It’s Been a Long Time

[Chorus] ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' [Verse 1] Follow procedures, the crowd couldn’t wait to see this Nobody been this long-awaited since Jesus Who wouldn't believe this? I heard the word on the street is I'm still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of So I made some more to put the New World in Order With mathematics, put your status above the average And help you rappers make paragraphs with graphics 'Cause new days is dawnin', new ways of performin' Brainstormin', I write and watch the night turn to mornin' On and on and, I got the whole world respondin' Rock, I keep it hot, blow the spot without warnin' The emperor well-known for inventin' a Sentence full of adventure, turnin' up the temperature Rush with adrenaline, how long has it been again To be in the state of mind that Rakim is in? [Chorus] ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Rakim) [Verse 2] When I'm out proppin', either hangin' or shoppin' People see me, stop and ask me when the album droppin' The wait is over, in formation like a soldier Like I told ya: greater, stronger, now that I'm older I broke the code of silence with overloads of talents My only challenge is not to explode in violence I'm Asiatic and blazin' microphones a habit At least once durin' the course of a day, it's automatic In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian pharaoh Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow Allah's monotony, so far, they can't stop me You know Ra' want property like Muammar Gaddafi More thoughts than bibles, recitals taught disciples A sawed-off mic, so words scatter like a rifle Thoughts that's trifle, I'm bustin' these for you Ayo, technical difficulties is through [Chorus] ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) [Verse 3] When I flow tonight, I'll show 'em new heights I go to write They know I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic Critics and biters don't know where my source of light is Still leave authors and writers with arthritis Cursed kids like the pyramids when they found the style First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile The rebirth of hip-hop'll be dropped now 'Cause the crowd didn't hear the original in a while So be alarmed, what you 'bout to see is the bomb Like 3D in 'Nam, vivid like CD-ROM Info kept like internet.com, my notebook's my bond like the Holy Qur'an Since I came in the door, said it before But, no, I ain't down with Eric B. no more At night, the open mic be invitin' me to rhyme So, yo, I'm online, it's been a long time [Chorus] ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''Rakim, the microphone soloist'' ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) [Outro] ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time) ''It's been a long time'' (Long time)