Pause Tapes

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

Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Re-record, loop

It's a drive-in movie, no roofs on, a bunch of Benzes
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 station sound distorted
I moved 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 crudie, lungs smoky
Fiends in the hallway, bummy, just finished the Old E
Music savin' our lives, just listen and gettin' fried to underrated MCs
Sprayin' somethin' to hide the aroma
Still in my mom's cribs, was young and lazy
Quit school 'cause I needed fly shit, the fiends would page me
Not tryin' to be locked on a big Queen's crazy
Guess jeans and Polo jacket, just in the crib causing all this racket

Always knew I was the verbal assassin
Submerged in the very dirty world, but only was half in
That's when I had an epiphany, came with last on the symphony
If I could set a posse cut off, that be my entry
Pickin' up the stereo's remote control, quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G
Surprised I opened a bombshell and 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 20 times, yo, I made my first beat
Pause tapes

Pause tapes, rewind it, re-record, loop
Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop
Loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop