Michelle

It all starts back in Italy, actually in Sicily

A sad symphony in the early Twentieth Century

A dark peasant boy named Benito Raphioni

In the barn with the ponies and leftover macaroni

But the lack of bread left him hungry when he's back in bed

So he racked his head dreamin' of what he could have instead

Walkin' around his village, never askin' for sympathy

And the lack of affinity had him practice divinity

'Till he had an epiphany and he gathered his misery

Packed it in a tiny bag and then he scattered from Italy

Woulda traveled it differently, had he had the ability

But without a penny, Benny couldn't travel efficiently

Gatherin' his scraps, bought a third class to Manhattan

Packed with the packages of the passengers in the cabin

Greeted by the Lady of political Liberty

City imagery of vividly livin' in Little Italy

Entered Ellis Island with only a small sac

His skin so dark, they thought he was all black

Took the I's out of his name, Benito couldn't complain

Raphioni or Raphone, to him it was all the same

He just wanted money so he started workin' at the docks

But could only make enough for a little place in the Bronx

A diligent immigrant in a primitive tenement

With the skill of a city citizen bringin' in dividends

Now he's livin' with benefits and it opened his mind

So he's hopin' to find his utopian bride

Benito opened his eyes to a beautiful black queen

No longer was she broke and deprived

On the way to top class, 'till the morning she woke with a hot flash

Cash from the dock stash stopped fast when the stock crashed

Benito contemplatin' robbery and slaughter

That's what happens when you mixin' the milk with the tap water

Perverted by the Dirty Thirties

He heard of murder but assertively averted juries

Cause he would rather have a family at home, didn't plan to be alone

So they had a little boy named Anthony Raphone

And Anthony had grown dark like his poppa is

Hangin' on the street corners of Metropolis

He was proud of his heritage but his dad's music had to go

Mad dudes would rock the show – jazz, blues and rock & roll

So he would hit the nightclubs and reside inside

Comin' eye to eye with this pretty little Irish bride

Movin' in together unexpectedly

Had a little baby girl in the early seventies

Last name Raphone, first name Michelle

It ain't hard to tell, yo her name should ring a bell

I said last name Raphone, first name Michelle

"It ain't hard to tell"

In a black neighborhood back then when they hate the Irish

Michelle was called a mic but was never afraid to hide it

Where you come from, there's nothing they can do to disparage it

Yo especially when you carry a beautiful heritage

This is strictly allegorical, the race is no concern to me

The story's metaphorical, emphasis on diversity

Emphasis on the poverty, and makin' it through

All of the places that dedication is takin' you to

And so, as Michelle grew, it would only take some time

A proper way to find the "N.Y. state of mind"

She was hangin' with the hip-hop heads and all of the thugs

Michelle flows with shell toes inside of a club

Stayed connected to the turntables

Even though she was a tomboy, she was always the life of the night

But her friends never thought her name was an accurate label

And so everybody started callin' her Mikey or Mike

But despite the masculinity, her virtuous virginity

Would eventually mingle its way into her identity

And by the time that Mikey was nineteen

She had become a woman – no – matter fact a queen

Psychedelic rays, an amazin' way with men

With intelligence, benevolence, and beauty in the perfect blend

If you were stressed or you ever felt depressed

You would go and talk to Mikey and she would help you express (yes)

Gradually became a symbol in the rap community

Every single rapper wanted her, even including me

And she was older, but still I wanted to hold her

And hopefully be the soldier that's standin' over her shoulder

But hope isn't always noble enough when movin' a boulder

If you was in my position then tell me what you'd have told her

In order to win her over, all I wanted was a taste

Face to face, ready to embrace

And I would always see her in my dreams, she was slippin' in my bed

Diminishin' inhibition the minute she's in my head

With Nag Champa burnin,' we're kickin' it like karate

My hand would be at peace when it was wrapped around her body

Perfectly curved, her skin shiny and black

With a tattoo on her back that said RadioShack

I would play an instrumental and read her my poetry

And if she liked what I was sayin' then she would come close to me

Right in front of my lips, now we're ready to kiss

The room was fillin' up with a mist

Suddenly the connection was made, and I was drained of my energy

So I burst and I gave her everything inside of me

We even had a child in one of my other dreams

A beautiful baby girl that I named Harmony

Harmony Dussolliet, and if you translate the name

Harmony of the Sun is the creation that I made

But eventually I'd awake, and no longer could I reach her

A pain that was burnin' my body like it was "ether"

And everywhere she went, Mike was always adored

Yo they even have her picture on the cover of The Source

And her name is comin' up in songs like all the time

But out of this long list, only one comes to mind

It was this one song where the chorus was like…

"All I need is one mic"

But like I said in the beginnin' yo this song that I been singin'

Is a tragedy, so naturally it has a tragic endin'

And I was so concerned with it when I learned that it happened

So it's time to take "affirmative action" (ayo check it)

Mikey wasn't the type for the wifey of one guy

A girl with that kinda light has gotta spread the sunshine

Givin' everyone some lovin', she wasn't a slut or nothin'

But a guy to keep her all to himself is so motherfuckin'

Inconsiderate, considering she was so beneficial

Unless he treated her worthy enough and he was official

But all these other kids are actin' snakey and scandalous

So a girl with good intention is gettin' taken advantage of

If I was man enough then I could stop the abuse

I mean honestly cousin, yo what could I possibly do?

Ayo "if I ruled the world"

I would search the whole land for the one man worthy of the girl

And if she fit into his hands, then I would give the man his throne

Someone that is worthy of givin' a Mikey a home

And actually I know the perfect candidate to handle it

And yo my nomination has been hidden in this poem

But in the meantime I have to sit back watchin'

A woman is in trouble and I know I have to stop it

Cause I don't want to see her with the rats and the snakes

Happily havin' a date and then gettin' battered and raped!

I said last name Raphone, first name Michelle

It ain't hard to tell, yo her name should ring a bell

I said last name Raphone, first name Michelle

It ain't hard to tell, yo her name should ring a bell

I said last name Raphone, first name Michelle

It ain't hard to tell, yo her name should ring a bell

Last name Raphone, first name Mike

Someone step up and rock the Mike Raphone right