Epilogue

"What does it take"

"to be a great"

"MC?"

If you ask me, it's much more than Master of Ceremonies

Because a lot of Masquerading Corn*****

Don't realize it also means Mad Creativity

In this day and age of mediocrity

There's two types of rappers that you'll recognize and hear

But I prefer the ones with the lyrics of the year

Than the gimmick with the gear and the right puppeteer

Now you can be the next Rakim, Shakespeare

you're still 10 steps away from having a career

You step up the plate to earn respect from your peers

And end up on deck for the remainder of your years

I suppose this means greatness takes blood, sweat, and tears

It also takes an industry that doesn't breed fear

Or pumping all this mindless crap up in your ears

And limiting the contrast of what you get to hear

You got to recognize it's a determined idea

A righteous young mind is a devil's worst fear

But when you wanna give the people peace and satisfaction

Everybody's mama wants a piece of the action

So now I fall victim to supply and demand

Immaculate conceptions, born illegitimate

Destined to be the greatest story ever missed

Which means its meant to be for whoever's hearing this

[Chorus 2x]

When it's all said and done it should be heard and seen

'Til this cold-hearted game forces us to change teams

While the lust for the loot spreads out like gangrene

So the haves chase their tails while the nots chase their dreams

As the years chase the days, past the futures, meet fate

Like your firstborn, waiting for pop's release date

Postpone, meanwhile, I accumulate means

To revise and renew what was just heard and seen

It's been stated that I rhyme like God and I build like a poet

One hand wash the other like Lady Macbeth

Flip styles like Bela Karolyi

Warm hearted, cold blooded

I write like opposite left

I left opposites right what they left off

My rights left right-wingers left to right beside me

Left my right hand man 'cause he left what's right

And I reserve the right to write 'til I'm free

'Cause I free styles with my pen,

That ya'll couldn't if you freestyled all day long

Literally, this literature designed for one orator

Stays on the head

Emcee's emcee, that I be the emcee's emcee

'Cause I am saying what I am thinking

Except when my mind's blinking

My eyes open even when my eyes' drinking

I's a socializer, but more so with those wiser

Ask yourself why's a music so misused it's self contained

And not self sustained

I myself contemplate this 'til I make myself complain

Shall my raps stay maintained, wrapped in cellophane

'Til they're unwrapped by human consumers?

Emphatically no, so I rap wherever I go

And let it grow up in your brain like a tumor

[Chorus 2x]

Aiiyo, ya think ya really know me well

There's more to me than ya mind got room for

And much much more than a clever verse or two

That's all you know about me, you ain't even knowing that

You think I give a **** whether or not my record sells?

You're damn right but you see that ain't the way I'm keeping score

If one million people said it does that make it true

You judge my music by whether or not my pocket's fat?

Well, **** you

When the cash cow you're milking

It ain't yours but the job pays well, don't it?

And if you're lucky you can even get to taste a drop

We'll see who's happy when you're old but you're not grown

You see me? Now, yeah, you'll see me later too

****ing you up when the vantage point change, don't it?

I know what's hip, but you determine if it's hop or pop

You're just a man without a voice, pass the microphone

I know the difference between written rhymes and freestyles

You see, for me, it's like having *** or making love

And you should know by now I'm married to the pad and pen

But I'm entitled to cheat on her every now and then

Will your children know the hip hop history?

Will the songs you hate be shrouded in mystery?

Don't step to me with your stats and your date smarts

You know your neighborhood by street signs or landmarks?

I'm not talking 'bout the first record ever made

I'm talking 'bout the first one that ever made you

The first records that I played never played me

And I can still play 'em today 'cause they stay true

You know this time I'm only speaking on the timeless

It makes sense now and then, yeah, now and then

'Cause now it's making picture perfect sense and then

It's making picture perfect sense like it did now

[Chorus 4x]