Eric B. & Rakim — In the Ghetto

[Verse 1: Rakim] Planet Earth was my place of birth Born to be the soul controller of the universe Besides the part of the map, I hit first Any environment I can adapt when it gets worst The rough gets goin', the goin' gets rough When I start flowin', the mic might bust The next state'll shake from the power I generate People in Cali used to think it was earthquakes 'Cause times is hard on the Boulevard So I Bogart and never get scarred I'm God, but it seems like I'm locked in Hell Lookin' over the edge but the R never fell Or tripped or slipped 'cause my Nike's got grip Stand on my own two feet, and come equipped Any stage I'm seen on or mic I fiend on I stand alone, and need nothin' to lean on Goin' for self with a long way to go So much to say, but I still flow slow I come correct, and I won't look back 'Cause it ain't where you're from, it's where you're at Even the (Ghetto) [Verse 2: Rakim] I learn to relax in my room and escape from New York And return through the womb of the world as a thought Thinkin' how hard it was to be born Me bein' cream with no physical form Millions of cells with one destination To reach the best part as life's creation Nine months later, a job well done Make way 'cause here I come Since I made it this far, I can't stop now There's a will and a way, and I gots the know-how To be all I can be and more And see all there is to see before I'm called to go back to the essence It's a lot to learn, so I study my lessons I thought the ghetto was the worst that could happen to me I'm glad I listened when my father was rappin' to me 'Cause back in the days they lived in caves Exiled from the original man, they strayed away Now, that's what I call hard times I'd rather be here to exercise the mind Then I take a thought around the world twice From knowledge to born, back to knowledge precise Across the desert that's hot as the Arabian But they couldn't cave me in 'cause I'm the Asian Reachin' for the city of Mecca, visit Medina Visions of Nefertiti, then I seen her Mind keeps travelin', I'll be back after I Stop and think about the brothers and sisters in Africa Return the thought through the eye of a needle For miles I fought, and I just brought the people Under the dark skies, on a dark side Not only there, but right here's an apartheid So now is the time for us to react Take a trip through the mind and when you get back Understand your third eye seen all of that It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at Even the (Ghetto) Even the (Ghetto) [Verse 3: Rakim] No more props, I want property in every borough Nobody's stoppin' me because I'm thorough Rhymes I make gimme real estate for me to own Wherever I bless a microphone 007 is back and relaxin' On point and reactin', and ready for action I'm so low-key that you might not see me Incognito, and takin' it easy (Ghetto) Quiet as kept on a hush hush In front of a crowd I get loud, there's a bumrush But calm, keep a low pro and play the background Hopin' the whack rapper put the mic back down So rip it, break it in half, go 'head and slam it 'Cause when it's time to build, I'm a mechanic Of bondin' and mendin', attachin' and blendin' So many solos, there is no endin' People in my neighborhood, they know I'm good From London to Hollywood, wherever I stood Footprints remain on stage ever since Sidewalks and streets, I leave fossils and dents When I had sex, I left my name on necks My trademark was left throughout the projects I used to get rich when I played Cee-lo When I rolled 4, 5, 6, they go, "We know" So I collect my cash then slide I've got my back, my gun's on my side It shouldn't have to be like that I guess it ain't where you're from, it's where you're at Even the (Ghetto) I'm from the (Ghetto) Word up Peace