It Wasn’t Me, It Was the Fame

[Verse 1: Erick Sermon]
As the wind sets the mood, it's time to let off
A sucker tried to play me, the E I'm not soft
I'm very hardcore, droppin' bombs like Warsaw
It reminds me, back in 1984
When I went to a party with the master plan
To step up, and put the mic in my hand
Everybody was there, from junior high to high schools
Dyin' to get busy, because I knew I had the tools
Then I got the heart and went by the set
I said, "Yo, I wanna rock the set" "Yeah no sweat"
Kickin' rhymes in the place, people couldn't take it
The style I flowed, the way I shaked and baked it
Later on I made a record and got recognition
Everybody's jockin', now nobody's dissin'
Written and produced by the new rap duo
Yes EPMD, now I'm known in school
I see the backstabbers and the elderly creature features
That used to diss me when I was tryin' to reach the
Tip tip-top and I won't stop
To be the master in the field of Hip-Hop
I did that and got a name for myself
The image of E and all of my wealth
I see my fake friends, but things ain't the same
Oh what a shame, I diss 'em
Who to blame? It wasn't me it was the "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the "Fame!"

[Verse 2: Parrish Smith]
Before I cut records I had dreams of living large
Earnin' crazy cash flow, the whole nine yards
But when I told my college friends they kicked back and laughed
Said, "You better grab your books and take your behind to class"
They said, "You couldn't make a record and expect to get paid
'Cause there's too many def rappers in the world today"
I said, "Yo, my name is M.D. and my style is def"
They said, "Your name is Parrish son, you're like all the rest
Frontin' you gettin' a contract, but then you 'fess"
But when you heard my record playin', your mouth was wide open
Your head was tilted back that you was almost chokin'
But I just lounge and cool with the fellas
Like my roomie D-Wade, Top Notch and James Ellis
I never hung with girls, only one and she was mellow
First name was Terry, last name Romanello
My records started sellin' then P withdrew
From the college Southern Con known as SCSU
But when I often go and visit they say, "P bust a rhyme"
I shake my head and then chuckle and throw up the peace sign
They wanna feel my gold and sport my Rolex
But P reply it's really nothin' and don't like to flex
And when I step up on the scene I always hear them whisper
"Yo P's not the same, did you see him diss you?"
I go deep into my thoughts, then I questioned my brain
It wasn't me, the money or the fortune, it was the .. "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[Verse 3: Erick Sermon]
Oh! Now you wanna know me, before you wasn't speakin'
Now you watch Yo! MTV Raps every weekend
Just to see me, the E and the P
Coolin' out on the scene with Fab 5 Freddy
Back then you didn't know that I was determined
To be a def rapper with the name Erick Sermon
To be a crowd mover, someone that cause trouble
Then I thought and came up with E Double
I can't forget how they used to diss
Sayin' he can't rap because he talks with a lisp
But I got paid, now you feel stupid
Amazed by the style the sound and how we looped it
Now I clock G's, trunk jewels and star trims
Cool around town and flex my black Benz
Definitely hooked up with the system that cranks
Living well off with dinero in the bank
EPMD is Erick Parrish Making Dollars
Always on tour, so you can call us Rhodes Scholars
You saw me in '87, where have you been because we miss you
I dismissed you, it wasn't me who dissed you, it was the .. "Fame!"

[E] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[Verse 4: Parrish Smith]
As I freak a funky style to a funky fresh rhythm
I use my crazy def talent that God has given
Me to flow slow and still live large
To drop a def LP and catch MCs off guard
Because my friends started buggin', we used to cool at the mall
But on the S.T., the Sneak Tip, they pray for my downfall
I used to cruise by in my rock and always hear them mumble
"They got lucky on Strictly Biz but watch the next one crumble"
My father always told me to wisen up son
'Cause if you hung with nine broke friends, you're bound to be the tenth one
So I cut my friends off and P went for self
Me and Erick Sermon and no one else
Strictly writin' def lyrics to my best ability
With the crazy imagination as my only utility
'Cause MC's around my way brag how def they are
But now they workin' fulltime and sharin' their mom's cars
Always frontin' to the girls, how hard you can rock
But you leave out how you carpool to go punch the clock
Yeah we came hittin' hard, so all the talkin' had to halt
But don't blame us, blame God, it's his fault
For assistin' us on the mission of a point of no return
To do a crab MC who did not learn
Now when you're hot you're hot and when you're not you're not
And when it comes to funky music, the two rock the spot
So next time you see me coolin', bite your lip and respect
Between me and you sonny, straight up, I'm like death
I cooled on the Run tour with Flavor and Chuck
Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince but I guess that was luck
I did shows in crazy countries like Europe and France
Copenhagen, Denmark and Amsterdam
I even been to our country that they call Africa
Keep your eyes on your girl 'cause P'll be watchin' around the
Tick tick'n, yo check out P rippin'
A new way to sway 'cause brothers keep vickin'
Flows and echoes that sound exact
But you're rhymin' in circles and you ain't sayin' jack
So take it in stride, by the way I'm still the same
First name is still Parrish, Sue's my girl, nothing changed
You insist I act funny, but who's to blame?
It wasn't Yo! MTV Raps, the money or Soul Train
It was the .. "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

* DJ Scratch cuts up "Fame!" *

[Erick and Parrish talk to outro]