{DJ Premier cuts early Eric B. & Rakim records}
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
  
   [Rakim]
   Follow procedures, the crowd couldn't wait to see this
   Nobody been this long awaited since Jesus
   Who wouldn't believe this - I heard the word on the street is
   I'm still one of the deepest on the mic since Adidas
   They said I changed the times from the rhymes that I thought of
   So I made some more to put the New World in Order
   with Mathematics, put your status above the average
   And help you rappers, make paragraphs with graphics
   Cause new days is dawnin, new ways of peformin
   Brainstormin, I write and watch the night turn to mornin
   On and on and, I got the whole world respondin
   Rock, I keep it hot and blow the spot without warnin
   The Emperor, well known for, inventin a sentence
   full of adventure, turnin up the temperature
   Rush with adrenaline, how long has it been again
   to be in the state of mind that Rakim is in?
  
   {DJ Premier cuts early Eric B. & Rakim records}
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim"
  
   [Rakim]
   When I'm out proppin - either, hangin or shoppin
   People see me stop and ask me when the album droppin
   The wait is over, in-formation like a soldier
   like I told ya, greater stronger, now that I'm older
   I broke the, code of silence with overloads of talents
   My only challenge, is not to explode in violence
   I'm Asiatic, and blazin microphones a habit
   At least once durin the course of a day, it's automatic
   In ghetto apparel, mind of a Egyptian Pharoah
   Far from shallow, thoughts travel like an arrow
   Allah's monotony, so far they can't stop me
   You know, Ra want property like Mumar Khadafi
   More thoughts than Bibles, recital - taught disciples
   A sawed off mic, so words scatter like a rifle
   Thoughts that's trifle, I'm bustin these for you
   Aiyyo, technical difficulties is through
  
   {DJ Premier cuts early Eric B. & Rakim records}
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
  
   [Rakim]
   When I float at night, I show em new heights, I go to write
   They know I strike with new prototypes to blow the mic
   Critics and biters, don't know where my source of light is
   Still leave authors and writers with arthritis
   Cursed kids like the Pyramids when they found the style
   First to ever let a rhyme flow down the Nile
   The rebirth of hip-hop'll be dropped now
   cause the crowd didn't hear the original in a while
   So be alarmed, what you bout to see is the bomb
   Like, 3-D in 'Nam, vivid like CD-Rom
   Info kept like "internet.com"
   My note-book's my bond like the Holy Qu'ran
   Since I came in the door, said it before
   But no I ain't down with Eric B. no more
   At night the open mic be invitin me to rhyme
   So yo I'm online, it's been a long time
  
   {DJ Premier cuts early Eric B. & Rakim records}
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   ".. Rakim, the microphone soloist"
   "It's been a long time.."
   "It's been a long time.."
  
   "It's been a long time.." {extended scratch}
   "It's been a long time.." {extended scratch}
   "It's been a long time.."