Once Upon A Rhyme (Original Version) [AKA Nickleplate Remix]

Rakim - “Once Upon A Rhyme (Original Version) [AKA Nickleplate Remix]”
[Emcee(s): Rakim]
[Producer(s): Nick Wiz]
[Scratches: DJ Slyce]

[Verse 1: Rakim]
Once upon a rhyme
The time late 60s, dark age of history
Murders and mysteries, the future was misty
Needles were shot down and crime was risky
Yo, check this party and stick with me
Race brutality because of my nationality
And this is what they call reality. From that
State of mind and at that date and time, I was born
Inclined and waiting to shine. Once upon a rhyme

[Hook: Sample with Scratches by DJ Slyce]
“Once upon a time, not long ago” - Sample from Slick Rick - “Children’s Story” (x2)

[Verse 2: Rakim]
In the
Beginning, the scеnery sets in New York, whеre times
Is hard and streets ain’t easy to walk, crimes
Is underrated, neighborhoods overpopulated, competition
Gets complicated, some can’t take it
No place to rest in The City That Never Sleeps. To compete
It gets deep, I learned to play for keeps
And hawk the sidewalk, dominate the courts
I’m nice in all sports, was taught with high thoughts
Then came in Africans that knew where it was at
Spread across the map with no time flat. They said
This kid name Herc started spinning records back
Had to look into that then get it down pat
First, I do research. It’s gonna take time
Me and my crew is hitting all the parties we could find
Waiting for the day where I could go for mine
But later dates await down the line. Once upon a rhyme

[Hook: Sample with Scratches by DJ Slyce]
“Once upon a time, not long ago” - Sample from Slick Rick - “Children’s Story” (x2)

[Verse 3: Rakim]
Many shall come, but only few get the plot off the top
You gotta be hip to hop and get visual
With musical forms, lyrical pictures from city-slickers
Beats getting blast by ass-kickers. It was
The pioneers with all kind of ideas
Trade will shift to higher gears over the years
Some get left in the dust by the thrust
Your rhymes won’t bust with a mic full of rust
DJs, get your fingers musically amputated
You can’t touch a jam if the next man slay it
Battle at the center, I’m too young to enter
We cool outside, even in the winter
We have a good time with the people on line
At party time, it seem like the neighborhood shine
But I get vexed when I can’t get mine
But later dates await down the line. Once upon a rhyme

[Hook: Sample with Scratches by DJ Slyce]
“Once upon a time, not long ago” - Sample from Slick Rick - “Children’s Story” (x4)

[Verse 3: Rakim]
Through the times
My rhymes got longer, mind got stronger
Wondered if I’d ever be a performer. My blood
Starts to boil, I could heat up the party for you
Girls wanna rub me and my mic down with oil
Rappers started coming out the woodwork. A neighborhood
Expert, we ready for trouble and stay alert
Days got close ‘til my debut, got recruited to a crew
Now I could do the things I always wanted to
Code red I inherited, many ways to say the unsaid
Born with three 7’s in my head
Blessed and destined to be one of the best in anything
I find interesting—yeah, no question
A swift kid, I get lifted by the mind
Gifted skills exist to beyond my prime
Combined with all kinds of designs which is mine
And showtimes await down the line. Once upon a rhyme