[00:01.49]It's been a long time
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[00:06.93]It's been a long time
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[00:11.75]It's been a long time
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[00:17.82]It's been a long time
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[00:20.68]Rakim the microphone soloist
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[00:23.31]Follow procedures the crowd couldn't wait to see this
[00:26.03]Nobody been this long awaited since jesus
[00:28.55]Who wouldn't believe this I heard the word on the street is
[00:31.56]I'm still one of the deepest on the mic since adidas
[00:34.19]They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
[00:36.93]So I made some more to put the new world in order
[00:39.48]With mathematics put your status above the average
[00:42.22]And help you rappers make paragraphs with graphics
[00:44.96]'Cause new days is dawnin' new ways of peformin'
[00:47.60]Brain stormin' I write and watch the night turn to mornin'
[00:50.40]On and on and I got the whole world respondin'
[00:53.04]Rock I keep it hot and blow the spot without warnin'
[00:55.72]The emperor well known for inventin' a sentence
[00:59.12]Full of adventure turnin' up the temperature
[01:01.17]Rush with adrenaline how long has it been again
[01:04.00]To be in the state of min'd that rakim is in
[01:06.50]It's been a long time
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[01:09.52]Rakim the microphone soloist
[01:11.90]It's been a long time
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[01:14.68]It's been a long time
[01:15.93]Rocking
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[01:17.15]When I'm out proppin' either hangin' or shoppin'
[01:20.20]People see me stop and ask me when the album droppin'
[01:22.90]The wait is over information like a soldier
[01:25.36]Like I told ya greater stronger now that I'm older
[01:28.14]I broke the code of silence with overloads of talents
[01:30.85]My only challenge is not to explode in violence
[01:33.59]I'm asiatic and blazin' microphones a habit
[01:36.24]At least once durin' the course of a day it's automatic
[01:39.06]In ghetto apparel mind of a egyptian pharaoh
[01:41.63]Far from shallow thoughts travel like an arrow
[01:44.34]Allah's monotony so far they can't stop me
[01:47.05]You know ra want property like mumar khadafi
[01:49.86]More thoughts than bibles recital taught disciples
[01:52.59]A sawed off mic so words scatter like a rifle
[01:55.30]Thoughts that's trifle I'm bustin' these for you
[01:57.67]Aiyyo technical difficulties is through
[02:00.64]It's been a long time
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[02:03.53]Rakim the microphone soloist
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[02:06.04]It's been a long time
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[02:08.70]Rakim the microphone soloist
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[02:11.47]It's been a long time
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[02:14.10]Rakim the microphone soloist
[02:16.76]It's been a long time
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[02:19.57]It's been a long time
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[02:21.96]When I float at night I show 'em new heights I go to write
[02:25.07]They know I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
[02:27.65]Critics and biters don't know where my source of light is
[02:30.33]Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
[02:33.11]Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style
[02:35.87]First to ever let a rhyme flow down the nile
[02:38.50]The rebirth of hip hop'll be dropped now
[02:41.00]'Cause the crowd didn't hear the original in a while
[02:43.89]So be alarmed what you 'bout to see is the bomb
[02:46.70]Like 3D in 'Nam vivid like CD Rom
[02:49.34]Info kept like internet com
[02:52.01]My notebook's my bond like the Holy Quran
[02:54.61]Since I came in the door said it before
[02:57.42]But no I ain't down with Eric B. no more
[03:00.05]At night the open mic be invitin' me to rhyme
[03:02.85]So yo I'm online it's been a long time
[03:05.58]It's been a long time
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[03:10.80]It's been a long time
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[03:13.72]Rakim the microphone soloist
[03:15.98]It's been a long time
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[03:19.18]Rakim the microphone soloist
[03:21.71]It's been a long time
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[03:24.52]It's been a long time
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[03:35.46]It's been a long time
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[03:43.71]It's been a long time
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[03:46.45]It's been a long time