's on

It's the reason that you believe if you gotta work from sun-up 'til dawn

It's the cravings that connect you to that money you makin'

Your desire is the fire got you feelin' you slavin'

(Free yourself!) Money doesn't make you the man

(Be yourself!) A man gets his money in credit(?)

Ok, I'ma get this money, really, all day

But not to the point where Im goin' the wrong way

I'ma put my money down on rides and all that

Hook up the house so me and my spouse can fall back

Investing my knowledge way beyond college

Write books and fly hooks in my cottage

Cheese - Kris bling-blingin'? Yo, please!

Money is an energy that gets what I need

I can understand them cats that rap flossin' and frontin'

It's all good, they from the hood, never had nothin'

They just got they money and everything's sunny

Hear what I'm saying, they preyin', boy, and lookin for bunnies

[MC Lyte]

Did we floss what we bought

Forgetting that sharing is what we've been taught?

Cause this here gettin' money is an individual sport

Money can get me in to the same place where years ago

My bros and sisters with black skin

Were confined to the back door and the kitchen

[KRS-One]

Last verse, where your cash purse

Reach into your wallet, nothin' alloted, that hurts

Breath stinkin' you're thinkin', but can't afford Certs

Need the dollar and baby hollerin' - no work

I don't know how you gonna get the dough

You could become educated, you could become a ho

You could do both, that's like puttin' butter on toast

The bread is the knowledge, butter is what gets you that close

[MC Lyte]

Money is funny - how a piece of paper can make or break your very existence

Quick as it come, quick as it go - you better know about the ebb and the flow

You get money in droves, trick it on cars and blow

Throw dollars at black queens cause, for the dough they'll strip their clothes

And for the right amount of money

A king will pimp his queen into being a ho on a stroll

Life will always be hard when you choose to make money your god