Set 'Em Straight

[Rakim] I came to set 'em straight, and let em know Whoever's holding the best, just let him go Cause here's the inside scoop on the fiend They wanna know why I'm seldom seen Cause who needs the TV screens and magazines Or shooting through the city in fly limousines There's one thing I don't like, it's the spotlight Cause I already got light They be like, yo we had a get together last week And we know everyone was there except the Black Sheik Because my schedule is tight, I gotta write I'm deep in the archives, and keeping 'em hyped It's been a long time, since you heard a strong rhyme None of these are weak so when you bite on mine We can trace the hits and then name that style Emcees'll be out of a job for a while I reposess your indentification So hand in your application Put your mic on strike until you're unemployed Contract is up and I'm stamping it void Your selection ain't that selective So I'mma put you in your proper perspective On the dancefloor, and doing the shake Ready to let em brake, set em straight [Rakim] Somebody said I set 'em up and pulled the plug on 'em But instead I let 'em go on so I could bug on 'em Go 'head and flow, cause I close the show Swing a song for the ladies and rhyme real slow For instance, once I commence The crowd is convinced So now you know who to put your money on Hurry up, before your money's gone Cause I'm the most common denominator Orchestrate a rhyme much greater I'm like a world almanac, so tell the media Giving 'em information like encyclopedia So bring a dictionary, so you can look it up So you know what I mean, when I hook it up No misconceptions although I complicate But this concept'll set em straight They even said that I was locked in jail So now I guess I'm out on bail? The only island I was on was the Strong one And if I did my bid, it'll be a long one Cause if I sold weight, I'd be Upstate In the penile, waiting for a break Cause selling drugs is for handicaps I got too many skills besides busting rough raps If I go to jail, it won't be for selling key's It'll be for murdering emcees The beat'll take over your heart, then I start To cut em in half, cause rhymes are razor sharp Secure the exits, all emcees remain Cause we got a crowd to entertain And I know, when I go, I'll flow dangerous Brains'll bust, what you trying to explain to us? You got lost, and couldn't go on Came up short, so here's one to grow on Elevate off a high IQ In time, you'll find I'm true Cause once I start on a piece of art From sun to moon and light to dark I build the Ark Now you can float off the rhymes I wrote I'm sure that we'll hit shore without a boat You could bring a battleship and still get shipwrecked Attacked with a torpedo, what did you expect? Drifting up the creek, without a beat or a paddle Castaway on a raft and stand fragile Rescue your crowd, which ain't a hard job Me and my knowledge put together, I'm a lifeguard Dealing with actual facts it sold out fat Here and now, but I go so far back To bring you up to date, so we can elevate It's no time to wait, or anticipate Cause I'm never late, I'm gonna motivate So I can let 'em break, and set 'em straight