First... and Then

Shh, I'm sayin' I wasn't even gonna do this shit
But I owe this - a favor
So I'm a do this shit
But y'all - better stay quiet

Open the door, gotcha, hoping for more
Told you before, velvet, smooth as velour
Step in the light, Black Sheep, reppin' it right
Never we hide, too much ebony pride
Something to see, scratch that, something to be
Paying my dues, God knows, nothing for free
Taking it back, paper, making a stack
Counter-attack, dance floors, making them crack

Running the course, got black, running with force
Rocking the spot, I've got y'all, loving the choice
Feeling the flame, Black Sheep, killing the pain
Spilling the love, sunshine, feeling the same
Setting the tone, Black Sheep, let it be known
Cooler than ice, hemming it up, keeping it sewn
Making it knock, all the way from the writer's block
Eatin' ox tails with cocktails, holding my - yo!

(First) excel with the exhale
(And then) call your crew on your next sell
(And then) open up a beer and roll an L
(And then) party all night and rest well
(But first) exhale with the excel
(And then) everything you do, you do it well
(And then) even if it hurt, you never tell
(And then) everybody love the clientele

I'm the type to not follow, lead and drop throttle
Recline and pop bottles with designer top models
The type to not sweat it, stack a knot and dead it
Said it when hot-headed, my thing, got to get it
I move like a phantom amidst the meddlesome
Destined to hit the top, Dres, the kettle drum
Kennel one pedigree, the flow stay dingy
Share my point of view in a world way stingy

I be the principal, it be invincible
There be no obstacle, above the pinnacle
Blow like I got a fuse, for when you got to choose
Who in a lot of crews, a million molecules?
There won't be no debate, my skills are overweight
If you can't hold your hate, I'll overcompensate
It's Dres, D - R - E - S, the one that does it best
My style's illustrious, my moves are limitless

Like (first) excel with the exhale
(And then) call your crew on your next sell
(And then) open up a beer and roll an L
(And then) party all night and rest well
(But first) exhale with the excel
(And then) everything you do, you do it well
(And then) even if it hurt, you never tell
(And then) everybody love the clientele

Now it doesn't even matter if I do or if I don't have dough
It's like I'm walking on red carpet everywhere that I go (thank you, thank you)
A renegade with rhymes, rolling to the tune, low-key
Opposite the velvet rope, where Heinekens flow free (I'll have two)
And I'm known throughout the world for what I do with one bar
Slap a rapper, even crack a nigga lower lumbar
Ain't gotta front for nada, it don't mean a thing
The only keys I got are ones swinging on my keyring (excuse me)

Ain't gotta toss threats, throw 'bows or dress funny
Just gotta be Dres, stay black and get money
Ain't gotta smoke -
Just gotta be Dres, stay black and get dough
So cool, they called me "old school" in the eighties
With ladies in a Mercedes at the foot of the Euphrates
On some Handsome Boy -, telling her to trust me
'Til she's speaking in tongues, screaming out "Muck fe!"

But (first) excel with the exhale
(And then) call your crew on your next sell
(And then) open up a beer and roll an L
(And then) party all night and rest well
(But first) exhale with the excel
(And then) everything you do, you do it well
(And then) even if it hurt, you never tell
(And then) everybody love the clientele