It's been a long time, I
shouldn't have left you
Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak
shows you slept through
Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you
Thinking of this, you
keep repeating, you miss
The rhymes from the microphone soloist
So you sit by the radio,
hand on the dial, soon
As you hear it, pump up the volume
Dance with the speaker
'till you hear it blow
Then plug in the headphone
cause here it go
It's a 4 letter word when
it's heard, it control
Your body to dance (You got it) soul
Ditects the tempo like a red alert
Reaches your reflex, and let it work
When this is playing,
you can't get stuck with
The steps, so get set and
I'm a still come up with
A gift to be swift, follow
the leader, the rhyme will go
Def with the record that
was mixed a long time ago
It can be done but only I can do it
For those that can't dance,
just clap your hands to it
I start to think and then I sink
Into the paper like I was ink
When I'm writing, I'm
trapped in between the lines
I escape when I finish the rhyme...
I got soul
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
Picture a mic, the stage is empty
A beat like this might tempt me
To pose, show my rings
and my fat gold chain
Grab the mic like I'm on Soul Train
But I wait cause I mastered this
Let the others go first so
the brothers don't miss
Eric B. break the sticks (you got it)
Rakim will begin when you make the mix
I'll experiment like a scientist
You wanna rhyme, you gotta sign my list
Cause I'm a manifest and
bless the mic I hold
You want it next? then
you gotta have soul
Cause if you ain't got
it, I'm a make an encore
Take the mic, make the
people respond for
The R, cause that's the
way it'll have to be
If you wanna get on after me
Think about it, wait, erase your rhyme
Forget it and don't waste your time
Cause I'll be in the crowd
if you ain't controlling it
Drop the mic, you
shouldn't be holding it
This is how it should be done
This style is identical to none
Some try to make it sound like
this but you're getting me
So upset that I'm wet
cause you're sweating me
I drip steam like a microphone fiend
Eager to MC is my theme
I get hype when I hear a drum roll
Rakim is on the mic and
you know I got soul
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
I got soul (you got
it) that's why I came
To teach those who can't say my name
First of all, I'm the
soloist, the soul controller
Rakim gets stronger as I get older
Constant elevation causes expansion
I write my rhymes while
I cool in my mansion
Then put it on tape and
in the city I test it
Then on the radio the R is requested
You listen to it, the
concept might break you
Cause almost anyone can relate to
Whoever's out of hand,
I'ma give 'em handles
Light 'em up, blow 'em out like candles
Or should I just let 'em melt?
Then give 'em a hand so
they can see how it felt
I'm not bold just cause I rock gold
Rakim is on the mic,
and you know I got soul
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
Now I'm a stop to see what you got
Get off the mic before I get too hot
I want to see which
posse can dance the best
It should be easy cause
the beat is fresh
Now if you're from
Uptown, Brooklyn-bound
The Bronx, Queens, and Long Island Sound
Even other states come right and exact
It ain't where you're
from, it's where you're at
Since you came here, you
have to show and prove
And do that dance until it don't move
Cause all you need is soul
self-esteem will release
The rest is up to you,
Rakim'll say peace
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
You got it
