Microphone Fiend
Eric B. & Rakim
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I was a fiend before I became a teen I melted microphone instead of cones of ice cream Music orientated so when hip hop was originated Fitted like pieces of puzzles complicated 'Cause I grabbed the mic and try to say " Yes y'all!" They tried to take it and say that I'm too small Cool 'Cause I don't get upset I kick a hole in the speaker pull the plug then I jet Back to the lab without a mic to grab So then I add all the rhymes I had One after the other one, then I make another one To dis the opposite then ask if the brother's done I get a craving like I fiend for nicotine But I don't need a cigarette, know what I mean? I'm raging, ripping up the stage and Don't it sound amazing 'cause every rhyme is made and Thought of, 'cause it's sort of...an addiction, Magnatized by the mixing Vocals, vocabulary, your verses, you're stuck in The mic is a drano, volcanoes erupting, Rhymes overflowing, gradually growing Everything is written in the cold, so it can coincide, My thoughts to guide, 48 tracks to slide The invincible, microphone fiend Rakim Spread the word, 'cause I'm in E-F-F-E-see-T A smooth operator operating correctly, But back to the problem, I gotta habit, You can't solve it, silly rabbit The prescription is a hypertone that's thorough when I fiend for a microphone like herion Soon as the bass kicks, I need a fix Gimme a stage and a mic and a mix And I'll put you in a mood or is it a state of unawareness? Beware, it's the reanamator! A menace to a microphone, a lethal weapon An assasinator, if the people ain't stepping You see a part of me that you never seen When I'm fiending for a microphone, I'm the microphone fiend After 12, I'm worse that a Gremlin Feed me Hip-hop and I start trembling The thrill of suspense is intense, your horrified But this ain't the cinemas of "Tales From the Darkside", By any means necessary, this is what has to be done Make way 'cause here I come My DJ cuts material Grand imperial. It's a must that I bust any mic you're hand to me, It's inherited, it's runs in the family I wrote the rhyme that broke the bull's back, If that don't slow 'em up, I carry a full pack. Now I don't want to have to let off, you should of kept off You didn't keep the stage warm, step off! Ladies and Gentleman, you're about to see A pastime hobby about to be Take it to the maximum, I can't relax see, I'm Hype as a hypochondriac 'cause the rap be one Hell of a antidote, something you can't smoke More than dope, you're trying to move away but you can't, you're broke More than cracked up, you should have backed up For those who act up need to be more than smacked up Any entertainer, I got a torture chamber One on one and I'm the remainder! So close your eyes and hold your breath, And I'm a hit'cha wit the blow of death Before you go, you'll remember you seen The fiend of a microphone, I'm the microphone fiend The microphone fiend
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Written by: ROGER BALL, ERIC BARRIER, MALCOLM DUNCAN, STEPHEN FERRONE, ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, WILLIAM GRIFFIN, OWEN ONNIE MCINTYRE, HAMISH STUART
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Song Creation"Microphone Fiend" is a song by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, from their second album, "Follow the Leader."
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Release InformationThe song was released in 1988 by UNI Records and MCA Records.
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Song ContentRakim, known for a laid-back delivery, describes his compulsion for rapping. Using music and drug references to illustrate his dependence on the microphone and passion for creating unique rap music.
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Album Success"Follow the Leader," the album on which "Microphone Fiend" appeared, was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
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Tradition OriginThe songs opening line "I was a fiend before I became a teen" spins off the first line of Marvin Gaye’s "Inner City Blues", launching a hip-hop tradition of opening tracks with classic lines.
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Song Influence"Microphone Fiend" was influential in the advancement of the rapper-persona in hip-hop.
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Cultural ImpactRakim's line, "After 12, I'm worse than a Gremlin," was famously quoted in the film "Gremlins."
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Sampled SongThe song heavily samples Average White Band's "School Boy Crush."
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RecognitionThe song is recognized in the rock genre as it was covered by the band Rage Against the Machine in their album "Renegades.”
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Rakim’s LegacyRakim, known as 'The God MC,' is considered a pioneer in the hip hop industry and his lyrical talent is widely showcased in "Microphone Fiend." He accumulates his words in a slow burn of powerful images, connected themes, and nimble rhythm shifts, pushing the boundaries of what rap could be.
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Rakim’s TechniqueIn "Microphone Fiend," Rakim particularly sets a great example of his internal and multisyllabic rhyming techniques.
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ReissuedIn 2005, Rakim reissued "Microphone Fiend" and other hits in a compilation, "Classic Eric B. & Rakim: The Definitive Collection."
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Rakim’s InfluenceRakim’s lyrical mastery in songs like "Microphone Fiend" had a profound influence on future generations of rappers, introducing a level of complexity within lyrics that was previously unheard of in the genre.
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