I came to set em straight  and let em know
 Whoever's holdin the best  just let him go
 Cause here's the inside scoop on the fiend
 They wanna know why I'm seldom seen
 Cause who needs the TV screens and magazines
 or shootin through the city in fly limousines
 There's one thing I don't like  it's the spotlight
 .. cause I already got light
 They be like  "Yo we had a get together last week
 and we know everyone was there except the Black Sheik"
 Because my schedule is tight, I gotta write
 I'm deep in the archives, and keepin em hyped
 It's been a long time, since you heard a strong rhyme
 None of these are weak so when you bite on mine
 we can trace the hits and then name that style
 MC'sll be out of a job for a while
 I reposess your indentification
 So hand in your application
 Put your mic on strike until you're unemployed
 Contract is up and I'm stampin it void
 Your selection ain't that selective
 So I'ma put you in your proper perspective
 On the dancefloor, and doin the SHAKE
 Ready to let em brake, set em straight

 [Rakim]
 Somebody said I set em up and pulled the plug on em
 But instead I let em go on so I could bug on em
 Go 'head and flow, cause I close the show
 Swing a song for the ladies and rhyme real slow
 For instance.. once I commence..
 .. the crowd is convinced
 So now you know who to put your money on
 Hurry up, before your money's gone
 Cause I'm the most common denominator
 Orchestrate a rhyme much greater
 I'm like a world almanac, so tell the media
 Givin em information like encyclopedia
 So bring a dictionary, so you can look it up
 so you know what I mean, when I hook it up
 No misconceptions although I complicate
 but this concept'll set em straight
 They even said that I was locked in jail
 So now I guess I'm out on bail?
 The only Island I was on was the Strong one
 And if I did my bid, it'll be a long one
 Cause if I sold weight, I'd be upstate
 in the penile, waitin for a brake
 Cause sellin drugs is for handicaps
 I got too many skills besides bustin rough raps
 If I go to jail, it won't be for sellin ki's
 It'll be for muderin MC's
 The beat'll take over your heart, then I start
 to cut em in half, cause rhymes are razor sharp
 Secure the exits, all MC's remain
 Cause we got a crowd to entertain
 And I know, when I go, I'll flow dangerous
 Brain'sll bust, what you tryin to explain to us?
 You got lost, and couldn't go on
 Came up short, so here's one to grow on
 Elevate off a high IQ
 In time, you'll find I'm true
 Cause once I start on a piece of art
 from sun to moon and light to dark I build the Ark
 Now you can float off the rhymes I wrote
 I'm sure that we'll hit shore without a boat
 You could bring a battleship and still get shipwrecked
 Attacked with a torpedo, what did you expect?
 Driftin up the creek, without a beat or a paddle
 Castaway on a raft and stand fragile
 Rescue your crowd, which ain't a hard job
 Me and my knowledge put together, I'm a lifeguard
 Dealin with actual facts it sold out fat
 here and now, but I go so far back
 to bring you up to date, so we can elevate
 It's no time to wait, or anticipate
 Cause I'm never late, I'm gonna motivate
 So I can let em brake, and set em straight