[Intro: Hell Razah]
I was... like I pay homage to the old school
You know due credit to all the n***as out there before me
Like... youknowwhatI'msayin'? That paved the way
To hold this microphone I'm holdin' right now
We like young veterans... knowwhatI'msayin'?
So it's like, we came, we come in the game around the Biggies
And the f**in' Jay-Z's and the 2Pac's and sh**... youknowI'msayin'?
[Verse 1: Hell Razah]
It all started with Preme
Back in '91, fresh on the scene
Mad Mob was the team of our Red Hook dream
We used to gun sling to get CREAM off of crack fiends
In the hallway, rollin' weed, the sunflower seeds
Thirteen when I lost my moms
Fourteen I got locked with Twin, we went to Spofford then
Fifteen they took one of my men, Big Glen
In the building, back then my pain began
Traybag had the fame of the pen, he must've seen I could win
I used to breakdance, the mad little spins
So he taught me and Sunny to write
Up in my lab late nights, rollin' dice, him, Supreme and Mike
We was live and direct to Da Last Future
For my first rhyme, and now 4th my producer
Had a style that my projects wasn't used to
Started hangin' with them drug dealers and them boosters
Up in John J rappin' in the school hallway
I got mad a**, even ask Foxy and Gav
Had the hood on smash then I linked with Bazz
We used to build and front, dazz' about f**in' with Wu
Me and 7th did "Livin' In Hell"
Pressed up it independent, not knowin' if a record would sell
Rae and Ghost made "Heaven & Hell", while we was hearin' it
Meanwhile we thinkin' it was all coincidence
"Mental Combat", the b-side, the style: battle rap
I was rated X, next heard 'Meth vs. Chef'
Not to notice we was snake bitten
Sunz of Man did this track with the RZA "As It Was Written"
And then Nas came out with "It Was Written"
Same time "Verbal Intercourse" started hittin'
[Interlude: Hell Razah]
Basically I see it like... you know?
Like when we reflect light... youknowI'msayin'?
I expected to shine... youknowI'msayin'?
So, what it is is like a reflection of what we did, knowI'msayin'?
So like those was like little seeds of sh** that we did
We planted and they didn't even know that we was plantin'
You know this beautful harvest...
[Interlude: Shabazz the Disciple]
I see it, me and Preme back, young enough
I see it...
[Verse 2: Shabazz the Disciple]
It all began at the age of sixteen
Me and my brothers Rah and Sha had a million dollar scheme
Runnin' with Kline at the time, we was gettin' that CREAM
Goin' hard under the buildings with Black and Supreme
When the scheme failed a teen went to jail, Rah got murdered
I was facin' three to nine when the jury read the verdict
On trial for a hundred and forty-four crack vials
Suited up in court, wiz pregnant with my first child
Beat the case, felt rap and started pursuin' my dream
I was the nicest in the hood, journey brought me the CREAM
The first song I recorded was "Make it or Die Trying"
In '91, way before "Get Rich or Die Trying"
We formed the Mad Mob, I filmed "Party With a Tec"
In all my videos I always rocked a bulletproof vest
Of course my Pops, Uncle Mookie got shot in the head
And Kline Sr. and Supreme just got locked in the feds
The late eighties was Hades hip-hop, save a n***a
Got discovered by the RZA, debuted with Gravediggaz
Platinum out the gate for my first verse on "Diary"
Number one on Hot 9 for three weeks, the world admired me
Toured the Holy West with the Clan, was well respected
Me and Priest got a demo deal with Atlantic Records
We both had a plan to introduce the fam
We featured Prodigal and Razah, the birth of the Sunz of Man
Rae and Ghost gave my style to the enemy
I left the situation, signed a contract with Penalty
After "Crime Saga" and "d**h'll be the Penalty"
I left the label, released "Street Parables" independently
Was crowned the underground king of Europe for my show
Big Pun told me "Crime Saga" inspired his flow
In '96 I told Big Lez I'm God Son on RapCity
In '98, Nas tattooed the sh** across his belly
[Outro: Hell Razah]
They knew what they was doin', like...
We wanted to be different, that's what made us who we was
KnowwhatI'msayin'? We didn't wanna do the sh** that the program said to do
KnowI'msayin'? So we went against the system
Everybody went with the system
That's what brought Sunz of Man together as a group
Every last individual spit some intellectual street sh**
Some deep true poetic project crazy sh**
[Outro 2: samples, repeat to fade]
"Since a seed" "I have a dream" -] KRS-One
"The battles, the tears" -] Guru "It's in the streets"
"Since a seed" "I have a dream" -] KRS-One
"The battles, the tears, licenses and promises" -] Guru