[Intro: Havoc interview clip]
"[I really do...] remember the first time I made a beat
I had a cassette player in my grandma's crib
I didn't have all, you know, the extravagant equipment, you know
This was back in the late '80s, and I used to listen to music on the radio
That I liked, you know, particularly old school, like, '70s
And I would record it, and then, after I recorded a certain part that I liked
I would record, loop, record, loop, record, loop
Until it just became one beat
And you know, that was the beginning of me making beats"
[Refrain: Havoc scratched by DJ Premier]
"Re–" "Record, loop..." "Re–" "Re–" "Record, loop..."
"Re–" "Record, loop..." "Re–" "Re–" "Record, loop..."
"Re–" "Record, loop..." "Re–" "Re–" "Record, loop..."
[Verse: Nas]
It's a drive-in movie, no roofs on, a bunch of Benz's
Let's try to re-imagine the passion when I got in this
A Panasonic with the tape recorder
Tryna level the treble and bass in order; the stations sound distorted
I'd move the dial to improve the sound, years later got a Sony stereo system
No comparison with the – boombox, my livin' room knocks
My nigga Mayo next door, he bangin' on the wall, told us to stop
Take me back – drugs and money, we cruddy, lungs smoky
Fiends in the hallway, bummy, just finished the Ol' E
Music's savin' our lives – just listenin', gettin' fried
To underrated MC's; sprayin' somethin' to hide
The aroma; still in my mom's crib, was young and lazy
Quit school 'cause I needed fly shit, the fiends would page me
Not tryna be locked on a bid, Queens crazy
Guess jeans and Polo jacket, just in the crib causing all this racket
Always knew I was the verbal assassin
Submerged in a very dirty world, but only was half in
That's when I had an epiphany, Kane went last on "The Symphony"
If I could set a posse cut off, that'd be my entry
Pickin' up the stereo's remote control, quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G
A surprise – I opened up, bombshell in my mind
Tells me I could hook a beat up for myself to rhyme
My mom's hall closet, in boxes, all kinda shit
Johnnie Taylor records and some good Grover Washingtons, I'm lockin' in
Grab a piece of vinyl, drop the needle at the top
Listen for a beat to rock, 90 minute tape, I got enough time
Play it one time, four bars
Press Record, then press Pause, then restart
Record, loop, repeat
Do that 'bout twenty times – yo, I made my first beat
Pause tapes
[Outro: Havoc, scratched by DJ Premier]
"Pause tapes... rewind it, record... loop..."
"Re–" "Record, loop..." "Re–" "Re–" "Record, loop..."
"Re–" "Record, loop..." "Re–" "Re–" "Record, loop..."
"Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..."
"Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..." "Loop..."
