I Was There lyrics

Song information

Artist: Krs-One
Album: Hip-Hop Lives

Lyrics

[Krs-one]
Do it marley, ha!
Killin 'em, you killin 'em! (where were you?)
I wanna talk about these rap historians
Y'all better get it together (where were you?)
I be readin your books (where were you?)
Y'all better get it together, word up

When hot 97 started, I was there
When rap city got started, I was there
When kday got started, I was there
When jive records got started, I was there
When yo! mtv raps started, I was there
When the source magazins started, I was there
When cedric and seda started, I was there
When biggie was doin his album, I was there
When tookie williams was buried, I was there
'73, cedar park, I was there
One-twenty-three park, I was there
You ain't tellin me the history cause I was there

Chorus
I was there! (and where were you?) (where were you?)
(And where were you?) (where were you?)
(And where were you?) (where were you?)
(Where were you?)

[Krs-one]
When moe dee challenged ll, I was there
When that bus blew up in london, I was there
When death row challenged bad boy at the source awards
In new york at the garden, yup, I was there
When kwame toure, formerly known as stokely carmichael
Was passin on, I was there
When nelson mandela was freed from prison
And spoke out at yankee stadium in new york, I was there
For all the births of my children, I was there
When the rodney king uprisings happened I was there
These objective rap historians tryin to document
Hip-hop from outside forget it, I was there

Chorus

[Krs-one]
Look! the jive records label, I was there
The columbia records label, I was there
The elektra records label, I was there
The warner brothers records label, I was there
The koch records label, I was there
The capitol records label, I was there
I know about they contracts cause I was there
I wrote and rewrote most of 'em when I was there
I ain't readin a book or recitin a hook
I am hip-hop itself cause yup I was there
Y'all need to get it together with hip-hop's history
And get it right, cause yup I was there

Chorus