Natural Elements - “Turning Tables”
[Emcee(s): Agu (AKA Mr. Voodoo), Anthony Cruz (AKA A-Butta), and Swigga (AKA L-Swift)]
[Producer(s): Charlemagne]
[Scratches: Scram Jones]
[Sample (Melody): Adele - “Turning Tables”]
[Intro: Agu (AKA Mr. Voodoo)]
Yo, yeah, uh huh. Take this time to thank the DJs. Gotta thank the DJs—that’s the foundation right there. So I wrote this little thank-you note. Check it out
[Verse 1: Agu (AKA Mr. Voodoo)]
I gotta
Thank DJ Kool Herc and Coco La Rock
For setting up shop and calling this thing of ours “Hip Hop”
Afrika Bambaataa for making the “Planet Rock”
Took Zulu across the globe and hip hop from off the block
Gotta thank Grandmaster Flash for catching and bringing it back
Grand Wizzard Theodore, he invented the scratch
Thanks to DJ Breakout from Funky 4 + 1 more
Thanks to Hollywood for keeping ‘em on the dance floor
Thanks to Afrika Islam and Jazzy J—he set it
Off for Def Jam way back in the day, and all y’all
Mixtape DJs need to thank the tape kings: Kid Capri
Brucie B for starting this mixtape thing
Thanks to Fab 5 Freddy, who set it off for BK, the KDAY
Mixmaster squad out in LA, and any
Other DJ, in this thank-you note that I’m jotting
That I failed to mention, you are not forgotten
[Hook: Sample from Adele - “Turning Tables”]
I can’t keep up with your
Turning tables. Under
Your thumb, I can’t
Breathe
Turning tables
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables
[Verse 2: Anthony Cruz (AKA A-Butta)]
Peace to DJ Eclipse and shouts to Tony Touch
Jellybean Benitez, Camilo, One, Enuff
Ron G and Kid Capri, I listed to growing up
And I was raised across the street from Music Hut, where every
DJ brought their mix CDs in if they knew what’s up
Down with Cipha Sounds and Envy for Hot 97
Kicked it with DJ Spinna in his crib around ‘97
Peace to every DJ who put pennies on the needle
Pete Rock, Evil Dee, Mista Sinista, I see you
Yeah, and I be on my New York shit
But guarantee, since I was young, I bumped DJ Quik
Peace to DJ Riz and DJ Yooter
Tim Westwood and Kingston show us love out in Europe. To all
The DJs who perform at the clubs and the concerts
Can’t forget smoking and bombing with DJ Honda
Kay Slay, Green Lantern, Whoo Kid, J-Love
A-Butta says, “What’s up, and good looks for keeping it gutter”
Two turntables, Technic 1200s. To all
The DJs who speak to their records, keep cutting
Keep cutting. Now bring it back
[Hook (Overlapped with Verse 2): Sample from Adele - “Turning Tables”]
I can’t keep up with your
Turning tables. Under
Your thumb, I can’t
Breathe
Turning tables
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables
[Interlude (Overlapped with Hook): Swigga (AKA L-Swift)]
Yeah, I thank y’all so much, you know? Uh
[Verse 3: Swigga (AKA L-Swift)]
Rest in peace to Jam Master Jay and DJ Screw
And DJ Threat and also Roc Raida too
And rest in peace to Scott La Rock and DJ Megatron
I met Kool Herc on White Plains Road, a legend in
The Bronx, and I told him, “I thank you for what you did
If it wasn’t for that, I’d be shanking a nigga’s ribs,” plus
All I ever wanted was recognition from peers
As I went from L-Swift to Swigga, I never cared
I was bumped by Jay Smooth, Mayhem, Stretch and Bobbito
Quiz, Scram Jones, J Armz, they kept a needle on
My records, Funk Flex, Enuff, Sucio, Rosenberg
Statik Selektah and Felli Fel when on West Coast, and, word
This is dedicated to every DJ that kept his word
Never let a program director select your records first
Just like Marley Marl, Premier, and DJ Red Alert
And all the female DJs that ever let it burst
[Hook: Sample from Adele - “Turning Tables”]
I can’t keep up with your
Turning tables. Under
Your thumb, I can’t
Breathe
Turning tables
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables (Kick this one here for me and my DJ)
Turning tables
Turning tables, yeah
Turning, no