It's been a long time, i shouldn't have left you | |
Without a strong rhyme to step to | |
Think of how many weak shows you slept through | |
Time's up, i'm sorry i kept you | |
Thinking of this, you keep repeating you miss | |
The rhymes from the microphone soloist | |
And you sit by the radio, hand on the dial, soon | |
As you hear it, pump up the volume | |
Dance wit the speaker 'till you hear it blow, | |
Then plug in the headphone 'cause here it go | |
It's a 4 letter word when it's heard, it control | |
Your body to dance (you got it) soul, | |
Ditects the tempo like a red alert | |
Reaches your reflex, so let it work | |
When this is playing, you can't get stuck wit | |
The steps, so get set and i'm a still come up wit | |
A gift to be swift, follow the leader, the rhyme will go | |
Def wit the record that was mixed a long time ago | |
It can be done but only i can do it | |
For those that can dance and clap your hands to it | |
I start to think and then i sink | |
Into the paper like i was ink | |
When i'm writing, i'm trapped in between the lines, | |
I escape when i finish the rhyme... | |
I got soul | |
You got it (4x) | |
I know you got soul | |
Picture a mic, the stage is empty | |
A beat like this might tempt me | |
To pose, show my rings and my fat gold chain | |
Grab the mic like i'm on soul train | |
But i'll wait 'cause i mastered this | |
Let the others go first so the brothers don't miss | |
Eric b. break the sticks (you got it) | |
Rakim will begin when you make the mix | |
I'll experiment like a scientist | |
You wanna rhyme, you gotta sign my list | |
'cause i'm a manifest and bless the mic i hold | |
You want it next? then you gotta have soul | |
'cause if you ain't got it, i'm a make an encore | |
Take the mic, make the people respond for | |
The r, 'cause that's the way it'll have to be | |
If you wanna get on after me | |
Think about it, wait, erase your rhyme | |
Forget it and don't waste your time | |
'cause i'll be in the crowd if you ain't controlling it | |
Drop the mic, you shouldn't be holding it | |
This is how it should be done | |
This style is identical to none | |
Some try to make it sound like this but you're getting me | |
So upset that i'm wet 'cause you're sweating me | |
I drip steam like a microphone fiend | |
Eager to mc is my theme | |
I get hype when i hear a drum roll | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it (5x) | |
I got soul (you got it) that's why i came | |
To teach those who can't say my name | |
First of all, i'm the soloist, the soul controller | |
Rakim gets stronger as i get older | |
Constant elevation causes expansion | |
I write my rhyme while i cool in my mansion | |
Then put it on tape and in the city i test it | |
Then on the radio the r's requested | |
You listen to it, the concept might break you | |
'cause almost anyone can relate to... | |
Whoever's out of hand, i'm give him handles | |
Light 'em up, blow 'em out like candles | |
Or should i just let him melt? | |
Then give him a hand so they can see how it felt | |
I'm not bold just cuz i rock gold | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it (4x) | |
Now i'm a stop to see what you got | |
Get off the mic before i get too hot | |
I want to see which posse can dance the best | |
It should be easy 'cause the beat is fresh | |
Now if your from uptown, brooklyn- bound, | |
The bronx, queens, or long island sound, | |
Even other states come right and exact, | |
It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at | |
Since you came here, you have to show and prove | |
And do that dance until it don't move | |
'cause all you need is soul self-esteem will release, | |
The rest is up to you, rakim 'll say peace | |
You got it (10x) |
It' s been a long time, i shouldn' t have left you | |
Without a strong rhyme to step to | |
Think of how many weak shows you slept through | |
Time' s up, i' m sorry i kept you | |
Thinking of this, you keep repeating you miss | |
The rhymes from the microphone soloist | |
And you sit by the radio, hand on the dial, soon | |
As you hear it, pump up the volume | |
Dance wit the speaker ' till you hear it blow, | |
Then plug in the headphone ' cause here it go | |
It' s a 4 letter word when it' s heard, it control | |
Your body to dance you got it soul, | |
Ditects the tempo like a red alert | |
Reaches your reflex, so let it work | |
When this is playing, you can' t get stuck wit | |
The steps, so get set and i' m a still come up wit | |
A gift to be swift, follow the leader, the rhyme will go | |
Def wit the record that was mixed a long time ago | |
It can be done but only i can do it | |
For those that can dance and clap your hands to it | |
I start to think and then i sink | |
Into the paper like i was ink | |
When i' m writing, i' m trapped in between the lines, | |
I escape when i finish the rhyme... | |
I got soul | |
You got it 4x | |
I know you got soul | |
Picture a mic, the stage is empty | |
A beat like this might tempt me | |
To pose, show my rings and my fat gold chain | |
Grab the mic like i' m on soul train | |
But i' ll wait ' cause i mastered this | |
Let the others go first so the brothers don' t miss | |
Eric b. break the sticks you got it | |
Rakim will begin when you make the mix | |
I' ll experiment like a scientist | |
You wanna rhyme, you gotta sign my list | |
' cause i' m a manifest and bless the mic i hold | |
You want it next? then you gotta have soul | |
' cause if you ain' t got it, i' m a make an encore | |
Take the mic, make the people respond for | |
The r, ' cause that' s the way it' ll have to be | |
If you wanna get on after me | |
