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Maintaining Lyrics by Common

Resurrection

1994

[Intro]
Gotta watch out for them critters...

I get the party live, Common Sense'll get the party live, huh
I get the party live, Common Sense'll get the party live, huh
I get the party live, Common Sense'll get the party live, huh
I get the party live, Common Sense'll get the party live, huh

[Verse 1]
I was born in Chicago, raised on Planet Rock, talking zuh zuh zuh zuh
Cats knock my tape like boots, I'm as fresh as fruits
You pussy MC, it's you I rebuke
Repent! You burn up, you got me bent
I'm current as an event, got on big hoes at Freaknik
Frequently you're telling me Whoopty Woo can rock it
So? He ain't put no scratch in my pocket
Yo herb, with my hand I cock it
And rock it like that brother in Colors, 'cause I want y'all to live
My crew is too live, we sneakin' to the rear
But I can't get us all in free (What?)
It's just another case of that 2-dollar emcee
I rock the same clothes 3 days straight
To you they wrinkled but to me they straight
Now I'm straight; are you straight?
I'm straight as long as I got beer
I thought about it, Jack, and now I'm outta here

[Chorus]
("Maintain the rock, don't stop the rock") (8X in background)
I get the party live, Common Sense get the party live
I get the party live, Common Sense get the party live
We get the party live, ayo Chicago get the party live
I get the party live, Common Sense get the party live

[Verse 2]
I need me some new socks (uhh), I need me some new drawers
I draws attention, like a letter to a sergeant
There's a few good emcees, the wack I'm giving code red
Slim say I ain't got no body, but when they see me at the party
They be like, "Go 'head, go 'head"
'Cause I got's the cuts like Bobbitt, rappers are dickheads
Shoppin' they demo, I do 'em like Big Red
My office hours are from 9 to 5
While you avoid the party I make it live
The fellas nod and the chicks dance
While I'm coolin' in my jumpers and my big pants
I'm as dope as PCP; MC's see me and they start having flashbacks
I don't flash scratch, I gotta watch my back
Nowadays blacks don't know how to act
Besides Larry Fishburne, Charles Dutton, and Wesley Snipes
Marks wanna test me because I test the mics
But I check 'em like sound, and like Goose, I'm down
Plus I done got better since "Soul by the Pound"; I'm maintaining

[Chorus]
("Maintain the rock, don't stop the rock") (8X in background)
We get the party live, ayo Chicago get the party live
We get the party live, 87 get the party live
I get the party live, Common Sense get the party live
We get the party live, UAC'll get the party live

[Verse 3]
I fall fresh upon the spirit, with the lyric that's overwhelmin'
And house more hoes than Spelman
Words I'm weldin' like James Johnson
My brains sponsorin' speech on the mic, I'm like a Jackson
Rappers I'm fondlin', they try to settle out of court
But I could never be bought
What type of rebel eats pork?
I'll take the cat and never get caught
U-AC together we fought
'Cause I can't see my mellows boxin' and me not boxin' wit' 'em
I don't care who started it, I'mma be a part of it
Regardless of the odds of how hard
It's been many times we was outnumbered and we still got with 'em
I got rhythm from some boogers and some foxes
But a 5 becomes a 10 when a brother's off some gin
I got juice, and this nigga scared
I'll F your head up, like the LA Four
When I flow like cash I go for broke like Melba Moore
Why should a male with a B.A. get more than me?
When Rashid got an MC degree
And a doctorate in rockin' shit, I go to Dock's to get
A fishwich with cheese
I don't mix with MCs, 'cause I just don't like them mother—
But I'm still maintaining

[Chorus]
("Maintain the rock, don't stop the rock") (8X in background)
We get the party live, ayo Chicago get the party live, yeah
We get the party live, 87 get the party live, yeah
I get the party live, Common Sense get the party live, huh
We get the party live, UAC'll get the party live
Credits

About “Maintaining” by Common

Read the complete lyrics to "Maintaining" by Common from the album "Resurrection" in 1994. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Hip-Hop, Rap.

"Maintaining" is performed by Common. from the album "Resurrection" in 1994 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Maintaining", explore more songs by Common using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Maintaining" is credited to Common. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Maintaining" appears on "Resurrection" in 1994.

Visit the Common artist page at /artist/common for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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