Songwriter: Rakim
Producer: Nick Wiz
[Verse 1]
I left the set, they need me, like, "Where he go?"
You can bet, he's still off the heezy, yo!
The kid spit, weezy, but easy? No
I make it hard to read me, graffiti flow
East to West, the world wanna see me blow
Syndicated, like your favorite TV show
I get respect, and get a check from CDs sold
The President, record exec, from CEO, uh
Ra's still killin' 'em, block's still feelin' 'em
[?], still peelin' 'em (Hot!), still reelin' 'em, real as
Them
Drop! Sell millions, Seventh Seal, here it come
Ra's chillin', top buildin' spots still fillin' em
Papi in Puerto Rico, UK's King Harold
The Bronx, I'm Carlito, the block I'm Ra Ghetto
Jamaica; I'm Ja', and Rio know my M.O..
Japan, it's [?]
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Verse 2]
When I'm flowin', my master craft is demographic
It's growin', I check the status then let 'em have it
The chosen, Rakim is classic, time so far past it
Masses won't grasp it 'til I'm in the casket
When I'm zonin', I've seen it all like "Casualties of War" before it happened
Perhaps my pen is magic
Unloadin', mic chokin' smoke keep clappin' 'til it's broken
Pop open, like emptyin' a ratchet
Blackberry Benzino, [?] is red
Black and cherry Timbs [?] stuffed with bread
The lee-low, seein' ya group like I'm duckin' the Fed's
Ra's still on fire like I puff with dreads
Studio-gangster talk tough is dead
My 16's a slug stuck in your head, enough said
This is for fans and neighborhood celebs
Baby girl, let's hit the club, hurry up, get dressed
So let's go
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Verse 3]
It's hip-hop when DJs throw it on in the club
And watch mamis drop and start warmin' it up
They get hot, bartender puts some more in the cup
Thugs hear it outside, start stormin' the club
It don't stop! Once it's on we enjoyin' the buzz
Inhale the song in your lungs, it's as strong as a blunt
Or raw rocks off of the block, the audience bump
'Til the cops run in the spot like I'm wanted for drugs
I party with mamis, with Bacardi and they're zombies
Sophisticated hotties that ride with me on Ducatis
Fit bodies in they Armanis, mix karate with pilates
Yeah, they hobby's with Papi put tsunami's in their punanis
The God stay fly, it ain't hard to aim high
Like I'm armed with a launcher, or a Don on they grind
Ra display rhymes, it's the crime, dark or day time
Like a mobster sprays 9's, I'm a monster, ain't I?
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at (Yeah)
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Outro]
New York City
Detroit
A-T-L
The West coast
The Midwest
Across seas
R-A-K-I-M
I left the set, they need me, like, "Where he go?"
You can bet, he's still off the heezy, yo!
The kid spit, weezy, but easy? No
I make it hard to read me, graffiti flow
East to West, the world wanna see me blow
Syndicated, like your favorite TV show
I get respect, and get a check from CDs sold
The President, record exec, from CEO, uh
Ra's still killin' 'em, block's still feelin' 'em
[?], still peelin' 'em (Hot!), still reelin' 'em, real as
Them
Drop! Sell millions, Seventh Seal, here it come
Ra's chillin', top buildin' spots still fillin' em
Papi in Puerto Rico, UK's King Harold
The Bronx, I'm Carlito, the block I'm Ra Ghetto
Jamaica; I'm Ja', and Rio know my M.O..
Japan, it's [?]
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Verse 2]
When I'm flowin', my master craft is demographic
It's growin', I check the status then let 'em have it
The chosen, Rakim is classic, time so far past it
Masses won't grasp it 'til I'm in the casket
When I'm zonin', I've seen it all like "Casualties of War" before it happened
Perhaps my pen is magic
Unloadin', mic chokin' smoke keep clappin' 'til it's broken
Pop open, like emptyin' a ratchet
Blackberry Benzino, [?] is red
Black and cherry Timbs [?] stuffed with bread
The lee-low, seein' ya group like I'm duckin' the Fed's
Ra's still on fire like I puff with dreads
Studio-gangster talk tough is dead
My 16's a slug stuck in your head, enough said
This is for fans and neighborhood celebs
Baby girl, let's hit the club, hurry up, get dressed
So let's go
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Verse 3]
It's hip-hop when DJs throw it on in the club
And watch mamis drop and start warmin' it up
They get hot, bartender puts some more in the cup
Thugs hear it outside, start stormin' the club
It don't stop! Once it's on we enjoyin' the buzz
Inhale the song in your lungs, it's as strong as a blunt
Or raw rocks off of the block, the audience bump
'Til the cops run in the spot like I'm wanted for drugs
I party with mamis, with Bacardi and they're zombies
Sophisticated hotties that ride with me on Ducatis
Fit bodies in they Armanis, mix karate with pilates
Yeah, they hobby's with Papi put tsunami's in their punanis
The God stay fly, it ain't hard to aim high
Like I'm armed with a launcher, or a Don on they grind
Ra display rhymes, it's the crime, dark or day time
Like a mobster sprays 9's, I'm a monster, ain't I?
[Chorus]
It don't matter where you at (Yeah)
O.T. or on the same block I rep'
(You know!) All come from the same struggle
(I know!) You understand my lingo
So no matter wherever, I know you got my back
And if it ever pop off, I'm gon' react!
You see the word on the streets
Is the world got our back so we need
To send love wherever we go!
[Outro]
New York City
Detroit
A-T-L
The West coast
The Midwest
Across seas
R-A-K-I-M
- When I B On Tha Mic
- It’s Been A Long Time
- Guess Who’s Back
- The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)
- R.A.K.I.M.
- Mystery (Who Is God)
- Holy Are You
- Waiting For the World to End
- The Saga Begins
- Walk These Streets
- Flow Forever
- Don’t Call Me
- How to Emcee
- Hip-Hop
- Remember That
- New York (Ya Out There?)
- When I’m Flowin
- 18th Letter
- King’s Paradise
- After You Die
- Show Me Love
- Uplift
- How I Get Down
- Finest Ones