[Hook] (So far!) I've earned my respect in the streets (so far!) The ghetto's been good to me (so far!) I'm never gonna turn my back (so far!) The true are living so I've gotta kick the facts
[Verse 1] Well I've come a long way, peeps check my past Crowds from the urban blocks thought I wasn't gonna last But I'm true to hip hop So I do what I gots And my ass wasn't raped to collect my props I just kick the raw deal when they drop instrumentals Niggas caught up in the cypher and their rhymes sound like rentals In other words they bit Cause they ain't true to it Screamin', havin' a fit, and your rhymes ain't shit To pick apart, they start from the beginning Sugar Hill was flavor, but in '93 that rhyme style ain't winning So stop, you're the reason rap won't be around I'm strictly next shit For stick to strictly underground
[Hook]
[Verse 2] Let me kick it, flip the new style The shit that you can get with at any moment But remember, I own it but I loan it To those who want to practice these I know you want to rap kid So come and get your rap degrees It's the school of hard knocks Niggas rhyme on every block Know the streets, its got hard rocks and nuff (hah) Tough luck and lock up No matter what the road you wanna be in it The sky's the limit And now you're finished so why your grill looked in The streets is fair game And hip hop, you play the same If you got skills, then everybody gonna know your name And if you suck, then you're the only one ya get blame And if [you're nice was assured?] you're headed for fortune and fame
[Hook]
[Verse 3] So far Theres so many styles I take it for granted Could be fatal blows to hip hop like Christie was to Hitchcock Straight was the way but today seems slanted No more wrecking balls to wreck shop No cuts on the table, raps enormous So I put forth the classic curriculum, the burrup and the stick em Clap ya hands and a kick 'em in the [fever?] where it all began And finally back again And now that's all behind me So pass me a Heine better yet make it a Becks Let me get a mic check Watch me kick the flim-flam While they stay rusty like the Tin Man Dusty with the roads, let's go Now we go platinum, so take that son You dont know how to act So I'm out like ...