Sugarhill, Fatback, Run-D.M.C., EPMD
Fat Boys, Redhead Kingpin, Cool C
And my man Kurtis Blow, yoThe battlefield, the synonym call it the wax
The recording sciences developing the tracks
Is not the essential fabric but if you have it
Might make you a household name and let you gainA million fans, coliseums all out sold out
And when they call out your name you pull out fake clout
'Cause you're sauerkraut, you're not really about
Nothin', you're bluffin'But I'm callin' your bluff to see if you're really tough
Show me your stuff enough
Shut up, close your mouth, put away your tap shoes
Your feet can't say a rhyme this time, you loseBut I respect you for what you accomplished, a great deal
Just admit you can't handle the steel
Gregory Hines can't take mines
The Winans can't start rhymin'And you're just like them, you had a top ten
You have a rap feel, but you can't wield the steel
It takes many many moons, to create tunes
But loons assume that half past noonThey'll have rap down pat, but it's wack
You must be on crack, you're buggin' 'cause your head is at
A place where reality doesn't seep in
Practice makes perfect then you might reap inThe benefits of this respectable field
And all respect due to the regiments of the steel
AssembleWord, this is goin' out to some hip-hop greats, yaknowhatI'msayin'?
Rakim and Chuck DThe obese boulder, will shrug your shoulder
If you say you're a regiment and you can't hold the
Steel with some kind of appeal
Not dealin' with sex, or a bicep flexHas nothing to do with physical appearance
But the way you stimulate the kids and their parents
Will fulfill the applications to be inducted
Into the regiments, respect to the veteransAnd the pioneers, with dying tears
To see rap has survived after 15 years
And ready to go 15 more
Three-fourths of every store has only rap on their racksRap force goin' strong, on and on
Take a few seconds, to say peace to Sarah Vaughn
Now back to the steel that will wield a golden reel
And when you kick it to a James Brown feelField was made twenty years ago
And not a penny-oh was saved 'cause the way he behaved
Was kinda ill, the regiments to his skill
Was extraordinaryUntil he took a fall, the regiments will keep his style
Flowin' for a long while
The regiments made this art form universal
Whether it's a street sound, or commercialObstructors, are just realizing, that this is real
Respect to the regiments of the steel
AssembleMore hip-hop greats, youknowhatI'msayin'?
Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Kool G. Rap, Super Lover Cee
Biz Markie, Heavy D, Lady Kazaam, Special Ed
Slick Rick, Lakim Shabazz, Queen LatifahSugarhill, that sold about eight mill'
When Rappers Delight caused media fright
How could a bunch of kids possibly sell more than me
And Randy Travis kickin' all that country madness?Failing star, failing guitar or a banjo
Your whole art form needs to retire in Orlando
Rap has developed in the motherland by storytellers of wisdom
No wonder we're best-sellersThe art was passed on from generation to generation
Developed in the mind 'cause the rhyme
The track is just a cosmetic background
'Cause we all need some kind of sound
To complete the whole feel
And it's wield by the regiments of the steelWord up, MC Lyte, my boys GangStarr
The D.O.C., Eazy-E, Salt-n-Pepa, Whodini
Grandmaster Flash, Furious Five, Grandmaster Melle Mel
Tribe Called Quest, the Jungle BrothersDana Dane, Kwame, Shabba Rank'n, De La Soul
Stetsasonic, Shinehead, Lil' Shawn
Kid 'n' Play, Rob 'n' Dave, Rich Nice, Fat Doug
Finesse 'n' Synquis, Groove B. ChillLL Cool J, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff
Positively Black, UTFO, Dr. Ice, ESP
Sweet Tee, Kool Moe Dee, Fearless Four
Cold Crush