Released: September 26, 2006

Songwriter: Rakim

[Intro]
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Lace em up tight
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Get your game face on
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Uh, uh ayo
[Verse 1]
{?} It's ball time
{?} one of the top five of all time (uh-huh)
{?} with a all around game
Lemme show you how a baller found fame
{?} master with a basketball b (uh)
{?} (uh)
He claim to be containing me when he ain't
Who you holding? Knowing i'm a beast in the paint (in the paint)
When my post arrives, you get posterized
Cameras flash, but that ain't why you close your eyes
I play like I'm {?}, seven feet tall
NBA, same way I did in street ball
The whole building shake when Ra' slam
The world can hear me hollering loud like Tarzan
Off the dribble, and beware the crossover
To the middle {?}

[Hook]
I'll show you how I came up and got a name
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
You wanna step your game up, you gotta train
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Now I'm a beast, straight up I got game
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
A little dude yelling, "Can I play?"
Now it's welcome to the NBA

[Verse 2]
I grab the rock, look at my defender like he ain't that (uh)
I take it straight to the rack like (claim to fame)
Bring your A game and get your B game {?}
Catch 22 like {?} came back (uh-huh)
You reach I teach, you stop I throw
{?} fags don't even stop my show
I love playing {?} that get me trouble (word up)
The double the ch-ch-ching, It's a easy triple double
Fans witnessing I got busy on ya
Handle my business and drop 60 on ya (uh huh)
Defense'll break you, you see no shine, even
Intimidate you at the free throw line
We up 40, I'm still going hard b (uh-huh)
Giving it to whoever trynna guard me (come on)
Give em a L, but not till it's finished for real
On the court you take 48 minutes of (hell)

[Hook]
I'll show you how I came up and got a name
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
You wanna step your game up, you gotta train
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Now I'm a beast, straight up I got game
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
A little dude yelling, "Can I play?"
Now it's welcome to the NBA

[Verse 3]
I bring the pain raw as Hercules' kids
Jump shot be hotter than Mercury is (fire)
It's like stopping a tropical storm, don't try to
Coast to coast, spin you around and blow by you
I ain't playing with yall, only thing i'm playing is ball
You can get up, or stay on the floor (get up bro)
It's tip off time with 2 ticks on the clock
Everybody in the building know who getting the rock
Since being young in the park, behind the arc all day
Can't touch me, automatic ballpoint plays
Skill, ball handle is crazy ill (nice)
I break (reign on his claim to fame) (uh)
Get you game face on

[Bridge]
{?} on the mic, I'm in the club two-steppin
And if I come to the arena {?}
I got the {?} championship ring on

[Hook]
I'll show you how I came up and got a name
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
You wanna step your game up, you gotta train
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
Now I'm a beast, straight up I got game
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
A little dude yelling, "Can I play?"
Now it's welcome to the NBA

[Outro]
The god Rakim
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
All my ballers keep your game tact
(I came to reign on his claim to fame) Do what you do
I'm coming thorough a city near you
(I came to reign on his claim to fame)
All my players, NBA-ers
NBA 07

Rakim

The God MC, William Michael Griffin Jr. (b. January 28, 1968), known professionally as Rakim, is an American rapper representing the East Coast, hailing from Long Island, New York. Widely regarded as one of hip-hop’s most influential lyricists of all time, Rakim’s pioneering multisyllabic rhyming techniques demonstrated his lyrical superiority and helped cement his legacy.

Prior to his celebrated solo efforts, Rakim served as one half of the hip-hop duo, Eric B. & Rakim. The duo would go on to release a total of four studio albums before separating in 1992. Their 1987 debut album, Paid in Full, became a benchmark within hip-hop and inspired many future rappers, partly due to Rakim’s lyrical proficiency.

Coming off of a five-year hiatus, Rakim released his acclaimed debut solo album, The 18th Letter, in 1997. It is considered by many to be his best album, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 charts. Rakim’s 1999 sophomore album, The Master, received mixed reviews—it would be his last studio album for a decade until re-emerging with 2009’s, The Seventh Seal.