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I calculate that eighty-five was the year |
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I first grabbed the pen, daydreamin of the cheers |
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Ahead from rockin shows, no Girbauds that sag |
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The windbreaker suits and backspins that was mad |
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I stress progress roll joints at my rest |
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til the ill wee hours, and I knew it was the best |
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I hit mad spots, many crews got dropped |
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While I was gettin props niggaz was dealin on the block |
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Stayin in crib on the weekends was Marley Marl |
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was freakin the cuts Mr. Magic was speakin |
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That's how I got my first taste, makin tapes |
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til the rhyme skill was great and my style would escalate |
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Practice made my perfect tactics |
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Now my dap gets clap, cause I'm the rap snap fanatic |
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But now in nine-trey I got the T-Ray track |
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And my trunks, my roots are growin styles from whayback |
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.. |
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[Tame One] |
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I flash back to fat Kangol hats, with plastic |
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Back when steppin on kicks in eighty-six got your ass kicked |
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Bombers and sheepskins, were common when I first started rhymin |
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Still I found time to go bombin |
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Me and my pals rocked Cazals with no glass |
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Dark flavored Clarks, Lee Denims off the ass |
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Back when Mr. Magic had it goin all the way on |
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the beat with BDP, added flavor like a crayon |
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Indeed MC's would represent with the skills |
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But now in ninety-three a lot of them can get the dillz |
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It seems like a little sumthin missin in the mix |
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But now I got a deal, so it's up to me to fix |
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When niggaz put me up on, with funky raps to cut on |
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Word is BOND, if I hear another wack rap song |
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I might snap and it's an actual fact |
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that I'ma kick it like that, cause this is strictly bout the whayback |
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.. |
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[El Da Sensai] |
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Aww man damn, whayback, things was kinda fat |
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Had the Godfather knot, a Starter hat, things are kinda wack |
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now, packed up, my cardboard and stepped away |
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I didn't have a choice, the culture was slayed |
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B.D. had died, and things were dissapearin |
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The West coast was here and all these wack beats appearin |
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DJ's were breakin down record store doors |
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to get the Biz Dance and the Chante Moore's |
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Peace to Buck Four, Rocksteady on the floor |
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New York and Dynamic crews plus many more |
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Remember the time when you didn't pack a nine |
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Niggaz just came to hear some, funky ass rhymes |
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But all of that's over, cause brothers wanna act up |
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No clubs to go to, they'll just pack rap up |
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That's how the media wants it to stop |
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So peep the verse and last showin of Graffiti Rock |
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So check it, the brothers wanna wreck it |
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To get what's expected, cause hip-hop, should be respect |
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Gotta get it back, to get it on track |
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Artifacts kickin styles illy on the whayback |
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[Tame One] |
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Like back when my Timberlands were only size sixes |
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I used to take pictures shootin spitballs at bitches |
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Cross New Jersey Transit just to see a rapper kick it |
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But now I ain't with it, cause niggaz just ain't worth the ticket |
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Shit man, I remember jams that were slammin |
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Gettin me and my man in, was harder than backgammon |
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DJ's would scratch back to back from boom baps |
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And rappers with real raps, could drop shit real fat |
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But now kid, as I recollect, rappers out who caught wreck |
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respected, just got stuck up in my tape deck |
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Real deal hip-hop, when Biz used to flip-flop |
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His fat ass, on stage'd do a dance, in busted Reeboks |
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Niggaz musta forgot, when real rhymes was hot |
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Cause now if you ain't gold, you ain't got no props |
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But f**k that, I'm above that, I don't play that |
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The Artifacts staff drops math about the whayback |
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.. |
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"It's a demo.." "Back in back in the days" |
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"You gots to chill.." "Back in back in the days" |
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"South Bronx" "The Bri to The Bridge" |
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'South Bronx" "Back in back in the days" |
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"Jimbrowski.. |
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that's what it is" "Back in back in the days" |
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"Like that y'all, it's like that y'all |
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It's like thatta that, it's like that y'all" (4X) |