Nas, DJ Premier - Pause Tapes

Remember the first time I made a beat, I had a cassette player in my grandma's crib I didn't have all, you know, the extravagant equipment, you know This was back in the late '80s, and I used to listen to music on the radio That I liked, you know, particularly old school, like, '70s And I would record it, and then, after I recorded a certain part that I liked I would record, loop, record, loop, record, loop, until it just became one beat And you know, that was the beginning of me making beats Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop Re-record, loop It's a drive-in movie, no roofs on, a bunch of Benzes Let's try to re-imagine the passion when I got in this A Panasonic with the tape recorder Tryna level the treble and bass in order, the station sound distorted I moved the dial to improve the sound Years later, got a Sony stereo-system No comparison with the boombox, my livin' room knocks My nigga Mayo next door, he bangin' on the wall, told us to stop Take me back, drugs and money, we crudie, lungs smoky Fiends in the hallway, bummy, just finished the Old E Music savin' our lives, just listen and gettin' fried to underrated MCs Sprayin' somethin' to hide the aroma Still in my mom's cribs, was young and lazy Quit school 'cause I needed fly shit, the fiends would page me Not tryin' to be locked on a big Queen's crazy Guess jeans and Polo jacket, just in the crib causing all this racket Always knew I was the verbal assassin Submerged in the very dirty world, but only was half in That's when I had an epiphany, came with last on the symphony If I could set a posse cut off, that be my entry Pickin' up the stereo's remote control, quickly Ron G's in the cassette deck, rockin' the shit, G Surprised I opened a bombshell and my mind tells me I could hook a beat up for myself to rhyme My mom's hall closet, in boxes, all kinda shit Johnnie Taylor records and some good Grover Washingtons, I'm lockin' in Grab a piece of vinyl, drop the needle at the top Listen for a beat to rock, 90 minute tape, I got enough time Play it one time, four bars Press record, then press pause, then restart Record, loop, repeat Do that 'bout 20 times, yo, I made my first beat Pause tapes Pause tapes, rewind it, re-record, loop Re-record, loop, re-re-record, loop Loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop, loop