Think about it, wait, erase your rhyme | |
Forget it and don' t waste your time | |
' cause i' ll be in the crowd if you ain' t controlling it | |
Drop the mic, you shouldn' t be holding it | |
This is how it should be done | |
This style is identical to none | |
Some try to make it sound like this but you' re getting me | |
So upset that i' m wet ' cause you' re sweating me | |
I drip steam like a microphone fiend | |
Eager to mc is my theme | |
I get hype when i hear a drum roll | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it 5x | |
I got soul you got it that' s why i came | |
To teach those who can' t say my name | |
First of all, i' m the soloist, the soul controller | |
Rakim gets stronger as i get older | |
Constant elevation causes expansion | |
I write my rhyme while i cool in my mansion | |
Then put it on tape and in the city i test it | |
Then on the radio the r' s requested | |
You listen to it, the concept might break you | |
' cause almost anyone can relate to... | |
Whoever' s out of hand, i' m give him handles | |
Light ' em up, blow ' em out like candles | |
Or should i just let him melt? | |
Then give him a hand so they can see how it felt | |
I' m not bold just cuz i rock gold | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it 4x | |
Now i' m a stop to see what you got | |
Get off the mic before i get too hot | |
I want to see which posse can dance the best | |
It should be easy ' cause the beat is fresh | |
Now if your from uptown, brooklyn bound, | |
The bronx, queens, or long island sound, | |
Even other states come right and exact, | |
It ain' t where you' re from, it' s where you' re at | |
Since you came here, you have to show and prove | |
And do that dance until it don' t move | |
' cause all you need is soul selfesteem will release, | |
The rest is up to you, rakim ' ll say peace | |
You got it 10x |
It' s been a long time, i shouldn' t have left you | |
Without a strong rhyme to step to | |
Think of how many weak shows you slept through | |
Time' s up, i' m sorry i kept you | |
Thinking of this, you keep repeating you miss | |
The rhymes from the microphone soloist | |
And you sit by the radio, hand on the dial, soon | |
As you hear it, pump up the volume | |
Dance wit the speaker ' till you hear it blow, | |
Then plug in the headphone ' cause here it go | |
It' s a 4 letter word when it' s heard, it control | |
Your body to dance you got it soul, | |
Ditects the tempo like a red alert | |
Reaches your reflex, so let it work | |
When this is playing, you can' t get stuck wit | |
The steps, so get set and i' m a still come up wit | |
A gift to be swift, follow the leader, the rhyme will go | |
Def wit the record that was mixed a long time ago | |
It can be done but only i can do it | |
For those that can dance and clap your hands to it | |
I start to think and then i sink | |
Into the paper like i was ink | |
When i' m writing, i' m trapped in between the lines, | |
I escape when i finish the rhyme... | |
I got soul | |
You got it 4x | |
I know you got soul | |
Picture a mic, the stage is empty | |
A beat like this might tempt me | |
To pose, show my rings and my fat gold chain | |
Grab the mic like i' m on soul train | |
But i' ll wait ' cause i mastered this | |
Let the others go first so the brothers don' t miss | |
Eric b. break the sticks you got it | |
Rakim will begin when you make the mix | |
I' ll experiment like a scientist | |
You wanna rhyme, you gotta sign my list | |
' cause i' m a manifest and bless the mic i hold | |
You want it next? then you gotta have soul | |
' cause if you ain' t got it, i' m a make an encore | |
Take the mic, make the people respond for | |
The r, ' cause that' s the way it' ll have to be | |
If you wanna get on after me | |
Think about it, wait, erase your rhyme | |
Forget it and don' t waste your time | |
' cause i' ll be in the crowd if you ain' t controlling it | |
Drop the mic, you shouldn' t be holding it | |
This is how it should be done | |
This style is identical to none | |
Some try to make it sound like this but you' re getting me | |
So upset that i' m wet ' cause you' re sweating me | |
I drip steam like a microphone fiend | |
Eager to mc is my theme | |
I get hype when i hear a drum roll | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it 5x | |
I got soul you got it that' s why i came | |
To teach those who can' t say my name | |
First of all, i' m the soloist, the soul controller | |
Rakim gets stronger as i get older | |
Constant elevation causes expansion | |
I write my rhyme while i cool in my mansion | |
Then put it on tape and in the city i test it | |
Then on the radio the r' s requested | |
You listen to it, the concept might break you | |
' cause almost anyone can relate to... | |
Whoever' s out of hand, i' m give him handles | |
Light ' em up, blow ' em out like candles | |
Or should i just let him melt? | |
Then give him a hand so they can see how it felt | |
I' m not bold just cuz i rock gold | |
Rakim is on the mic and you know i got soul | |
You got it 4x | |
Now i' m a stop to see what you got | |
Get off the mic before i get too hot | |
I want to see which posse can dance the best | |
It should be easy ' cause the beat is fresh | |
Now if your from uptown, brooklyn bound, | |
The bronx, queens, or long island sound, | |
Even other states come right and exact, | |
It ain' t where you' re from, it' s where you' re at | |
Since you came here, you have to show and prove | |
And do that dance until it don' t move | |
' cause all you need is soul selfesteem will release, | |
The rest is up to you, rakim ' ll say peace | |
You got it 10x |