I Know You Got Soul

It's been a long time, I shouldn'ta left you Without a strong rhyme to step to Think of how many weak shows you slept through Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you Thinkin' of this, you keep repeatin' you miss The rhyme from the microphone soloist So you sit by the radio, hand on the dial, soon As ya hear it, pump up the volume Dance wit' the speaker 'till ya hear it blow Then, plug in a headphone, 'cause here it go It's a 4 letter word, when it's heard it control Your body to dance, (you got it) soul Detects the tempo like I'm Red Alert Reaches your reflex, and let it work When this is playing, you can't get stuck wit' The steps, so get set, and I'mma still come up wit' A gift to be swift, follow the leader, the rhyme'll go Def wit' the record that was mixed a long time ago It could be done, but only I could do it For those that could dance and clap your hands to it I start to think, and then I sink Into the paper, like I was ink When I'm writin', I'm trapped in-between the line I escape, when I finish the rhyme I got soul You got it You got it You got it You got it I know you got soul, hey If you didn't you wouldn't be in, be in, be, be in here Picture a mic, the stage is empty A beat like this might tempt me To pose, show my rings, and my fat gold chain Grab the mic like I'm on Soul Train But I wait, 'cause I master this Let the others go first, so the brothers don't miss Eric B. break the sticks (you got it) Rakim will begin, when you make the mix I'll experiment like a scientist You wanna rhyme, you gotta sign my list 'Cause I'mma manifest and bless the mic I hold You want it next? Then you gotta have soul 'Cause if you ain't got it, I'mma make a encore Take the mic, make the people respond for The R, 'cause that's the way it'll have to be If you wanna get on after me Think about it, wait, erase your rhyme Forget it, and don't waste your time 'Cause I'll be in the crowd if you ain't controllin' it Drop the mic, you shouldn't be holdin' it This is how it should be done This style, is identical to none Some try to make it sound like this but you're gettin' me So upset, that I'm wet, 'cause you're sweatin' me I drip steam, like a microphone fiend Eager to emcee is my theme I get hype, when I hear a drum roll Rakim is on the mic, and you know I got soul You got it You got it You got it You got, you got, you got, you got it I got soul, (you got it) that's why I came To teach those, who can't say my name First of all, I'm the soloist, the soul controller Rakim gets stronger, as I get older Constant elevation causes expansion I write my rhymes while I cool in my mansion Then put it on tape and in the city I test it Then on the radio the R is requested You listen to it, the concept might break you 'Cause almost anyone could relate to Whoever's out of hand, I'mma give 'em handles Light 'em up, blow 'em out like candles Or should I just let 'em melt? Then give 'em a hand so they could see how it felt I'm not bold, just 'cause I rock gold Rakim is on the mic, and you know I got soul You got, you got, you got, you got it You got, you got, you got it You got it You got, you got it Now I'mma stop, to see what you got Get off the mic 'fore I get too hot I want to see which posse can dance the best It should be easy, 'cause the beat is fresh Now if you're from Uptown, Brooklyn- bound The Bronx, Queens, or Long Island Sound Even other states come right and exact It ain't where ya from, it's where ya at Since ya came here, ya have to show and prove And do that dance, until it don't move 'Cause all you need is soul, self-esteem will release The rest is up to you, Rakim'll say peace You got it You got, you got, you got it You got, you got, you got it You got it You got it You got, you got, you got, you got, you got it You got it You got, you got, you got it You got it You got it