One Time

[Intro: Raheem DeVaughn]

One time

One time

One time for the block, one time for hip-hop

One time

One time for being black, from wherever you at

One time

One time for Skyzoo from the NYC

One time

One time for Pete Rock in the place to be

One time

[Verse 1]

One time for the time sticking beside me

Wouldn't count me out when it counted me in the lobby

Where counting will lead you into the fold like origami

It could've overlapped and then chose to au revoir me

Like yo, when you be talking bonjour to a Mazi

It seems to intervene and encores to a homi

Like anybody can get it so, nothing don't surprise me

'Cause anybody can get it so, hopefully you got me

Shout to Gates and Greene, in between's where you find me

And shout to Jamaica Queens, "Margherita's" is a body

Easier to spot me, but I ain't never mind so

I ain't step aside I just speak it in tsunamis

Pay me no never mind, I just stayed in the design

Until they was tryna trace me or pay me to oblige

Whole fist in the air not a shade was a mirage

And true to what you would hear I decorated the garage

I'm more Belafonte when it come to the front line

But still dressed in mortgage money

Like "what else you wanted from me?"

Except when they calling for me

They took in outta towners but couldn't take the corner from me

I took it to a five bedroom mini mansion in a cul de sac

Prestigious subdivision, I brought my son to that

Did it off of inspiring who ain't cut from that

Says a lot about you if you can't fuck with that

[Chorus: Pete Rock & Raheem DeVaughn + Skyzoo]

(One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)

One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)

One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)

One time for it all, through and through (One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)

One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)

One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)

One time for it all, through and through (One time)

[Verse 2]

One time we was being followed by 12

Quoting "Ready To Die" so we was probably twelve

Boys pulled us over like we had product to sell

A week later my man was popping with crills

He said "if they already assume I'm tryna deal

Then why not though?" Custies said "arigato"

I had 100 sixteens written 'bout how my block go

By 16 I needed room so I forgot those

Now fast forward 20 more and where the top goes

Is where that sent me, word to who resent me

And word to who be like "your words?, they represent me"

Whether bidding or tryna tie up an ending

All coded for who's in the scrimmage

So if you didn't get it

Then you should be lucky that you didn't live it

Doe or die til the end of that time

You thought you wasn't given

And all the Patron that you wasn't spilling

All that I know, if you here with it, then you recognize

Being twelve and seeing bells in a detective's eyes

Henny still pouring outta me if you step aside

Bought a truck that had room to fit the rep inside

So do the knowledge, do the math and the science

Just because I'm relaxed doesn't mean that I'm compliant

Just 'cause I'm in the back doesn't mean that I ain't eyeing

And just 'cause I got class doesn't mean that I ain't firing

[Chorus: Pete Rock & Raheem DeVaughn + Skyzoo]

(One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)

One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)

One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)

One time for it all, through and through (One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)

One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)

One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)

One time for it all, through and through (One time)

[Outro: Raheem DeVaughn]