[Intro: 2Pac]
Here we go, we gon' send this one out to the old school
All these motherfuckers in the Bronx, and Brooklyn, and Staten Island
Queens, and all the motherfuckers that laid it down, the foundation
Ya know what I'm sayin'? Nothin' but love for the old school
That's who we're gonna do this one for, you feel me?
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Verse 1: 2Pac]
I remember Mr. Magic, Flash, Grandmaster Caz
LL, Raising Hell, but, that didn't last
Eric B. & Rakim was the shit to me
I flip to see a Doug E. Fresh show, with Ricky D
And Red Alert was puttin' in work, with Chuck Chill
Had my homies on the Hill gettin' ill, when shit was real
Went out to steal
Remember "Raw" with Daddy Kane?
When De La Soul was puttin' "Potholes" in the game
I can't explain how it was, Whodini
Had me puffin' on that buddha gettin' buzzed, 'cause there I was
Them block parties in the projects and on my block
You diggy don't stop sippin' on that Private Stock
Through my speaker Queen Latifah and MC Lyte
Listen to Treach, KRS to get me through the night
With T La Rock and Mantronix, to Stetsasonic
Remember "Push It" was the bomb shit, nuttin' like the old school
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Verse 2: 2Pac]
I had, Shell Toes, and BVD's
A killer crease inside my Lee's when I hit the streets
I'm playin' Skelly, Ringolevio, or Catch A Kiss
Before the homies in my hood learned to smack a bitch
I remember way back, the weak weed they had
Too many seeds in the trey bag
I'm on the train headin' Uptown, freestyling
With some wild kids from Bucktown, profilin'
'Cause the hoochies was starin', thinkin' "What them niggas wearin'?"
I'm wonderin' if that's her hair, I remember
Stickball, humpin' hoochies on the wall
Or takin' leaks on the steps, stinkin' up the hall
Through my childhood, wild as a juvenile
A young nigga tryna stay away from Rikers Isle
Me and my homies breakin' nights, tryna keep it true
Out on the roof sippin' 90 proof, ain't nuttin' like the old school
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Verse 3: 2Pac]
Remember poppin' and lockin' to Kurtis Blow, the name belts
And Scott La Rock the "Super Hoe" back in Latin Quarter
When Slick Rick was spittin' "La Di Da Di"
Gamin' the hoochies at the neighborhood block parties
I remember, breakdancin' to Melle Mel
Jeckyll and Hyde, LL when he "Rocks the Bells"
Forget the TV, I'd rather hit the streets and do graffiti
Be careful don't let the transit cops see me
It ain't nuttin' like the old school
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Outro: 2Pac]
Haha, on the real though
Remember seein' Brooklyn go crazy up in the motherfuckin' party?
Remember motherfuckers used to go, "Is Brooklyn in the house?"
And motherfuckers would lose they goddamn mind
That's the old school to me, that's what I'm sayin' ("Super Rhyme")
I remember goin' places that motherfuckers was scared to say
They was from anywhere but Brooklyn; that shit was the bomb
Back in the motherfuckin' old school, nigga
Remember Skelly, nigga?
Knockin' niggas out the box, poppin' boxes? ("My Adidas")
Remember stickball? 'Member niggas used to run that shit like that?
Remember the block—
'Member screamin' up at your moms from the window?
("LL Cool J is hard as Hell")
The ice cream truck, remember all the mother—
'Member the Italian Ices, yo? Yo, remember the Italian Ices?
The Spanish Niggas comin' down with the coconut ices and shit?
"I came through the door, said it before"
That was the shit