[Produced by No I.D.]
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[Intro: Ronnie Gee sample]
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“Warning-Warning-Warning-Warning
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New York-New York-New York-New York
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The sound-The sound-The sound
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You about to hear-to hear-to hear-to hear-to hear-to hear-to hear”
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[Refrain: MC Shan sample (Nas)]
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started” (start it off)
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started, ah yeah!”
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all got started”
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(Start it off, start it off, start it off, start it off)
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“Back when-back when-back when-back when
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Back when-back when-back when-back when”
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[Verse 1: Nas]
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Yeah, yeah
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The ill reminisce and think about the fly days
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Nothing like them 80s summer NY days
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Hop on the MB5 days
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Mopeds, Pro Keds, city split five ways
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How it all started, fifth floor apartment
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A jigsaw puzzle aerial view of the projects
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A kid saw struggle, buried a few of his partners
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Now I chill in resorts, enjoying massages
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Check out the oracle bred from city housing
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Nas, I arise the dead by thousands
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I remember seeing Shan chilling near his Audi (near his Audi)
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Hollis had Run and them but I proudly
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Put a poster up of Shan and Marley, that was art kid
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You love to hear the story how it started
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The bubbly Im pouring wasnt popped yet
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Before there was an audience to watch us
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I assure you there was a process, yeah
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[Refrain: MC Shan sample (Nas)]
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started”
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(How it all got started, yeah)
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started”
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(How it, how it all got started) ah yeah!
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all got started, got started”
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(Hear the story, how it all, start it off
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Start it off, start it off, start it off
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How it all got started)
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“Back when-back when-back when-back when (back when)
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Back when (back when), back when-back when-back when”
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[Verse 2: Nas]
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To call them fake today is hate, real niggas extinct
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Pac left me inside a rap world with niggas that wink
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At other rappers, undercover niggas spit every way
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Wont be surprised if all their rides have federal plates
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Let alone their wardrobes and Studio 4 flow
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It was real when I appeared, it wouldve been some jaws broke
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Nas, my real name, stage name, same thing
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How could you let these lames claim king, Im so ashamed, man
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I light a L for Vernon for niggas who would burn in Hell for Vernon
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10th Street, 12th Street, Nightmare on Elm Street
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Pimps creep, delve deep inside the editorials
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Of the ghetto queens, kings, stories true
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Who possesses the testicular fortitude
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To blow away myths thats a hindrance to all of you
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You blame your own shortcomings on sex and race
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The mafia, homosexuals and all the Jews
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Its hogwash point of views, stereotypical
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Anti-Semitic like the foul words Gibson spewed
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And its pathetic, I dont get the credit I deserve
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Thats why I hate doing interviews
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But I dont sweat it, study long, study raw
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My man Dion said Nas over-think the songs he writing
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Im not a wack performer standing near a corny hype man
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I got the Donism in me, Im here to enlighten
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[Refrain: MC Shan sample (Nas)]
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started”
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(Yeah, how it all got started, yeah)
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all, how it all, got started, got started”
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(How it, how it all got started)
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“You love to hear the story
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How it all got started, got started”
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(Hear the story, how it all, start it off
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Start it off, start it off, start it off
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How it all got started)
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“Back when-back when-back when-back when (back when)
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Back when (back when), back when
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Back when, (back when) back when”
