January 28, 1968
Born into this world as William Griffin The Great
Chapter 1, Wyndanch Long Island
Scientific rhymin' invented a new sound when he met with
Eric Barrier from East Sandhurst
The melody they created was the first
Burst on the scene, 1986 with Clap To This
'87 dropped a classic disc
The facts is the tracklist was like four
The vocals, the beats -- according to Marly Marl
Recorded in my hometown Queensbridge
That's why it's so relative
This biography was unauthorized
I spit it how it was given to author Nas
William changed his name at sixteen to Rakim Allah
'Cause Clarence 13X had New York on lock
Gods on every block, jams in every park
I remember hearin' Curtis Blow saying
"It can't get better than this"
'Til Run DMC blew my brains to bits
From leather coats to shell toes to the stan smiths, to Dapper Dan kicks
First million-dollar deal ever in rap, 18th Letter did that
From 41st & Broadway to Uni to MCA
We followed the leader to Harlem's Apollo Theatre
Supreme rapped and the 50 that don't rap
Forte Green, Queens, Long Island wolfpack
Paid In Full posse, hot they was on
And Ra had his firstborn
With the next line I'ma be easy
His wisdom's name is Fifi
EPMD put a record out, was dope
Tension spread, and I quote "Smack me and I smack you back"
Sounded like the answer to the I Ain't No Joke track
For a second it ain't look good
Little tension buzzin' from Wyndanch to Brentwood
Misunderstood, all forgot by sixteen when I met Freddy Foxx
Totin' burners, the whole coast's most concern was
How was Rakim's flow, made Christians convert with Islamic ways
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em was the third LP
A sophisticated mean one, before similar voices were King Son
A few others, but sooner or later, the game was Ra's kingdom
At sixteen, son was watchin' him, mesmorized
Respect, not jockin' him, was so amazin', besides
He came on the stage with lasers in his eyes
Walk with me now
