[Nas:] "The unauthorized copy. Dedication to my children, my child Destiny Jones. To my niece and nephews, Suree, Malik, Jabari The world is yours. Acknowledgements: First off, I wanna thank God. And I wanna thank everybody for helping me out with this. Couldn't do it without you. Chapter 1." [Verse 1: Nas] January 28, 1968 Born into this world as William Griffin The Great Chapter 1, Winedance Long Island Scientific rhymin' invented a new sound when he met with Eric Barrier from East Sandhurst The melody they created was the first Burst on the scene, 1986 with Clap To This '87 dropped a cla**ic disc The facts is the tracklist was like four The vocals, the beats -- according to Marly Marl Recorded in my hometown Queensbridge That's why it's so relative This biography was unauthorized I spit it how it was given to author Nas William changed his name at sixteen to Rakim Allah 'Cause Clarence 13X had New York on lock Gods on every block, jams in every park I remember hearin' Curtis Blow saying "It can't get better than this" 'Til Run DMC blew my brains to bits From leather coats to shell toes to the stan smiths, to Dapper Dan kicks First million-dollar deal ever in rap, 18th Letter did that From 41st & Broadway to Uni to MCA We followed the leader to Harlem's Apollo Theatre Supreme rapped and the 50 that don't rap Forte Green, Queens, Long Island wolfpack Paid In Full posse, hot they was on And Ra had his firstborn With the next line I'ma be easy His wisdom's name is Fifi EPMD put a record out, was dope Tension spread, and I quote "Smack me and I smack you back" Sounded like the answer to the I Ain't No Joke track For a second it ain't look good Little tension buzzin' from Winedance to Brentwood Misunderstood, all forgot by sixteen when I met Freddy Foxx Totin' burners, the whole coast's most concern was How was Rakim's flow, made Christians convert with Islamic ways Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em was the third LP A sophisticated mean one, before similar voices were King Son A few others, but sooner or later, the game was Ra's kingdom At sixteen, son was watchin' him, mesmorized Respect, not jockin' him, was so amazin', besides He came on the stage with lasers in his eyes Walk with me now [Nas talking] "Unauthorized biography of Rakim. Epilogue: Mother was a jazz singer. Nephew to R & B legend Ruth Brown Discography: Paid In Full, Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em, Don't Sweat The Technique. That's the end of the group. Went off to solo. Dropped the R, then the 18th Letter, and I think, somethin', The Master. Was signed to Aftermath, scheduled to release an album Oh My God with Dr. Dre. The album was dismantled because of creative differences. Thee end to the new beginning. Yeah. Next book, KRS1. Peace."