Craig G
i remember the Fresh Fest, 1984
12 years old, Run DMC was on tour
Shell toe Adidas, fresh leather blazer
right on the brink of hip hop goin' major
Decipher the data before the game was hot potata'
tougher then a midget tryin' to block a Raida
look Whoodini dropped the freaks came out at night
my older brother was trying to bag every chick in his sight
if you couldn't handle the mic, you'd exit stage right
or hear a chorus of boos through the course of the night
the dude that bought his ticket, maybe forced you to fight
the game is microwave now, it's lost the sight
of perfection, everyone, move in the same direction
let The Aztext and Craig G offer reflection
to a time long ago, when hip hop means somethin'
before the tales of fake drug dealin' and gun bussin'

take a second,  grab the clock and rewind
and reminisce when hip hop took control of your mind
a different place, stage, moment in time
yo Pro,| what your favorite moment in rhyme?

Pro:
thinking back… on Masta Ace rippin' a track
written' down every lyric, so i could spit it back
rewindin' tapes, not realizing that the greats
would soon be gone as the game became color blind with fakes
A Starter jacket, Reebok pumps on the feet
House of Pain done explained out to Jump to a beat
Pun was the one talkin' guns in the street
Jay had dreams to bring funds to new peaks
I strategized on how to write a verse down
while Learic freestyled to murder cats in the first round
a young Canadian with dreams of Yankee Stadium
alongside KRS ONE rockin' the break with him
or lace a gem with Method Man upon a record
Nas comin' Illmatic as a needles injection
fast forward to the present, got me working' with a legend
practice paid off and the momentum is spreading'

take a second,  grab the clock and rewind
and reminisce when hip hop took control of your mind
a different place, stage, moment in time
yo Learic,| what your favorite moment in rhyme?

Learic:
I recall taking rhymes in the head like they were Tylenol
Knew every word to Microphone Fiend, I don't know why it all turned to dust
Juice soundtrack, You're a Customer
Wish E still produced for P to serve all these busters for eternity
Cats not worthy of the term MC
Rakim was my newscaster, fuck Ron Burgundy
Rest in peace to Cronkite, Grand Puba coined the slang in '93
Group Home, Livin' Proof, Primo's beats
That's the dimension into which I delve
At twelve, memorized Mama Said Knock You Out, not Rock the Bells
That's a little early for me, like Too Short be
First tape I ever rocked was the first Naughty
Treach's flow was unquestionable
It'd wreck your skull no matter the decibel
Where did Large Professor go?
Turn on the radio, you won't hear the truest shit
Time travel with us to when this was a movement, kid