[Chorus]
Never thought I would be right here like this
But I knew I could and would not this
Thought I was gone and I disappear
Guess you were wrong when your call this year
Heard when you said that I would not win
That's when I knew I could right then
Just when you thought that it all might end
Here I am again, again, again
[Masta Ace]
Four score and 7 years before
Erik and Rakim never came in the door
I was rapping on the mic the same as before
(yup) Just claiming i'm raw, aim at the wall
I was some dumb little crumb from the slum
Typical young bum with a slong full of cum
Did dirty like I hate water
Neighbourhood 2 dollar punk like 8 quarters
Never thought i'd pa** one cla** to get through college
I was writing tags on the wall with shoe polish
Nylon
Dead wrong, but still walked with a smile on
Hood routes over good times
I took lines took their names and put mine
It's safe to stay I came a long way
Didn't think you'd be here today, did ya?
[Chorus]
Never thought I would be right here like this
But I knew I could and would not this
Thought I was gone and I disappear
Guess you were wrong when your call this year
Heard when you said that I would not win
That's when I knew I could right then
Just when you thought that it all might end
Here I am again, again, again
[Masta Ace]
It's hard to believe i'm still right here
I'm on a slight tear and I refuse to fight fair
Cast on my shine reduced to a light glare
Turn around and I'm right there, like a bad nightmare
I'm prolific, every song I flow different, every verse of my sh**, I spit so terrific
I'm lost like some lost punk of course i'm a dump
You walk in a club and hear my song's heard, jump!
Bounce
Whatever you n***as do now
All you rap dudes acting all new now
Y'all cats you walk in the park
Come through at night you get caught in the dark
I spot you from long range and I shorten the mark
You can pay off like a bee sting Noah bought in the ark
You tremblin', back in the gym again
Yup, it's him again
Here I am again
Come on
[Chorus]
Never thought I would be right here like this
But I knew I could and would not this
Thought I was gone and I disappear
Guess you were wrong when your call this year
Heard when you said that I would not win
That's when I knew I could right then
Just when you thought that it all might end
Here I am again, again, again
I sound raw but cats pray for my downfall
Gonna leave you y'all in the same place where I found y'all
On the sidelines
Y'all a bunch of bench warmers
We're intense performers and our rent's enormous
Ya wait, hoping that I fail when I open the mail
It's an a**-cap check
And i'll cash that cheque
Rehearsing the sh**
Purpose of this sh**
Every person I get, excited
Rappers be like: Let's fight it
Understand the urge my n***a but you best fight it
Don't think y'all get cold hunches
I spit sh** that makes cats throw punches
Y'all just mad cuz I still got what I had
I'm like your friend and your dad with a pen and pad
In the next 5 years y'all love me
And like Macy Grey its' about to get real ugly
[Chorus]
Never thought I would be right here like this
But I knew I could and would not this
Thought I was gone and I disappear
Guess you were wrong when your call this year
Heard when you said that I would not win
That's when I knew I could right then
Just when you thought that it all might end
Here I am again, again, again