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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Public Enemy
Public Enemy
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Carlton Ridenhour
Carlton Ridenhour
Composer
Hank Shocklee
Hank Shocklee
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Bill Stephney
Bill Stephney
Producer
Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Producer
James Henry Boxley III
James Henry Boxley III
Producer
Carl Ryder
Carl Ryder
Producer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
You go ooh and ah when I jump in my car
People treat me like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
No matter who you are, when I'm up to par
I bet you go, "Hip hop hooray, hurrah"
But the ahs and oohs is my kinda news
Pop your tape in, put the car in cruise
I never heard the boos, I never drank booze
'Cause I just rock the rhythm, left alone the blues
The L-I mystique, you sneak the peek
The look, and then you know that we're never weak
I know you can't wait, it's never too late
No fear, I'm here, and everything is straight
Cycles, cycles, life runs in cycles
New is old, no,  I'm not no psycho
The monkey on the back makes the best excel
The people in the crowd makes the best rock well
The people in the back lets you know who's wack
And those who lack, the odds are stacked
The one who makes the money is white, not black
You might not believe it, but it is like that
When you come to my show, watch me throw
Down with the other brothers, toe to toe
Then you make a move, new, not used
And watch the bro here just bust a groove
A fat lady soprano loads my ammo
Hear my jam with the funky piano
Easy on the wall, but hard on the panel
A fool smokes Kool's 'cause he smokes on Camel's
In effect, the crew's in check
Run by the posse with the gold around the neck
Homeboy's in heat, lookin' for sweet
Ladies in the crowd so they can meet
Somebody to body, makin' a baby
Givin' it to Grandma, then makin' her crazy
I'm a MC protector, US defector
South African government wrecker
Panther power, you can feel it in my arm
Look out, y'all, I'm a timebomb tickin'
Tockin', all about rockin'
Makin' much dollars while the crazy ones clockin'
The rhythm to shake the house downy down
Bounce to the ounce is sound to crowd
The man, the Enemy, Public king, no thing
All fall to the force of my swing
Like Ali, Frazier, Thrilla in Manilla
Pinpoint, point blank microphone killer
Am I, no need to lie, got the Flavor Flav
To prove I'll win, and if not, to save
I'll pick up, rack up, put your whole shack up
Just choose to lose the bet, MC stick up
This is the wiz, but the mic's not his
It's mine, one time, let the star shine
I'm tellin' you, yellin' at you, you're through
Don't think you're grown 'cause your mustache grew
I'm number one, you know it weighs a ton
And I'll be the burger you can be the bun, girl
Surroundin' my steady poundin'
Get on down to my funky sound and
Rock the rhythm rhyme, one time your mind
Rhythm roll, two times control
The mauler and the caller of your doom
When I'm ready to leave, you're gonna know I go boom
Three times, y'all, rhythm, rhyme, and rock
Then you'll know that the D is on the block
Four times, y'all, and never ever the wack
It's the hour to the minute, time to blows black
Written by: Chuck D, Hank Shocklee
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