Me and the rap's laid back
 Nonchalant and relaxed in the track
 Put together well  so it ain't hard to tell
 Easy to recognize  so my records'll sell
 On the microphone  well known with a low tone
 Show and prove when the stage show is shown
 All you hear is screams when I'm hit by the laser beams
 Ladies fiend  rappers are choosin up teams
 So who could beat up  just before we meet up
 Before I kick a rhyme, I kick my feet up
 to let you know, everything's under control
 Under surveillance, takin over your soul
 So let me handle this, gettin scandalous
 All my jams are hits, never plan to miss
 Crowd is captured, released at my permission
 Peep em, as I, keep em eager to listen

 [Rakim]
 Opponents are found paralyzed from the mic down
 Left with a little sight ears still hear the sound
 Try to clear your mind but it's still there
 Give him about a year, then give him a wheelchair
 I damage and deteriorate, til your brain dead
 No huss cuss what I discuss'll bust his head
 Here's some hearin aids when your eardrums fail
 You get scars, so you could read it in braille
 Close your third eye, then I do body work
 And I keep the same procedure til somebody's hurt
 My DJ'll sew up cuts like an M.D.
 And I still move crowds like an M.C.
 Entertain and tear you out of your frame
 Leave you in a puddle of blood, then let it rain
 Then I get deep, so try to withstand
 on my level to think, or sink like quicksand
 He couldn't hang, so I cut the rope short
 Watchin em fall, cause they need more support
 This is the way that I done, all of my competition
 Peep em, as I, keep em eager to listen

 Keep em eager to listen

 [Rakim]
 The performance I give em is, somethin like a hypnotism
 Swingin back and forth, til you can keep the rhythm
 At the tone of my voice, you will become
 eager to listen dance in a trance til you see the
 R on stage, no cheers, all ears
 All three of your eyes on me, so it appears
 just like you thought it would be, but even better
 Live and direct on stage, instead of the
 radio or video or studio rehearsin
 I'm at my best in the flesh in person
 The main attraction, center of attention
 The crowd'll go crazy, soon as I mention
 it's time to communicate, so let's conversate
 I get my point across, when you respond I make sense
 So now we could continue the mission
 As I, keep em eager to listen

 As I, keep em eager to listen

 [Rakim]
 I used to always say one day
 I'll play in the NBA cause I'll slay
 opponents well, and also excel
 as a black quarterback in the NFL
 I throw to score so I can hear the crowd roar
 Keep em, out of they seats and on the floor
 And when I win, it'll pump my adrenaline
 My record is undefeated, and I'll win again
 I'll never lose or hear boos from the audience
 cause they participate, and applaud me since
 I bring em what they want to hear
 And they'll fill up the atmopshere
 with people that came to party, and have a good time
 So when I'm gone, I'm sure, you understood the rhyme
 Because I promise to accomplish the mission
 Cause I, keep em eager to listen