It's to the listeners (whispered 4X)
  
   *musical interlude*
   It's to the listener
   (repeat interlude and line 4X)
  
   [Verse One: Rakim]
   It's to the listeners, for those that have a ear for this
   State of the art, engineered for the mix
   Eardrums are playing along to what I'm sayin you're singin a song
   Stevie Blass on the keyboard, swingin along
   But you don't have to dance, play it cool and listen
   My DJ's mixin, and I'll do the quizzin
   Cause who is number one if not best then better
   Here's a hint: the 18th letter
   The rhymes is sportable, microphone is portable
   For any immortal man, swords is not affordable
   Never take a loss cause I'm hard to beat
   I ain't cheap but don't sell me a dream I don't sleep
   I'm Paid in Full, so save the bull
   This ain't a stick-up, you don't have to wave until
   you feel Sure, and you want more then wipe your sweat
   Cause I just wanted to see how hype you could get
   Cause when I came in the door steppin hard enough to shake the floor
   I just started but the others can't make no more
   Runnin out of beats breaks and out of time
   If I was gone, you'd be runnin out of rhymes
   I prove records don't have to be long
   If it's understood and the story is strong
   You can speak out and hold the crowd as prisoners
   The people is peepless, it's to the listeners
  
   [Verse Two: Rakim]
   I'm the Lord, for somethin you can absorb
   Try and control and be cautious but the cuts and the chords
   Make me deeper than down, I make the crowd, crowd around
   People are peepless, cause the soloist found
   Phrases, thoughts, made by the R of course
   One thing I do is keep em different, and far from yours
   You keep talkin, when will all the damage be done?
   You say you're rulin but when I'm in the place you don't come
   Maybe you're waitin, to see what I'm makin
   One more style gets taken, then I'ma be breakin
   If the patterns are causes, piano is soft
   But make it hard for you to start, where I left off
   You find yourself lost til the point is across
   You hit reverse to rewind it, that's when you hit the pause
   I set the scene, first you hear mixin
   Then the microphone fiend's in effect, still listenin?
   Pay close attention, never before mentioned
   Listen up I got a brand new invention
   Made from a musician it's notes are played crisp
   But listeners listen to what I wrote on a disc
   Copywritten but still bitten they almost sound like
   Almost pumpin, but it ain't down like
   A record's supposed to sound, watch as it go around
   Records are broken, smashed into the ground
   That ain't My Melody, brothers keep runnin up and tellin me
   Others are trying to flow smooth and steadily
   Potholes are left in my path then I crash and bruise
   Whoever refuse and cruise right past em
   Cause I just left to do it for easy whatever
   Death, till I get back you better stay in step
   At the speakers you'll stare, if I was there your description is
   letters full of poetical messages, this is for the listeners