Released: November 4, 1997
Songwriter: Rakim
Producer: DJ Premier
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time” (x4)
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
[Verse 1: Rakim]
Follow procedures. The crowd couldn’t wait to see this
Nobody been this long-awaited since Jesus
Who wouldn’t believe this? I heard the word on the street is
I’m still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas. They said
I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
So I made some more to put the New World in Order
With mathematics, put your status above the average
And help you rappers make paragraphs with graphics
‘Cause new days is dawning, new ways of performing
Brainstorming, I write and watch the night turn to morning
On and on, and I got the whole world responding
Rock, I keep it hot and blow the spot without warning
The emperor well-known for inventing a sentence
Full of adventure, turning up the temperature
Rush with adrenaline. How long has it been again
To be in the state of mind that Rakim is in?
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
“Rakim”
[Verse 2: Rakim]
When I’m out propping, either hanging or shopping
People see me, stop and ask me when the album dropping
The wait is over. In formation like a soldier, like I
Told ya: greater, stronger, now that I’m older. I broke the
Code of silence with overloads of talents
My only challenge is not to explode in violence
I’m Asiatic, and blazing microphones a habit—at least
Once during the course of a day—it’s automatic
In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian pharaoh
Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow
Allah’s monotony—so far, they can’t stop me. You know
Ra want property like Muammar Gaddafi
More thoughts than Bibles, recitals taught disciples
A sawed-off mic, so words scatter like a rifle
Thoughts that’s trifle, I’m busting these for you. Ayyo
Technical difficulties is through
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
[Verse 3: Rakim]
When I float
At night, I show ‘em new heights I go to write. They know
I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
Critics and biters don’t know where my source of light is
Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style
First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile
The rebirth of hip-hop’ll be dropped now ‘cause the crowd
Didn’t hear the original in a while
So be alarmed. What you ‘bout to see is the bomb like
3D in ‘Nam, vivid like CD-Rom
Info kept like internet.com, my note-
-book’s my bond like the Holy Quran
Since I came in the door—said it before
But, no, I ain’t down with Eric B. no more
At night, the open mic be inviting me to rhyme
So, yo, I’m online
It’s been a long time
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x5)
“It’s been a long time” (x4)
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
[Verse 1: Rakim]
Follow procedures. The crowd couldn’t wait to see this
Nobody been this long-awaited since Jesus
Who wouldn’t believe this? I heard the word on the street is
I’m still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas. They said
I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
So I made some more to put the New World in Order
With mathematics, put your status above the average
And help you rappers make paragraphs with graphics
‘Cause new days is dawning, new ways of performing
Brainstorming, I write and watch the night turn to morning
On and on, and I got the whole world responding
Rock, I keep it hot and blow the spot without warning
The emperor well-known for inventing a sentence
Full of adventure, turning up the temperature
Rush with adrenaline. How long has it been again
To be in the state of mind that Rakim is in?
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
“Rakim”
[Verse 2: Rakim]
When I’m out propping, either hanging or shopping
People see me, stop and ask me when the album dropping
The wait is over. In formation like a soldier, like I
Told ya: greater, stronger, now that I’m older. I broke the
Code of silence with overloads of talents
My only challenge is not to explode in violence
I’m Asiatic, and blazing microphones a habit—at least
Once during the course of a day—it’s automatic
In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian pharaoh
Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow
Allah’s monotony—so far, they can’t stop me. You know
Ra want property like Muammar Gaddafi
More thoughts than Bibles, recitals taught disciples
A sawed-off mic, so words scatter like a rifle
Thoughts that’s trifle, I’m busting these for you. Ayyo
Technical difficulties is through
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
[Verse 3: Rakim]
When I float
At night, I show ‘em new heights I go to write. They know
I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
Critics and biters don’t know where my source of light is
Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style
First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile
The rebirth of hip-hop’ll be dropped now ‘cause the crowd
Didn’t hear the original in a while
So be alarmed. What you ‘bout to see is the bomb like
3D in ‘Nam, vivid like CD-Rom
Info kept like internet.com, my note-
-book’s my bond like the Holy Quran
Since I came in the door—said it before
But, no, I ain’t down with Eric B. no more
At night, the open mic be inviting me to rhyme
So, yo, I’m online
It’s been a long time
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Premier]
“It’s been a long time” (x2)
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time”
“Rakim… the microphone soloist”
“It’s been a long time” (x5)
more tracks from the album
The 18th Letter/The Book Of Life
- Mahogany
- Mystery (Who Is God)
- New York (Ya Out There?)
- Intro
- Show Me Love
- Outro (The 18th Letter)
- Remember That
- Casualties of War
- The Punisher
- Eric B. Is President
- In The Ghetto
- Move the Crowd
- Skit
- It’s Been A Long Time (Suave House Mix)
- Guess Who’s Back (Alternative Mix)
- Stay Awhile
- When I’m Flowin
- It’s Been A Long Time
- Juice (Know the Ledge)
- Microphone Fiend
- Follow the Leader
- Paid in Full
- My Melody
- Lyrics of Fury
- I Ain’t No Joke
- Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em
- I Know You Got Soul
- The Saga Begins
- The 18th Letter (Always and Forever)
- Skit - (dialogue)
- Guess Who’s Back
- Skit #3 (The 18th Letter)
From the albums
- The 18th Letter/The Book Of Life (1997)
- Pizza King (1999)
- The Archive: Live, Lost & Found (2008)
Rakim popular songs
- 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