Verse One: Follow me into a solo get in the flow And you can picture like a photo Music mixed mellow maintains to make Melodies for MC's motivates the breaks I'm everlastin, I can go on for days and days With rhyme displays that engrave deep as X-rays I can take a phrase that's rarely heard FLIP IT - now it's a daily word I can get iller than 'Nam, a k**in bomb But no alarm - Rakim will remain calm Self-esteem make me super superb and supreme But for a microphone still I fiend This was a tape I wasn't supposed to break I was supposed to wait, but let's motivate I want to see who can keep followin and swallowin Takin the making, bitin it and borrowin Brothers tried and others died to get the formula But I'ma let ya sweat - you still ain't warm You a step away from frozen, stiff as if ya posin Dig into my brain as the rhyme gets chosen So follow me and were ya thinkin' you were first? Let's travel at magnificent speeds around the Universe What could ya say as the Earth gets further and further away Planets are small as balls of clay Astray into the Milky Way - world's outasight Far as the eye can see - not even a satellite Now stop and turn around and look As ya stare in the darkness, ya knowledge is took! So keep starin soon ya suddenly see a star You better follow it cause it's the R This is a lesson if ya guessin and if ya borrowin Hurry hurry step right up and keep followin The Leader Verse Two: This is a lifetime mission, vision of prison Aight listen In this journey you're the journal I'm the journalist Am I Eternal? Or an eternalist? I'm about to flow long as I can possibly go Keep ya movin cause the crowd said so Dance - cuts rip ya pants Eric B on the blades, bleedin to d**h - call the ambulance Pull out my weapon and start to squeeze A magnum as a microphone murderin' MC's Let's quote a rhyme from a record I wrote (follow the leader) Yeah - dope Cause everytime I stop it seems ya stuck Soon as ya try to step off ya self-destruct I came to overcome before I'm gone By showin and provin and lettin knowledge be born Then after that I'll live forever - you disagree? You say never? Then follow me! From century to century you'll remember me In history - not a mystery or a memory God by nature, mind raised in Asia Since you was tricked, I have to raise ya From the cradle to the grave But remember - You're not a slave Cause we was put here to be much more than that But we couldn't see it because our mind was trapped But I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains Remake the brains, reveal my name I guess nobody told you a little knowledge is dangerous It can't be mixed, diluted; it can't be changed or switched Here's a lesson if ya guessing and borrowing Hurry hurry, step right up and keep following The leader Verse Three: A furified freestyle, lyrics of fury My third eye makes me shine like j**elry You're just a rent-a-rapper, your rhymes are minute-maid I'll be here when it fade to watch you flip like a renegade I can't wait to break and eliminate On every traitor or snake - so stay awake And follow and follow, because the tempo's a trail The stage is a cage, the mic is a third rail I'm Rakim the Fiend of a Microphone I'm not HIM, so leave my mic alone Soon as the beat is felt, I'm ready to go So fasten your seatbelt, cause I'm about to flow No need to speed slow down to let the leader lead Word to daddy, indeed! The R's a rollin stone, so I'm rollin Directions is told, then the rhymes are stolen Stop buggin', a brother said, dig em, I never dug 'em He couldn't follow the leader long enough so I drug 'em Into danger zone, he should arrange his own Face it, it's basic, erase it, change ya tone There's one R in the alphabet It's a one-letter word and it's about to get More complex from one rhyme to the next Eric B be easy on the flex I've been from state to state, followers tailgate Keep comin but you came too late, but I'll wait So back up, regroup, get a grip, come equipped You're the next contestant - clap ya hands, you won a trip! The price is right - don't make a deal too soon How many notes could you name this tune? Follow the Leader is the title, theme, task Now ya know, you don't have to ask Rap is Rhythm And Poetry, cuts create sound effects You might catch up if you follow the records E. wrecks Until then keep eatin and swallowin You better take a deep breath and keep followin The leader