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