Rakim - Once Upon A Rhyme (Unreleased Shit '96 Version) lyrics

I kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug
Then I jet

Once upon a rhyme, the time late 60s
Dark age of history
Murders and mysteries, the future was misty
Needles were shot down and crime was risky
Yo check this party and stick with me
Race brutality because of my nationality
And this is what they call reality
From that state of mind and
At that date and time
I was born inclined and waiting to shine
Once upon a rhyme

Once upon a time not long ago
Once upon a time not long ago

The beginning, the scenery sets in New York
With times are hard and streets
Ain't easy to walk crimes is underrated
Neighborhoods overpopulated
Competition gets complicated
Some can't take it my place of rest in the
City that never sleeps
To compete it gets deep I
Learn to play for keeps
And hawk the sidewalk, dominate the court
I'm nice in all sports
Was taught with high thoughts
Then came an Africans and knew
Where it was at
Spreadin' across the map with no time flat
They said this kid name Herc
Started spinning records back
Had to look into that then get it down pat
First I do research it's gonna take time
Me and my crew is hittin' all
The parties we could find
Waitin' for the day where I could go for mine
But later dates await down the line
Once upon a rhyme

Once upon a time not long ago
Once upon a time not long ago

Many shall come but only few get
The plot off the top
You gotta be hip to hop and get visual
With musical forms
Lyrical pictures from city slickers
Beats getting blast by ass kickers
It was the pioneers with all kinda ideas
Trade will shift to higher
Gears over the years
Some get left in the dust by the thrust
If rhymes won't bust with a mic full of rust
DJs, get your fingers musically amputated
You can't touch a jam if
The next man slayed it
Battle at the center, I'm too young too enter
We cool outside, even in the winter
We have a good time with the people on line
And party time seem like
The neighborhood shine
But, I get vexed when I can't get mine
But later dates await down the line
Once upon a rhyme

Once upon a time not long ago
Once upon a time not long ago

I kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug
Then I jet
I kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug
Then I jet

Through the times my rhymes got longer
Mind got stronger
Wonder I'd ever be a performer
My blood starts to boil I could
Heat up the party for you
Girls wanna rub me and my mic down with oil
Rappers started coming out the woodwork
A neighborhood expert
We ready for trouble and stay alert
Days got close til my debut
Got recruited to a crew
Now I could do the things I always wanted to
Code red I inherited
Many ways to say the unsaid
Born with three 7's in my head blessed it
Destined to be one of the best and
Anything I find interesting yeah no question
A swift kid I get lifted by the mind
Gifted skills exist to be on my prime
Combined with all kinds of
Designs which is mine
Its showtimes await down the line
Once upon a rhyme

Once upon a time not long ago
Once upon a time not long ago