Turn up the bass, check out my melody, hand out a cigar
I’m lettin knowledge be born, and my name’s the R
A-k-i-m, not like the rest of them, I’m not on a list
That’s what I’m sayin, I drop science like a scientist
My melody’s in a code, the very next episode
Has the mic often distortin’, ready to explode
I keep the mic at Fahrenheit, freeze MC’s to make ’em colder
The listener’s system is kickin’ like solar
As I memorize, advertise, like a poet
Keep you goin’ when I’m flowin’, smooth enough, you know it
But rough that’s why the moral of my story I tell E.B
Nobody beats the R, check out my melody

So what, I’m a microphone fiend addicted soon as I seen
One of these four MC’s so they don’t have to scream
I couldn’t wait to take the mic, flow into it to test it
Let ‘My Melody’ play, then a record suggest it
I’m droppin bombs, but I stay peace and calm
Any MC that disagree with me wave your arm
And I’ll break, when I’m through breakin’ I’ll leave you broke
Drop the mic when I’m finished and watch it smoke
So stand back, you wanna rap? All of that can wait
I won’t push, I won’t beat around the bush
I wanna break upon those who are not supposed to
You might try but you can’t get close to
Because I’m number one, competition is none
I’m measured with the heat that’s made by sun
‘Cause I’m playin ball or bobbin’ in the hall
Or just writin my name in graffiti on the wall
You shouldn’t have told me you said you controlled me
So now a contest is what you owe me
Pull out your money, pull out your cut
Pull up a chair, and I’m a tear shit up
My name is Rakim Allah, and R and A stands for Ra
Switch it around, it still comes out R
So easily will I e-m-c-e-e
My repetition of words is check out my melody
Some bass and treble is moist, scratch in and cut in a voice
And when it’s mine that’s when the rhyme is always choice
I wouldn’t a came and said my name and run same weak shit
Puttin’ blurbs and slurs and words that don’t fit
In a rhyme, why waste time on the microphone
I take this more serious than just a poem
Rockin party to party, backyard to yard
I tear it up, y’all, and bless the mic for the gods