Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been) (DJ Premier Remix) lyrics - Kanye West (feat. Rakim, Nas, KRS-One)

 And now for my next number I'd like to return to the…

[Nas:] Classic

[Kanye West:] Uh, uh, – timeless

[Kool G Rap:] Live straight classic

[Nas:] Classic

[Kool G Rap:] Live, straight classic

[Kanye West:] Timeless

[Sample:] I'd like to return to the classic

[Rakim:] Kanye West

[Rakim Sample:] I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone

[Rakim:]

Uh yeah, is y'all ready for 20-07? It's now another drought

Everybody's a killer, wow, we buggin' out

Since '86 showing the crowd what I'm about

And they still wanna know when the album coming out

Ask the teenagers, OG's and nasty kids

What their definition of "classic" is

Timeless, so age don't count in the booth

When your flow stay submerged in the fountain of youth

Ain't no doubting the truth, I'm off the meters

Everybody cosigning, even non-believers

Since I came in the door became one of y'alls leaders

In a fresh pair of Air Force One sneakers

Uptowns, we call 'em uppies when they're on divas

Probably worn when KRS-One teaches

Nas made you look before the heaters

I bet you Kan' had em on when he walked with Jesus

[Nas:] Classic

[Kanye West:] Uh, uh, – timeless

[Kool G Rap:] Live straight classic

[Nas:] Classic

[Kool G Rap:] Live, straight classic

[Kanye West:] Timeless

[Sample:] I'd like to return to the classic

[Rakim:] Kanye West

[Rakim Sample:] I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone

[Kanye West:]

You can't buy this Superfly-ness, like a shine is

Your Highness is performing; look how long the line is

It's what happens when you make shit that's timeless

It's what happens, these rappers is the pioneers

What do it take to be a legend like Nas is?

That's so novice, I'm so polished

I got a right to be a lil bit snobbish

I did a lil bit of college

Semesters, it took two, like Rob Base

To let me figure out this wasn't my place

The beat's slow, 'til you listen to my pace

‘Cause I be killing shit, but that's evident

And y'all feeling it, but I expected it

If it's classic, it's gon' last forever then

I'm everywhere you never been, and better than I ever been

And now for my next number I'd like to return to the…

[Nas:] Classic

[Kanye West:] Uh, uh, – timeless

[Kool G Rap:] Live straight classic

[Nas:] Classic

[Kool G Rap:] Live, straight classic

[Kanye West:] Timeless

[Sample:] I'd like to return to the classic

[Rakim:] Kanye West

[Rakim Sample:] I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone

[Nas samples - 'One Love' & 'It Ain't Hard To Tell':]

Hold the fort down, represent to the fullest

Nas'll rock well

[Nas:]

Perseverance, see the fake hustler rapper

To them, it hurts to hear this

Oh, you went platinum? Yeah, that's nice

Now let me see you do the same thing twice

Three times, four times, then a couple of mo' times

Please, you're Amateur Night, it's Showtime

It's one life to live, so live it the best you can

The world could use one less man

Not enough air, not enough car factories

To manufacture new vehicles, sedans and vans

When they do make the whip you like, your chips ain't right

By the time you could afford it, the car ain't important

In the streets I'm in, it's just iron

Cops keep firin' in my environment

Leaving you slumped, then they drive home

Far from the hood, brothers they eager to jump on

I like to be the wall that they toast up on

I like to see them fall, guilty for doing wrong

I'm classic like the Air One's, the hustler shoe

That's what I'm accustomed to, yeah

And now for my next number I'd like to return to the…

[Nas:] Classic

[Kanye West:] Uh, uh, – timeless

[Kool G Rap:] Live straight classic

[Nas:] Classic

[Kool G Rap:] Live, straight classic

[Kanye West:] Timeless

[Sample:] I'd like to return to the classic

[Rakim:] Kanye West

[Rakim Sample:] I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone

[KRS-One Sample:]

Of course - we have Blastmaster KRS-One

[KRS-One:]

How many of y'all got Criminal Minded?

You, you, you; y'all don't be blinded

Me, I got no jewels on my neck

Why? I don't need 'em, I got your respect

KRS-One, twenty years I rock

I do it for JMJ and Scott La Rock

This hip-hop and we's a nation

Don't you wanna hear more KRS-One on your radio station?

Instead of broadcasting how we smoke them trees

On the radio we need to hear more local emcees

Where you at? C'mon, where you at?

This is the difference between emceeing and rap

Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal

Emcees spit rhymes to uplift their people

Peace, Love, Unity, havin' fun

These are the lyrics of KRS-One

And now for my next number I'd like to return to the…

[Nas:] Classic

[Kanye West:] Uh, uh, – timeless

[Kool G Rap:] Live straight classic

[Nas:] Classic

[Kool G Rap:] Live, straight classic

[Kanye West:] Timeless

[Sample:] I'd like to return to the classic

[Rakim:] Kanye West

[Rakim Sample:] I'm Rakim, the fiend of a microphone