12/23/2025
George Clinton & Rakim Follow The Leader
Song by Eric B. & Rakim ‧ 1988
Complex Lyricism
Lyrics Ask Kirk Lockhart about Music
Rakim'll say
Rakim'll say
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 me into a solo, get in the flow
And you can picture like a photo
Music mixed mellow maintains to make
Melodies for emcees, motivates the breaks
I'm everlastin', 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 an' bomb
But no alarm, Rakim will remain calm
Self-esteem make 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 who keep followin' and swallowin'
Takin' and makin', bitin' it and borrowin'
Brothers tried, and others died, to get the formula
But I'mma let ya sweat, you still ain't warm, you a
Step away from frozen, stiff as if ya posin'
Dig into my brain, as the rhyme gets chosen
So follow me or were ya thinkin' you were first?
Let's travel at magnificent speeds around the Universe
What could ya say, as the Earth gets further and further away
Planets are small as a balls of clay
Astray into the Milky Way, world's outasight
Far as the eye could see, not even a satellite
Now stop and turn around and look
As ya stare in the darkness, ya knowledge is took
So keep starin', soon ya suddenly see a star
You better follow it cause it's the R
This is a lesson, if ya guessin' and if ya borrowin'
Hurry hurry step right up and keep followin'
The leader
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
(Keep followin'), 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
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 ya movin' cause the crowd said so
Dance, cuts rip ya pants
Eric B on the blades, bleedin' to death, call a ambulance
Pull out my weapon and start to squeeze
A magnum as a microphone, murderin' emcees
Let's quote, a rhyme from a record I wrote
(Follow the leader) Yeah dope
'Cause everytime I stop it seems ya stuck
Soon as ya try to step off ya self-destruct
I came to overcome before I'm gone
By showin' and provin' and lettin' knowledge be born
Then after that I'll 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 (Rakim)
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 it 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 ya guessin' and borrowin'
Hurry hurry, step right up and keep followin'
The leader
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
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 fades, to 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 rollin' stone, so I'm rollin'
Directions is told, then the rhymes are stolen
Stop buggin', a brother said, dig 'em, I never dug 'em
He couldn't follow the leader long enough, so I drug 'em
Into danger zone, he should arrange his own
Face it, it's basic, erase it, change ya tone
It'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 comin' but you came too late, but I'll wait
So back up, regroup, get a grip, come equipped
You're the next contestant, clap ya hands, you won a trip
The price is right, don't make a deal too soon
How many notes, could you name this tune?
Follow the Leader is the title, theme, task
Now ya 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 eatin' and swallowin'
You better take a deep breath and keep followin'
The leader
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
(Keep followin') follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say (the R)
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
Follow the leader, Rakim'll say
(Rakim'll say peace) 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) 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
Follow the leader
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Robert M James
