It Wasn't Me, It Was the Fame

[Erick Sermon]

As the wind sets the mood, it's time to let off

A sucker tried to play me, the E I'm not soft

I'm very hardcore, droppin bombs like Warsaw

It reminds me, back in 1984

when I went to a party with the master plan

to step up, and put the mic in my hand

Everybody was there, from junior high to high schools

Dyin to get busy, because I knew I had the tools

Then I got the heart and went by the set

I said, "Yo, I wanna rock the set" "Yeah no sweat"

Kickin rhymes in the place, people couldn't take it

The style I flowed, the way I shaked and baked it

Later on I made a record, and got recognition

Everybody's jockin, now nobody's dissin

Written and produced by the new rap duo

Yes EPMD, now I'm known in school

I see the backstabbers, and the elderly creature features

that used to diss me, when I was tryin to reach the

tip tip-top and I won't stop

To be the master, in the field of hip-hop

I did that, and got a name for myself

The image of E, and all of my wealth

I see my fake friends, but things ain't the same

Oh what a shame, I diss em

Who to blame? It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[Parrish Smith]

Before I cut records I had dreams of livin large

Earnin crazy cash flow, the whole nine yards

But when I told my college friends they kicked back and laughed

Said, "You better grab your books and take your behind to class"

They said, "You couldn't make a record and expect to get paid

cause there's too many def rappers in the world today"

I said, "Yo, my name is M.D. and my style is def"

They said, "Your name is Parrish son, you're like all the rest

Frontin you gettin a contract, but then you 'fess"

But when you heard my record playin, your mouth was wide open

Your head was tilted back that you was almost chokin

But I just lounge, and cool with the fellas

Like my roomie D-Wade, Top Notch, and James Ellis

I never hung with girls, only one and she was mellow

First name was Terry, last name Romanello

My records started sellin then P withdrew

from the college Southern Con, known as SCSU

But when I often go and visit they say, "P bust a rhyme"

I shake my head and then chuckle, and throw up the peace sign

They wanna feel my gold and sport my Rolex

but P reply it's really nothin, and don't like to flex

And when I step up on the scene I always hear them whisper

"Yo P's not the same, did you see him diss you?"

I go deep into my thoughts, then I questioned my brain

It wasn't me, the money, or the fortune, it was the .. "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[Erick Sermon]

Oh!

Now you wanna know me, before you wasn't speakin

Now you watch Yo! MTV Raps every weekend

Just to see me, the E and the P

Coolin out on the scene, with Fab 5 Freddy

Back then you didn't know, that I was determined

to be a def rapper with the name Erick Sermon

To be a crowd mover, someone that cause trouble

Then I thought, and came up with E Double

I can't forget, how they used to diss

Sayin he can't rap, because he talks with a lisp

But I got paid, now you feel stupid

Amazed by the style the sound and how we looped it

Now I clock G's, trunk jewels, and star trims

Cool around town, and flex my black Benz

Definitely hooked up, with the system that cranks

Livin well off, with the ? in the bank

EPMD, is Erick Parrish Makin Dollars

Always on tour, so you can call us roads/Rhodes scholars

You saw me in eighty-seven, where have you been because we miss you

I dismissed you, it wasn't me who dissed you, it was the .. "Fame!"

[E] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[Parrish Smith]

As I freak a funky style, to a funky fresh rhythm

I use my crazy def talent, that God has given

me to flow slow, and still live large

To drop a def LP, and catch MC's off guard

Because my friends started buggin, we used to cool at the mall

But on the S.T., the Sneak Tip, they prayed for my downfall

I used to cruise by in my rock and always hear them mumble

"They got lucky on Strictly Biz but watch the next one crumble"

My father always told me to wisen up son

Cause if you hung with nine broke friends, you're bound to be the 10th one

So I cut my friends off, and P went for self

Me and Erick Sermon, and no one else

Strictly writin def lyrics to my best ability

With the crazy imagination as my only utility

Cause MC's around my way brag how def they are

But now they workin full time, and sharin their mom's cars

Always frontin to the girls, how hard you can rock

But you leave out how you carpin to go punch the clock

Yeah we came hittin hard, so all the talkin had to halt

But don't blame us, blame God, it's his fault

For assistin us on the mission of a point of no return

to do a crab MC, who did not learn

Now when you're hot you're hot, and when you're not you're not

And when it comes to funky music, the two rock the spot

So next time you see me coolin, bite your lip and respect

Between me and you sonny, straight up, I'm like death

I cooled on the Run tour, with Flavor and Chuck

Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince but I guess that was luck

I did shows in crazy countries, like Europe and France

Copenhagen, Denmark, and Amsterdam

I even been to our country, that they call Africa

Keep your eyes on your girl, cause P'll be watchin around the

tick tick'n, yo check out P rippin

A new way to sway, cause brothers keep vickin

Flows and echoes, that sound exact

But you're rhymin in circles, and you ain't sayin jack

So take it in stride, by the way I'm still the same

First name is still Parrish, Sue's my girl, nuttin changed

You insist I act funny, but who's to blame?

It wasn't Yo! MTV Raps, the money, or Soul Train

It was the .. "Fame!"

[P] It wasn't me it was the .. "Fame!"

[DJ K. La Boss cuts up "Fame!"]

[Erick and Parrish talk to outro]