[Verse 1: Talib Kweli]
Yo, I come from a two fare zone it seem like
Just yesterday I had to take the 2 and the 5 to the Junction and walk the rest of the way
You can catch a bus with a transfer
But waiting for that surface transit is a b**h
I avoid it like a cancer
I'm heavy in the streets like crack in New York in ‘86
I was riding the A with the R in my walk man
With thieves and 'lo-lifes I can tell you stories of fighting for my glory on the subway like the Warriors
Young mans rights of pa**age
Through the belly of the beast
With the working cla**es, homeless and the purse snatchers
We used to hop and never drop a token over the turnstiles Edward Moses
And run from the cops like Jesse Owens
Tracks stars riding in between the cars
The Bronx and Queens don't seem that far
Looking at the map cause every single Ave we rep'
The people don't look at each other
They starin' straight ahead
[Hook]
On the Subway
Subway surfing
Subway move on
Subway
Subway surfing
Subway move on
Subway
Subway Surfing
Subway move on
Subway
Subway surfing
Subway move on
[Verse 2: Rakim]
I used to roll through the hood, a good ride
Keep my mental entertained
And find higher thoughts
Past levels never seen
Any cost through New York's five boroughs on the train
Subway
Iron horse
Slash ghetto limousine
Back when hip hop was just bubblin' in 3D
That's when a metropolis was covered in graffiti
More color than TV
Just watchin' while ridin' through the metropolitan rock a
And came to a brother easy
Bucktown to Uptown
Under and above ground
To my words feel like we off surface
Rap flow like the trains
Give you sidewalk service
Ride the track to the 3rd rail soft-circuit
Strong Isle the LIR, Ozone Park, A Train, BK, East New York
MTA Harlem One Two Fifth (125th) to get off then take the 4 5 or the 6 to the streets of the Bronx
Come on
[Hook]
Subway
Subway Surfing
Subway Move On
Subway
Subway Surfing
Subway Move On
Subway
Subway Surfing
Subway Move On
Subway
Subway Surfing
Subway move on
[Verse 3: Rakim]
Check it out
We call it subway surfing
A thug stay swerving
To the earth end
Through the suburbs it's straight urban
B boy with the ghetto appeal it's workin'
Ladies lookin' lovely in the subway
Flirtin'
Money makin' Manhattan
Do or die Bed Sty
Brownsville never ran never will-- let's ride
The strong island or the isle's of Shaolin
Or the boogie down Bronx NY
[Verse 4: Talib Kweli]
I put my finger to the wind to see if a train comin' soon
It's rush hour we pack ‘em in until there ain't enough room
Or through the tombs riding under the surfaces
It's a spray paint alternative it's Getting Up with Uni markers and permanent
I was more than your average straphanger
You gon' know what my name is when I bang it with a piece so ill that it'll make the papers
Before the era of gaming
These people did it for real
No controllers
Riskin' life and limb to get famous
[Outro]
Subway
Subway
Subway
Subway move on
Subway
Subway
Subway
Subway surfin'
Subway surfin'
Hold on
Subway surfin'
Hold on
Subway surfin'
Hold on
Subway surfin'
Hold on