[Intro: Raheem DeVaughn]
One time
One time
One time for the block, one time for hip-hop
One time
One time for being black, from wherever you at
One time
One time for Skyzoo from the NYC
One time
One time for Pete Rock in the place to be
One time

[Verse 1]
One time for the time sticking beside me
Wouldn't count me out when it counted me in the lobby
Where counting will lead you into the fold like origami
It could've overlapped and then chose to au revoir me
Like yo, when you be talking bonjour to a Mazi
It seems to intervene and encores to a homi
Like anybody can get it so, nothing don't surprise me
'Cause anybody can get it so, hopefully you got me
Shout to Gates and Greene, in between's where you find me
And shout to Jamaica Queens, "Margherita's" is a body
Easier to spot me, but I ain't never mind so
I ain't step aside I just speak it in tsunamis
Pay me no never mind, I just stayed in the design
Until they was tryna trace me or pay me to oblige
Whole fist in the air not a shade was a mirage
And true to what you would hear I decorated the garage
I'm more Belafonte when it come to the front line
But still dressed in mortgage money
Like "what else you wanted from me?"
Except when they calling for me
They took in outta towners but couldn't take the corner from me
I took it to a five bedroom mini mansion in a cul de sac
Prestigious subdivision, I brought my son to that
Did it off of inspiring who ain't cut from that
Says a lot about you if you can't fuck with that
[Chorus: Pete Rock & Raheem DeVaughn + Skyzoo]
(One time)
One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)
One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)
One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)
One time for it all, through and through (One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)
One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)
One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)
One time for it all, through and through (One time)

[Verse 2]
One time we was being followed by 12
Quoting "Ready To Die" so we was probably twelve
Boys pulled us over like we had product to sell
A week later my man was popping with crills
He said "if they already assume I'm tryna deal
Then why not though?" Custies said "arigato"
I had 100 sixteens written 'bout how my block go
By 16 I needed room so I forgot those
Now fast forward 20 more and where the top goes
Is where that sent me, word to who resent me
And word to who be like "your words?, they represent me"
Whether bidding or tryna tie up an ending
All coded for who's in the scrimmage
So if you didn't get it
Then you should be lucky that you didn't live it
Doe or die til the end of that time
You thought you wasn't given
And all the Patron that you wasn't spilling
All that I know, if you here with it, then you recognize
Being twelve and seeing bells in a detective's eyes
Henny still pouring outta me if you step aside
Bought a truck that had room to fit the rep inside
So do the knowledge, do the math and the science
Just because I'm relaxed doesn't mean that I'm compliant
Just 'cause I'm in the back doesn't mean that I ain't eyeing
And just 'cause I got class doesn't mean that I ain't firing
[Chorus: Pete Rock & Raheem DeVaughn + Skyzoo]
(One time)
One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)
One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)
One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)
One time for it all, through and through (One time)

One time for the aura that's in the groove (One time)
One time for you coming up off the stoop (One time)
One time for the horns fittin' the mood (One time)
One time for it all, through and through (One time)

[Outro: Raheem DeVaughn]