Microphone Fiend

Rakim

About Microphone Fiend

"Microphone Fiend" is the second single released from the hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim's second album Follow the Leader. The song became something of a signature song for rapper Rakim, and AllMusic's Steve Huey says the song "weaves references to substance addiction throughout in explaining why Rakim can't keep away from the mic." Featuring a prominent sample of Average White Band's 1975 hit "School Boy Crush", the song was further evidence of Eric B.'s fondness for soul samples and became one of the most quoted songs in hip hop.  


Year:
1997
5:13
397 
#1

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I was a fiend before I became a teen
I melted microphone instead of cones of ice cream
Music orientated so when hip-hop was originated
Fitted like pieces of puzzles, complicated
'Cause I grabbed the mic and try to say, " Yes y'all!"
They tried to take it, and say that I'm too small
Cool, 'Cause I don't get upset
I kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug, then I jet
Back to the lab ...without a mic to grab
So then I add all the rhymes I had
One after the other one, then I make another one
To dis the opposite then ask if the brother's done
I get a craving like I fiend for nicotine
But I don't need a cigarette, know what I mean?
I'm raging, ripping up the stage and
Don't it sound amazing 'cause every rhyme is made and
Thought of, 'cause it's sort of...an addiction,
Magnatized by the mixing
Vocals, vocabulary, your verses, you're stuck in
The mic is a drano, volcanoes erupting,
Rhymes overflowing, gradually growing
Everything is written in the cold, so it can coin-
cide, my thoughts to guide,
48 tracks to slide
The invincible, microphone fiend Rakim
Spread the word, 'cause I'm in
 E-F-F-E-see-T
A smooth operator operating correctly,
But back to the problem, I gotta habit,
You can't solve it, silly rabbit
The prescription is a hypertone that's thorough when
I fiend for a microphone like herion
Soon as the bass kicks, I need a fix
Gimme a stage and a mic and a mix
And I'll put you in a mood or is it a state of
unawareness?  Beware, it's the reanamator!
A menace to a microphone, a lethal weapon
An assasinator, if the people ain't stepping
You see a part of me that you never seen
When I'm fiending for a microphone, I'm the microphone fiend...

(Verse 2:)
After 12, I'm worse that a Gremlin
Feed me Hip-hop and I start trembling
The thrill of suspense is intense, your horrified
But this ain't the cinemas of "Tales From the Darkside",
By any means necessary, this is what has to be done
Make way 'cause here I come....
My DJ cuts material....
Grand imperial.
It's a must that I bust any mic you're hand to me,
It's inherited, it's runs in the family
I wrote the rhyme that broke the bull's  back,
If that don't slow 'em up, I carry a full pack.
Now I don't want to have to let off, you should of kept off
You didn't keep the stage warm, step off!
Ladies and Gentleman, You're about to see
A pastime hobby about to be
Take it to the maximum, I can't relax see, I'm
Hype as a hyperchrondriac 'cause the rap be one-
Hell of a antidote, something you can't smoke
More than dope, you're trying to move away but you can't, you're broke
More than cracked up, you should have backed up
For those who act up need to be more than smacked up
Any entertainer, I got a torture chamber
One on one and I'm the remainder!
So close your eyes and hold your breath,
And I'm a hit'cha wit the blow of death
Before you go, you'll remember you seen
The fiend of a microphone, I'm the microphone fiend

The microphone fiend...

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Rakim

William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), known by his stage name Rakim, is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time. more »

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Written by: ROGER BALL, ERIC BARRIER, MALCOLM DUNCAN, STEPHEN FERRONE, ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, WILLIAM GRIFFIN, OWEN ONNIE MCINTYRE, HAMISH STUART

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Song Creation
"Microphone Fiend" is a song by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, from their second album, "Follow the Leader."
Release Information
The song was released in 1988 by UNI Records and MCA Records.
Song Content
Rakim, known for a laid-back delivery, describes his compulsion for rapping. Using music and drug references to illustrate his dependence on the microphone and passion for creating unique rap music.
Album Success
"Follow the Leader," the album on which "Microphone Fiend" appeared, was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Tradition Origin
The songs opening line "I was a fiend before I became a teen" spins off the first line of Marvin Gaye’s "Inner City Blues", launching a hip-hop tradition of opening tracks with classic lines.
Song Influence
"Microphone Fiend" was influential in the advancement of the rapper-persona in hip-hop.
Cultural Impact
Rakim's line, "After 12, I'm worse than a Gremlin," was famously quoted in the film "Gremlins."
Sampled Song
The song heavily samples Average White Band's "School Boy Crush."
Recognition
The song is recognized in the rock genre as it was covered by the band Rage Against the Machine in their album "Renegades.”
Rakim’s Legacy
Rakim, known as 'The God MC,' is considered a pioneer in the hip hop industry and his lyrical talent is widely showcased in "Microphone Fiend." He accumulates his words in a slow burn of powerful images, connected themes, and nimble rhythm shifts, pushing the boundaries of what rap could be.
Rakim’s Technique
In "Microphone Fiend," Rakim particularly sets a great example of his internal and multisyllabic rhyming techniques.
Reissued
In 2005, Rakim reissued "Microphone Fiend" and other hits in a compilation, "Classic Eric B. & Rakim: The Definitive Collection."
Rakim’s Influence
Rakim’s lyrical mastery in songs like "Microphone Fiend" had a profound influence on future generations of rappers, introducing a level of complexity within lyrics that was previously unheard of in the genre.

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