Released: January 15, 1991

Songwriter: DJ Premier Guru

Producer: Guru DJ Premier

"Now what you hear is not a test"
"Now what you hear is not a test"
"Now what you hear is not a test"
"Now what you hear is not a test"

[Verse 1]
Well goodness gracious, let me just take this
Time out to pull a rhyme out, and update this
For you and yours, simply because
Some MCs have luck but suck
So I pluck 'em like feathers on the back of a chicken
'Cause I'm mad like a pit when my man says, "sic 'em"
Positive is the mindstate, but it could still mean that
I will kick a ill, malicious like mean rap
Suckers they forced me to knock 'em all out and
They think they know things like what I'm about and
They try to analyze, criticize, scandalize
The outcome is death, don't ask me to sympathize
Realize that I'm not to be played with
I'll flip so fast you won't know I'm the same kid
I'm tired and fed with all the weak stuff said
All the phony-baloney that went out like Pro-Keds
You've got no leads, so you shoot blanks
It's me the crowd thanks as I step to the top ranks
Bankin' my money, and investin' it wisely
Snatchin' up chumps when they try to sneak by me
I'm the dominant one, call me the prominent one
And as I'm speakin' I'll be bombin' the dumb
Deaf and blind 'cause I was born with a sharp mind
Eatin' MCs with ease like it's lunchtime
Or crunchtime, when they get done without warning
I'll bust that butt from nighttime 'til morning
Your song's boring, and so I'm scoring
Much points 'cause when it's time to throw joints
I cause havoc, the mic I grab is like savage
I invade the stage, and make you get off
The force is like a .38 blowin' your head off
And that's just in case you might be wearin' a vest
'Cause you're simply a pest in this mess, I suggest you

"Take a rest"
"If this meaning doesn't manifest, put it to rest"
"If this meaning doesn't manifest, put it to rest"

[Verse 2]
Don't ever sleep son, peep one or two of these lines here
Arranged by a great brain, delivering rhymes clear
And concise with a nice dope voice and
Killin' the fakes like a taste of some poison
Punks are thinkin' they're all of that, their voices are all flat
They're findin' their names in a wack rapper's almanac
Me follow that hollow crap, no way Jose
I'll seek out a better sound to somethin' Premier plays
Days will go by, and soon you'll know why
MCs like me will rise like the Enterprise
Starship, headin' straight for the target
Destination, a place where no perpetration
Is permitted, the Guru is with it to explain
How some MCs are scared to ride on a 4 train
Or any other train in the city for that matter
Playin' a role that they stole like a batter
But I know they ain't so I'll paint the real picture
My vocals go solo and like a bolo I'll hit ya
Square in your face, I'll crack the ribs in your chest
'Cause you thought your off-brand jam was the best
You fessed 'cause you guessed people would be impressed
I'm gonna bust that bubble on the double
"Take a rest"

[DJ Premier cuts "take a rest" for the Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Sit back and reflect, ponder and chill out
Rhymes like daggers make blood spill out
But you can't blame me for bringin' disaster
With all these ducks claimin' that they're the masters
Only thing they mastered is how to get wacker
As I roll uphill they roll downhill faster
Now they're wondering how they lost their touch
Wanna buy my rhymes but mine cost too much
I'm the innovative one, call me the creative one
And I won't stop 'til the job is done
All the slobs just run when I come to get some
'Cause they know better than to challenge this go-getter
They get bust, you can trust 'cause I won't let a
Booty-ass rapper get wins against me?
I guarantee that I won't act friendly
'Cause crabs have a nerve and deserve to get whipped on
Their girls get kissed on while they get flipped on
I slaughter and slay or slap 'em up quick
'Cause the lyrics they kick make me seriously sick
No substance, no value, but nevertheless
They're gettin' daytime play but I still say they should "take a rest"

(DJ Premier cuts "take a rest" for four bars, then song fades)

Gang Starr

Gang Starr is the formidable hip-hop duo of MC Guru and producer DJ Premier.

The group was originally founded by two childhood friends, Big Shug and Guru, in Atlanta; coming up with the logo design and name of the group. Big Shug and Guru got separated when Shug got imprisoned and Guru moved to New York where he met Dj Premier.

While DJ Premier is from Texas and the monotone Guru is from Boston, they came together in Brooklyn, New York, and helped define the sound of East Coast hip-hop in the 1990s with their jazzy production on singles such as “Words I Manifest” and “Jazz Thing,” as well as their harder boom bap singles like “Just to Get a Rep” and “Take it Personal.”