Yo I'm happy to be in the South
to set off my tour in the countryside
But who better to set it off for me than this man right here

Yo this Kenny Rogers chillin on the country side
with men like Wyclef (uh-huh) Jerry Wonder (uh-huh)
Big Jack (mm-hmm) Big Beast (mm-hmm)
And we gon' do something like this for you

You got to know when to hold 'em (YEAH, YEAH!)
Know when to fold 'em (DJ's, DJ's!)
Know when to walk away (HIP-HOP, HIP-HOP!)
Know when to run.. (YEAH, YEAH!)
You got to count your dub-plates (GHETTO, GHETTO, GHETTO)
before you touch the turntables (ALL HOODS!)
Cause if you run out of big tunes
that means your sound is done (Y'ALL READY?)


You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em (soundbwoys)
Know when to walk away
Know when to run.. (hey, hey, hey, hey..)
You got to count your dub-plates
before you touch the turntables (DJ's)
Cause if you run out of big tunes
that means your sound is done

Get the hell up!
'Clef said, get the hell up!
Now throw your hands in the sky (BO! BO! BO! BO!)
Brooklyn in the back shootin craps y'all whassup?
Ladies; lookin hot and pretty
Doin your thing in the club high saditty
WORLDWIDE - the gritty committee pity the fool that
act {shitty} in the midst of the calm, the witty
(You got to know when to hold 'em..)
Y'all know the name!
Same assassin from before, but the beat just changed a little
Riddle me this though who flip flows
that got women in they thongs gettin on but not Sisqo
Select your squad team and your itch
Bey know my flow muy caliente, fuego
No disrespect to soundbwoy, but you better step away from me
Easily defeat measley MC's and tease you
Ease back squeeze two in your wig and breeze through

You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em (soundbwoys)
Know when to walk away
Know when to run.. (hey, hey, hey, hey..)
You got to count your dub-plates
before you touch the turntables (DJ's)
Cause if you run out of big tunes
that means your sound is done

C'mon, c'mon
(Get the hell up!)
Soundbwoys ('Clef said, get the hell up!)
(Now throw your hands in the sky) Yo
This combination gon' bust from Brooklyn to Shanghai
Feel the boogie boogie Henny got me tipsy tipsy
Kenny Rogers and Pharoahe Monch? No way, this can't be
48 tracks, country meets rap
Put this on full blast, I'm about to break all formats
My destiny is to lead while y'all follow
This is Showtime and I'm Live at the Apollo

You got to know when to hold 'em (soundbwoys)
Know when to fold 'em (emcees)
Know when to walk away (yeah, yeah, yeah..)
Know when to run
You got to count your dub-plates
before you touch the turntables (DJ's)
Cause if you run out of big tunes
that means your sound is done

You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em (soundbwoys)
Know when to walk away
Know when to run.. (hey, hey, hey, hey..)
You got to count your dub-plates
before you touch the turntables (DJ's)
Cause if you run out of big tunes
that means your sound is done

Writer : DUPLESSIS, JERRY/JEAN, WYCLEF/JAMERSON, TROY DONALD
Copyright : Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing