Ibtihaj

[Intro: D'Angelo & Rapsody]

Now when the emcees came to live out the name

And  to-pa-to perform

Some  had to snort cocaine to act insane

To before Pete rocked it on

Now on to the mental planes to spark the brain

With  the building to be born

Now  RZA flip the track

Boy, boy, you sharp, boy

Look  at the fades on you, boy

Ooh, boy, you liquid swords on your head, boy (Yeah), wavy

[Chorus: Rapsody & D'Angelo]

Thinkin' like, back in the days (Yeah), when niggas wore fades (Yeah)

Silk tied caps, just tryna catch a wave (Boy, you sharp)

Tryna  catch a wave (Liquid swords sharp, boy)

Tryna catch a wave

Thinkin' like, back in the days (Yeah), when niggas wore fades (Yeah)

Silk tied caps, just tryna catch a wave (Boy, you sharp)

Tryna catch a wave (This boy sharp)

Tryna catch a wave (Boy, you sharp, boy)

It's been a long time coming (A long time coming)

Since we had someone swarming with the Beez (Killa)

Birds and the Killa Beez (Killa Beez)

It's been a long time coming (A long, long time)

Since we had someone swarming with the Beez (Killa Bees)

Birds and the Killa Beez (Killa, Killa)

[Verse 1: Rapsody]

When the emcees came to live out their name

Inscribed in the halls and the walls of fame

Balancing life, wrote both the yin and yang

Hands bury the man and they raised the son, Lorraine

That's a play on words, they say herb ain't all the same

Slaves in prison and they some unchained

While everybody in my gang a star, DJ Preem

Screaming through the sun roof, "Money still ain't a thing"

While I'm spending small bank, asking "Where is my change?"

Carpool with the homies, saving gas in my tank

I think like a billionaire, I spend less than I make

Strong minded, I should bench way more than my weight

Women been leading the way since Roxanne Shante

And the Unit had Flav and Jay had Marcy neighbors that waved

Lookin' confused, I'm like "Cool, maybe it's age"

When I see afro puffs, I think maybe it's Rage

Maybe it's staged, they trippin', and they say they got beef

Ain't an emcee on this Earth that make me feel afraid

Wu-Tang for the children, that's the scripture and phrase

See my goals from a bird's view like Trae Underage

[Refrain: D'Angelo & Rapsody]

Now when the MCs came to live out the name (Yeah)

And to-pa-to perform (Yeah)

Some had to snort cocaine to act insane

Boy you sharp, liquid swords sharp, boy

To before Pete rocked it on

Now on to the mental planes to spark the brain (Yeah)

With the building to be born (Yeah)

GZA on the track, ch-ch-cha, ch-ch-ch-cha

Chka-chka-chka-chka-chka-chka-cha

[Verse 2: GZA]

When I'm so off the radar, it's very hard to find me

In space, a selfie with the Earth behind me

You follow the leader, the track is off the meter

A lot of rap is weak, low frequency in the tweeters

Very inaudible, clock radio speakers

Quietly whispering is a world of WikiLeakers

Forget the gaudiness, my method is nauseant

Transferring ideas into the brains of the audience

The street poet gave this special artform a global reach

Who earned your ear and then your heart by giving a local speech

Weaving wonder with words as potent as a sorcery

Not witchcraft, but a list of terms in the glossary

Well written rap bound to have a greater impact

On a listener for the fact, it's well intact

An emcee should electrify, beautify, strive to

Empower, inspire, transform a worldview

[Chorus: Rapsody & D'Angelo]

Back in the days (Yeah), when niggas wore fades (Yeah)

Silk tied caps, just tryna catch a wave (Boy, you sharp)

Tryna catch a wave (Liquid swords sharp, boy)

Tryna catch a wave

Thinkin' like, back in the days (Yeah), when niggas wore fades (Yeah)

Silk tied caps, just tryna catch a wave

Tryna catch a wave

Tryna catch a wave

Thinkin' like

It's been a long time coming (A long time coming)

Since we had someone swarming with the Beez (Killa)

Birds and the Killa Beez (Killa Beez)

It's been a long time coming (A long, long time)

Since we had someone swarming with the Beez (Killa Bees)

Birds and the Killa Beez (Killa, Killa)

[Outro: D'Angelo]

Now when the emcees came to live out the name

And to-pa-to perform

Some had to snort cocaine to act insane

To before Pete rocked it on

Now on to the mental planes to spark the brain

With the building to be born

Now RZA flip the track