Songwriter: LL Cool J

[Intro]
Uh, yeah
See, this is what these mixtapes is all about
Knah'msayin Kay Slay?
Talk to the people, with no interruptions and interference

[Verse]
Put that mic down, admire the technique and tight tight sounds
Of a Renagade, never been afraid, the time is right now
Before I take my bow and finally allow
My love affair with rap to fade, I'll sink into the page
Pleasure and the pain that came from rulin' the game
And the half Dominican that gave me brains in the fast lane
A seventeen-year reign, simple and plain
When I ruled the rap game and all my peers sold cocaine
One-three-two Uptown, when Rich Porter told me
"See you can push a new car, it's different for a rap star"
And Azie was givin' 50s to the homeless
They never bragged about it? "L, we don't condone this"
On the back of the bike with Alpo
Doin' a buck down one-two-five, hopin' to stay alive
Favorite spot rooftop
Me and Big chuckle up when he was hittin' up "Juicy" and what not
Damn, when Dapper Dan got shot up
Before they made drops when we had to cut the top up
Some cats neglected the fact that L was hot
Cause they warm and electin' me hot when I stepped in the spot
Lyrically reppin' the block on Farmers to rock
But my sex symbol status made me corny to cop
The microphone strategist ripped the apparatus
Left competition embarrassed but I never held malice
Kinda saw street literature
Used to lose battles on purpose so these cats can dream more
I want to see y'all shine without the use of a nine
You might see a nigga, I see a black Einstein
A diamond in the rough, he's remidin' me as tough
Young girls takin' X, she's blinded by the stuff
Oh my God, where did we go wrong?
Are you doin' what you're doin 'cause I ruined you with songs?
God forgive me, I never knew my power to devour the demons
Y'all know the Devil be schemin'
It's a manifestation of the pain of a nation
That makes materialism the only thing we're chasin'
The real gangstas never talked to me tough
Never told me they was hard, or claimed to be my God
When I first found the courage to bounce up outta Queens
And saw Big Dave comin' up out the store with money machines
My only dream was to rock mics in the spotlight
Joint bumpin' on Marley Show all night
Whoever thought that I would be a movie star?
A rap icon, chokin' the game like a python
Russell turned the hype on, exploded like a pipe bomb
Just because a young boy, turned the mic on
Still admire skills and cats that are ill
With lyri-kills, nowadays the chorus is payin' the bill
The black man found a way outta the hood
Now it's slaves to mayor's not all good
Don't let 'em take our music and plagiarize the game
Then you call up and request it and pretend it's really flames?
The tip of the iceberg, I'll hold my piece
In the meantime, live smart, watch out for the beast
Lyrical Picasso flow masterpiece
Like Michaelangelo or Rembrant, you know?
Si palare poco Italiano
LL bravisimo, grazie, prego!
Más mejor siempre mi amigo
Pero, music is muy muy duro
Tú sabe, que tú quieres es no problema
Te quiero mucho, yo comprendo your dilemma
Sumer's comin', it won't always be winter
I pray to God He forgives me, I'm a sinner

[Outro]
That's a little message
All the brothers and sisters out there
Y'all be strong
Keep your dreams flowin' baby
Kay Slay I'm out for presidents to represent me
But I want to get 'em the right way, y'know?

LL Cool J

Deriving his name from the statement “Ladies Love Cool James,” LL Cool J became a superstar rapper after his Def Jam debut in 1984. He mixed a hardcore hip-hop style from songs like “I’m Bad” with R&B style on songs like “I Need Love,” which led him to multi-platinum success and several awards. He would later venture into movies and television, write several books, and start different business ventures.

Born January 14, 1968, Queens, New York native James Todd Smith began rapping at the age of nine and started to seriously pursue rapping when he was 16 years old after his grandfather bought him music equipment, which he used to create a demo tape that was sent to numerous labels. He was signed by upstart independent label Def Jam, working with founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to release his debut single “I Need a Beat” in 1984, which sold over 100,000 copies. This success helped Def Jam secure a distribution deal with Columbia Records.

LL released his debut album Radio in 1985, which achieved platinum status with help from the hit singles “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” After working exclusively with Rick Rubin on his debut, LL worked with the West Coast production crew L.A. Posse on his second album Bigger and Deffer, released in 1987. The album featured two of LL’s signature the hard-edged “I’m Bad” and the “rap ballad” “I Need Love,” which was a Top 20 pop hit, helping the album achieve double platinum status.