Held Down Lyrics - De La Soul

Allow me, to break it down, ah 

Yea, yea, yea, yea, yeah 

Life 

This is dedicated to all my folks 

Diagnosed with a bad case of that proper upbringin' 

And never took the time to fall in line or follow 

Or swallow the thoughts 

Of the recognized committees who lurk throughout ya cities 

Ya hood, ya town, no matter which type 

You from the same type of people try to hold you down 

Just because you tailor made for bigger and better things 

Never missed a chance to move ahead of things 

And what does it bring? I tell you for me 

It brought jealousy in back wounds from all the stabbin' 

Cats posin' as my fan just to get grabbin' what's mine 

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I'm livin' in times where my daughters are found around 

Kids who can't afford thinkin' caps 

But always found drinkin' raps and eatin' off beats 

Claimin' laws of the streets, but who made the laws? 

Everybody playin' 'rebel' with no sign of a 'cause' 

Well I, feel the world around me 

I've found that others will bring you down just to be down 

You've got to make up your mind where you wanna be 

Where you wanna go with your life, with your life 

Yo, I'm never singin' the blues but findin' the clues to maintain 

And I been blessed to reign supreme over nearly every dream I had 

And I made it come true, I'm an imperfect man 

And I'm holdin' the clue to perfection 

It doesn't seem to matter what direction I look 

I find people settin' traps, tryin' to find the goal 

Without havin' any maps, even friends of mine 

Jumped on line just to become my adversary 

Photos 

They felt they were entitled to the dairy I made 

They don't come to chill or behave 

And they got, toast ready to burn 

Not learnin' to live, but they yearnin' to take what you earn 

Well I, feel the world around me 

I've found that others will bring you down just to be down 

You see, you've got to make up your mind, where you wanna be 

And where you wanna go with your life, with your life 

So quick to place blame and deny the shame 

We bring upon ourselves so many names held 

Accountable for my own account 

When a large amount was weight that I made and shaped 

When I climbed I found 

It was hard to find others around to point my fingers at 

Which made me realize the truth 

The biggest suppressor could be your own ego 

Lookin' for an excuse to plant roots, in a field of self sorrow 

To sprout and follow the first thing you feel 

Nourishes your hunger to be respected, it gets hectic 

And when I'm watchin' the news and my daughter walks in 

And choose to ask 

"Why were all those people on the floor sleepin', covered in red?" 

I told her that they were lookin' for God 

But found religion instead 

Well I, feel the world around me 

I've found that others will bring you down just to be down 

You see, you've got to make up yo' mind, where you wanna be 

And where you wanna go with yo' life, with your life, with your life 

[Unverified] 

I need my space to live 

Well I, feel the world around me 

I've found that others will bring you down just to be down 

You see, you've got to make up yo' mind, where you wanna be 

And where you wanna go with yo' life, with your life, with your life