I Used to Think I Was Run

Yo, a red alert y'all, a red alert y'all
A now we toot on the horns and ring on the bells
'Cause I am the man with the clientèle
Rock a rhyme for me and then a rhyme for you

And everybody catch, the boogaloo flu
And like the apple to the peach, the cherry to the plum

I used to think I was Run, I really thought I was king

Yo, in my, in my imagination's, creation I had to get paid
I had a better way to dead 'em, so the suckers were slayed
I gad to get up and smash 'em, beat 'em down and bash 'em
Stompin' through the Garden, fully hardened to the maxim

Rhymin' like an animal, the cannibal king
Eat a sucker, break a nucca but I never could sing
Had a beef with every rapper, I could see 'em for miles
And when I saw 'em, had to floor 'em, leave 'em layin' in piles

Made a dollar while I holla, had to follow me 'round
Rappers fearin' when they hearin' Run was breakin' 'em down
Now' every time I had to rhyme, my job was thoroughly done
And I never lost a battle

I used to think I was Run, I really thought I was king

Yo, yo, now I was sittin' up in Cali from the alley in Queens
Breakin' records, never know exactly just what it means
Sellin' records, makin' money just to throw in the air
Rockin' sneakers, bustin' speakers, every day a new pair

Nothin' borin', steady tourin', livin' life without care
And if I wasn't on the cover of your paper was rare
Even mami would remind me and rewind me the truth
Sucker fellas out there jealous, I was rough in my youth

'Raising Hell' and steady yellin', freezin', rockin' the Goose
And in the summer, on the come up, I was clockin' the loot
Now, come with me and let's remember how we rock it for fun
It's your mommas favorite rapper

I used to think I was Run, I really thought I was king

Yo, now back in Hollis makin' dollars was a serious day
So me and D we had to get it then we split it with Jay
Choppin' it up and flip a buck and drive a sucker away
Never smilin' steady, whylin' never needin' to play

Me and Butter, Hollis Crew and how we do it with Ray
Comin' down and throw it down and then we be on our way
Now, reminisce 'cause it was this
And that's just how it was done

I used to think I was Run, I really thought I was king
I really thought I was king