Take it there 



Take em there 



[VERSE 1] 

I used to live Uptown, 2-1-9th Street 

White Plains, everything was concrete 

On my block up on the hill 

Barnes Ave., yo, everything was chill 

Till night fall, that's when they come out 

(The freaks y'all) Watch the kid with the gun out 

Now many people tell me New York City is horrific 

It is kinda... scary, but let's be realistic 

This is the part that started this music 

When other people out there in the world couldn't do it 

Party people had to wait to see 

The DJ's go forth and back 

We used to rock off these breakbeats 

Way before they called it rap 

Matter of fact, now that I think back 

Hip-hop was the start of somethin big 

The way we took this art straight from the parks 

To where you live 



[CHORUS] 

Now this story had to be told 

About how we came in from the cold 

Played my hand and refused to fold 

We made somethin new out of what was old 

And what we make no man can break 

So I took my time cause it was mine to take 

Now low and behold, I heard my tape just sold 

1'000'001, son, now I'm draped in gold 

I took it there 



[VERSE 2] 

Now years ago when I was 9 

Pops said, "It's time to rise and shine" 

He said, "New York City ain't the place to stay" 

We packed the ride and left and headed for L.A. 

Took us west straight through the country 

See, California is the place to see 

So daddy put us inside his Cadillac 

We hit the West coast, I thought we'd never come back 

Now I'm walking green grass, 3 years went past 

Palm trees, ocean breeze, where the summers last 

You see ah, that's the life that I lead 

It taught me home is just a place where you lay your head 

Now get packed, we're makin tracks and stretch across the map 

And there's nothin in this world could ever hold us back 

And I still hold my body in a b-boy stance 

And rock on the mic to make the world wanna dance 

It's fly for the clubs, hardcore for the thugs 

When Ak is on the mic it's definitely all love 



[CHORUS] 



[VERSE 3] 

'82 was the year 

We touched down in Chi-town, I see it all so clear 

Motel hell, livin life so poor 

Six of us in the studio, we slept on the floor 

Vice Lords swingin swords, G.D.'s bust they gats 

Latin Kings on the corner with the baseball bats 

But life this way could only get you so far 

When I hopped the train I rode on the last car 

And all I did was puff cheeba, it took my thoughts deeper 

Dropped out of school, found a job so I could keep a 

Roof over my head, shoes on my feet 

Many nights I didn't eat, I learned to hustle in these streets 

They say it's all about money sellin crack to these junkies 

But now I got somethin that they can't take from me 

I'ma push my tape just like it's cocaine 

Let these rap fiends shoot me up in they vein 

They play my jam out in the park 

Gimme ghetto gold, keep your Billboard chart 

When I walk through the [Name] I get love and respect 

Keep one ear to the ground, greet my fam with a pound 

Feels good comin out y'all, book my first world tour 

LP's in the store, I spit it if you want it raw 



[scratching of] 

(You better recognize who you're talking to) 

[Prince Poetry:] (Crushing the competition that I stomp from east to west) 

(Who you're talking to) 

(Crushing the competition that I stomp from east to west) 

[The RZA:] (Let's get it on, ock) 

(Crushing the competition that I stomp from east to west) 

[The RZA:] (Now watch the spot get blown)