Rakim: Once upon a rhyme in Japan

[ VERSE 1: Rakim ] Aiyo, once upon a rhyme, but way across the maps and seas In a time that's hard, all we have is dreams In a place surrounded by casualties B-boys and girls wear caps and jeans They have to fiend, infected by rap's disease But prepared to die for all of rap's beliefs They love real hip-hop, real tracks and MC's And can't stand cats that like to rap for cheese It ain't all about the gat to squeeze VS-1's or SUV's or even stacks of g's They love thuggin but still they like to catch a breeze They love clubbin so they go and crash the scene Where the queens treat their men like kings, Your Majesties DJ's trickery spins the wax with ease On the dancefloor spinnin on they backs and freeze Where MC's kick rhymes in Japanese [ CHORUS: Rakim (2X) ] So Japan Let me see you wave your hand Yo Japan Let me see you wave your hand It's the J to the a to the p-a-n The R to the a to the k-i-m [ VERSE 2: Rakim ] They said, "I heard Ra was comin to town I hope he'll show We know he can flow, open the show so he can blow for Tokyo" Nobody shut the whole town down since Godzilla Think of the sickest thing you even seen - Ra's iller I brought the drama for Yokohama, I rock a party For Osaka and Hiroshima and Nagasaki ( ?? ) until they hear us over in Russia Yo, who's that clutchin the mic, the club rusher The man you've been askin for after all You can't ask for more, it's the ambassador Rap's diplomat with Japan's welcome mat Rap well over tracks, I get welcomed back It's a honor that I'm the one you'd call to rhyme So when I write I'ma always keep y'all in mind And I'ma keep spittin like this all the time But right now this is the time for y'all to shine [ CHORUS ] [ VERSE 3: Rakim ] [ Japanese ], rock the instrumentals Think I hear one now, stop the limo Roll down the window and follow the Indo Women go, "Ooh ah [ Japanese ] there Rakim go" Do I love the way y'all get down? Man, listen This is the land of the turntable technicians With a can graffiti artists can make a wall glisten And rhymes, it's a whole new language that y'all spittin I told my peeps in New York City that y'all ghetto I told Cali to spread the world: y'all thorough From Chi-Town and the Dirty South they all shouted Told my rollies down in New Orleans that y'all bout it And peace to N-i-g-o, you move crowds To my man with the magic marker, Futura 2 thou We all make sure it's new styles to learn Until then - Rakim shall return [ CHORUS ]