Preserve The Kulture Lyrics - The Mix Tape - Krs One

{*audience clapping, beat starts*} 

We've been having these gatherings for over 12 years 

Uhh, my first one, was ah at Latin Quarters in 1987 

with Afrika Bambaataa - he threw the first one, that I attended 

We kept the tradition going through the Stop the Violence Movement 

Through Human Education Against Lies, Rhythm Cultural Institute 

And now the Temple of Hip-Hop 

This is Hip-Hop's spiritual base 

And as a spiritual base, we look to guide the youth in that discipline 

Uhh, no culture is a culture, unless it has principles 

unless it has morals, unless - we are unified 

in some sort of principle, something we are not going to step beyond 

Something that defines us 

What I'd like to do, is just for a moment as we.. deal with this 

Think about your role in Hip-Hop 

Think about what you do everyday in Hip-Hop 

This is not about right now 

It's about twenty years from now 

It's about ten years from now 

The tapes are rolling, the notes are being taken 

This is the type of thinking we have to get into 

if this is going to survive and last 

So again, Hip-Hop Appreciation Week, is a time of self-reflection 

A time for Hip-Hoppers to ask, 

"What am I doing, to preserve the culture?" {*echoes*}