It's to the listeners (whispered 4x)

*musical interlude*
It's to the listener
(repeat interlude and line 4x)

Verse one: rakim

It's to the listenersfor those that have a ear for this
State of the artengineered for the mix
Eardrums are playing along to what I'm sayin you're singin a song
Stevie blass on the keyboardswingin along
But you don't have to danceplay it cool and listen
My dj's mixinand I'll do the quizzin
Cause who is number one if not best then better
Here's a hint: the 18th letter
The rhymes is sportablemicrophone is portable
For any immortal manswords is not affordable
Never take a loss cause I'm hard to beat
I ain't cheap but don't sell me a dream I don't sleep
I'm paid in fullso save the bull
This ain't a stick-upyou don't have to wave until
You feel sureand you want more then wipe your sweat
Cause I just wanted to see how hype you could get
Cause when I came in the door steppin hard enough to shake the floor
I just started but the others can't make no more
Runnin out of beats breaks and out of time
If I was goneyou'd be runnin out of rhymes
I improverecord don't have to be long
If it's understood and the story is strong
You can speak out and hold the crowd as prisoners
The people is peeplessit's to the listeners

Verse two:

I'm the lordfor somethin you can absorb
Try and control and be cautious but the cut's in a cord
Make me deeper than downI make the crowdcrowd around
People are peeplesscause the soloist found
Phrasesthoughtsmade by the r of course
One thing I do is keep em differentand far from yours
You keep talkinwhen will all the damage be done? 
You say you're rulin but when I'm in the place you don't come
Maybe you're waitinto see what I'm makin
One more style gets takenthen i'ma be breakin
If the patterns are causespiano is soft
But make it hard for you to startwhere I left off
You find yourselftill the point is across
You hit reverse to rewind itthat's when you hit the pause
I set the scenefirst you hear mixin
Then the microphone fiend's in effectstill listenin? 
Pay close attentionnever before mentioned
Listen up I got a brand new invention
Made from a musician it's notes are played crisp
But listeners listen to what I wrote on a disc
Copywritten but still bitten they almost sound like
Almost pumpinbut it ain't down like
A record's supposed to soundwatch as it go around
Records are brokensmashed into the ground
That ain't my melodybrothers keep runnin up and tellin me
Others are trying to flow smooth and steadily
Potholes are left in my path then I crash and bruise
Whoever refuse and cruise right past em
Cause I just left to do it for easy whatever
Deathtill I get back you better stay in step
After speaking you'll stareif I was there your description is
Letters full of poetical medicinethis is for the listeners