Follow The Leader (Song)

Follow the Leader is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. Following their debut album *Paid in Full* (1987), Eric B. & Rakim left 4th & B'way Records and signed with Uni Records, a subsidiary label of major label MCA Records. They recorded *Follow the Leader* at Power Play Studios in New York City. The duo produced, composed, and arranged the album with additional contributions from Rakim's brother Stevie Blass Griffin, who contributed with various instruments. Eric B. & Rakim worked with audio engineers Carlton Batts and Patrick Adams on the album. In a similar manner to their first album, a "ghost producer" was brought in for two songs. In a 2007 interview with Unkut.com, The 45 King said he produced both "Microphone Fiend" and "The R". "Microphone Fiend" was originally made for Fab 5 Freddy, until 45 King gave it over to Eric B., the group's "DJ".

## Lyrics

* Follow me into a solo, get in the flow
* And you can picture like a photo
* Music mix, mellow maintains to make
* Melodies for emcees, motivates the breaks
* I'm everlasting, I can go on for days and days
* With rhyme displays that engrave deep as x-rays
* I can take a phrase that's rarely heard
* Flip it—now it's a daily word
* I can get iller than 'Nam, I kill and bomb
* But no alarm—Rakim'll remain calm
* Self-esteem makes me super, superb and supreme
* But for a microphone, still I fiend
* This was a tape, I wasn't supposed to break
* I was supposed to wait, but let's motivate
* I want to see you keep following and swallowing
* Taking and making, biting and borrowing
* Brothers tried and others died to get the formula
* But I'mma let you sweat, you still ain't warm, you a
* Step away from frozen, stiff as if you're posing
* Dig into my brain as the rhyme gets chosen
* So follow me and while you're thinking you were first
* Let's travel at magnificent speeds around the universe
* What could you say as the Earth gets further and further away
* Planets as small as balls of clay
* Astray into the Milky Way, worlds out of sight
* Far as the eye can see not even a satellite
* Now stop and turn around and look
* As you stare in the darkness, your knowledge is took
* So keep staring, soon you suddenly see a star
* You better follow it, 'cause it's the R
* This is a lesson if you're guessing and if you're borrowing
* Hurry hurry step right up and keep following the leader
* [Verse 2]
* This is a lifetime mission, vision a prison
* Aight, listen
* In this journey you're the journal, I'm the journalist
* Am I eternal? Or an eternalist?
* I'm about to flow long as I can possibly go
* Keep you moving 'cause the crowd said so
* Dance! Cuts rip your pants
* Eric B. on the blades bleeding to death, call the ambulance
* Pull out my weapon and start to squeeze
* A magnum as a microphone, murdering emcees
* Let's quote, a rhyme from a record I wrote
* (Follow the leader) Yeah, dope
* 'Cause every time I stop it seems you're stuck
* As soon as you try to step off you self-destruct
* I came to overcome before I'm gone
* By showing and proving and letting knowledge be born
* Then after that I live forever. You disagree?
* You say never? Then follow me
* From century to century, you'll remember me
* In history, not a mystery or a memory
* God by nature, mind raised in Asia
* Since you was tricked, I have to raise ya
* From the cradle to the grave
* But remember - you're not a slave
* 'Cause we was put here to be much more than that
* But we couldn't see because our mind was trapped
* But I'm here to break away the chains, take away the pains
* Remake the brains, rebuild my name
* I guess nobody told you a little knowledge is dangerous
* It can't be mixed, diluted, it can't be changed or switched
* Here's a lesson if you're guessing and borrowing
* Hurry, hurry step right up and keep following the leader
* You might also like
* [Chorus: Samples]
* Follow the leader
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* Rakim'll say, "Follow the leader"
* [Verse 3]
* A furified freestyle—lyrics of fury
* My third eye make me shine like jewelry
* You're just a rent-a-rapper, your rhymes are minute-maid
* I'll be here when it fade, I'll watch you flip like a renegade
* I can't wait to break and eliminate
* On every traitor or snake, so stay awake
* And follow and follow because the tempo's a trail
* The stage is a cage, the mic is a third rail
* I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone
* I'm not him, so leave my mic alone
* Soon as the beat is felt, I'm ready to go
* So fasten your seatbelt, 'cause I'm about to flow
* No need to speed, slow down and let the leader lead
* Word to daddy...indeed
* The R's a rolling stone, so I'm rolling
* Directions is told then the rhymes are stolen
* Stop buggin' a brother said dig him, I never dug him
* He couldn't follow the leader long enough so I drug him
* Into danger zone he should arrange his own
* Face it, it's basic, erase it change your tone
* There's one R in the alphabet
* It's a one letter word and it's about to get
* More complex from one rhyme to the next
* Eric B. be easy on the flex
* I've been from state to state, followers tailgate
* Keep coming but you came too late, but I'll wait
* So back up, regroup, get a grip, come equipped
* You're the next contestant, clap your hands, you won a trip
* The price is right don't make a deal too soon
* How many notes, can you name this tune?
* Follow the leader is a title/theme/task
* Now you know, you don't have to ask
* Rap is Rhythm and Poetry, cuts create sound effects
* You might catch up if you follow the records E wrecks
* Until then keep eating and swallowing
* You better take a deep breath and keep following the leader
* [Outro]
* Rakim
* The R
* Rakim'll say peace
* Follow the leader
* Follow the leader