Black Thought

(feat. Black Thought)

Line for line, you gotta get it done
Little at a time, Zen approach
Gradually, I'ma get mine
Black Thought from the legendary 5th don

You wasn't payin attention
I'm henchin to hit the entrance
Trenchin it was no means to intervention
A dollar bill would make a hundred ten yen, son
How much you willing ta sacrifice ta win, huh?
I personally I paid mines
And then some climbed up an inch bit at a time
Now who's the zen one
If not self whom else can you depend on?
Friends gonna say it's alright and probably they been wrong
I got them battlefield dents in my armor
A twitch from the drama
The trees and bad karma
But still I'm precision, proceedure performer
We operate every night, and leave in the morning
Ta getchoo high as a kyte's the reason you want it
It's like a direct flight from freezin ta burnin hot shit
The audience fiend fa this fix
And KRUSH come wit the guillotine fa this mix, like...

Line for line, you gotta get it done
Little at a time, Zen approach
Gradually, I'ma get mine
Black Thought from the legendary 5th don

Yo, who got they fingers on the carousel locked in position
It got to be my man, the turntable tactician
You all at hush cause I ain't try to listen
You wanna feel its realness, the Rik's spittin
It gotcha head split your eyes can't stop twitchin
The only thing that you can do is rock the rythm
Don't put em down
Cause see the world we're at now
See me lickin rhymes, rappin like a five of rounds
And a you now ain't true to find the zenfinite sound and a
The revolution poppin off right now
I make you rase your fist, raisin up right
Raise your fist that busted the flag like blahhh
The f**k boy nigga's trying ta keep it on the hush
But Black Thought spittin cause the people want a rush your feel
It's what the audience fiend fa this fix
And KRUSH come wit the guillotine fa this mix lie...

Line for line, you gotta get it done
Little at a time, Zen approach
Gradually, I'ma get mine
Black Thought from the legendary 5th don

Yo, I got the renissance, turn of the century
Choked + I'ma do the people right
If y'all gimme the vote
Finna ride, hang em high
KRUSH, gimmie the rope
See all them porcelain chin
Niggas gettin em broke
One at a time, na let's focus on who the don
When your blade's sharp as mine
People want you to rhyme
They want you ta spill
Fa me ain't nuttin for real
Me and my man runnin Japan
We're tough on the wheel
He blow ya mind like bustin the steel
I give the crowd something ta feel
The sound got the power to heal
It's like the Green Mile, now I need an hour to chill
A 1/4 of a kill ta burn while patrillin the field
I'm puttin rappers out cold
I done rap from Tokyo to the North Pole
Whenever my man program the passcode
Drummers se the 5th
And yo, KRUSH come wit a gullotine fa this mix, like...

Line for line, you gotta get it done
Little at a time, Zen approach
Gradually, I'ma get mine
Black Thought from the legendary 5th don

(feat. Black Thought, Ghostface Killah, Trife Da God)

[sample]
One two, one two, one two, one two
So you wanna start up, what we gonna tear shit up?
I said let the turntables talk for me at first
And then I should finish the rest

[Hook x2: Ghostface Killah]
Theodore Deini, Deini, Deini, Deini (say what)
Theodore Deini, Deini, Deini, Deini (say what)
Theodore Deini, Deini, Deini, Deini (say what)
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Intro: Ghostface Killah]
Aiyo, what up? Aiyo, what's poppin' and shit
Yo, this your man, Ghost Deini and shit, Trife Diesel on the side
Money Come First, Theodore Unit, aiyo, son blind these niggaz
Throw bleachin'

[Trife Da God]
Aiyo, aiyo, what's poppin' out in Stapleton Park, hoppin' the V's
Call Ghost, special invited host, bring through the seeds
Sun beamin' like a hundred degrees, yo Tone!
Hurry up, get your ass in the truck, it's time to leave

[Ghostface Killah]
Hold on, I gotta polish my ring, throw on my Clarks
And you know, I can't iron man garments, without the stars, just
Double park, give me ten minutes or less
I overslept, my bitch left, and my crib is a mess

[scratches and talk]
"If you not down, you not an M.C. or a D.J., off the stage"

[Trife Da God]
It's the Theodore event, so they blocked off the streets
And we came here to chill, but the cops wanna beef
Little kids, shootin' hoops on the court, playin' horse
All the young bucks, rocking new gear, try'nna floss

[Ghostface Killah]
Say no more, let's motivate Trife, throw on your poker face
Spin around the block one time, so we can spoke the place
Yeah, it's lookin' lavish, and the scene looks wonderful
Pockets full of trees, and my shit look colorful

[Trife Da God]
We got the X-Men spinnin', on the one's and two's
No drugs, no violence, leave home the guns and tools
And the grill's just cookin' up chicken and steak
And greedy ass Uncle Ronnie, yo, he lickin' the plate

[Interlude: ?]
Ladies and gentlemen, we got Black Thought in the house tonight
Yo, he just came from off tour, and I think he wanna spit something, yo!

[Black Thought]
Yo, we X-Ecute 'em, with the rapid fire, pealin' your face off
Sprayin' up the party, from the ceiling with napalm
Shots follow the target, I ain't gon chase ya'll
Swinging aluminum bats, that's not for baseball
It's humor, the way ya'll makin' me laugh
I'm like a, natural born hustler, gotta get that cash
The way a natural born, freak, gotta shake that ass
And anybody wanna eat, gotta break that fast
A million crabs in a barrel, try'nna make they splash
Break away fast, nice brother's finish in last
It don't, matter the speakers, or the hammers can blast
To handle your ass, frontin', I'mma take your stash
And twist it, and bake the whole, projects biscuits
This kid is a trendsetter, ya'll just misfits
Black Thought, I've been better, ya'll just forgettin' shit
Now it's a life or death predicament
I step in with a vendetta, then start spittin' shit
Then spit game, that's ridiculous, ya'll muthafuckas insignificant
I'm three fifty seven, magnificent
Stay playin', where them bad bitches is, you feelin' tonight
You know they feelin', let the semi automatic bend
They fend to have 'em in the ghetto, goin' at it, man
They bring it to your block, have it like Pakistan
Philly boys bringin' noise, makin' wild static, then
We trick cops, even jump out vans, and leave you
Sprayed out, stiffer than a mannequin stance
You get, laid out, clapped with mechanical hands
That kick back, cuz, you and your mans'll get zapped
Just keep, thinkin' my peoples, and peoples'll toy with
A cold blooded kill shit, and keep on doin' it
Cuz that's my pleasure, that's the people's enjoyment
Gangsta's holla at me, if you seekin' employment

(Kweli talking)
Yeah...
Yeah! That's what I'm talkin about!
Let's do it... Kanye West, c'mon turn me up and
Black Thought, c'mon turn me up and
Pharoahe Monch, c'mon turn me up and
Talib Kweli in the house with

(Hook: Kanye West)
Guerrilla monsoon rap - all the shorties like "who dat?"
Got the whole crowd like "how ya do dat?"
Nigga you, get smacked 'til ya blue black
And ya crew, give me dap like true dat
We come through and all the shorties like "who dat?"
Got the whole crowd like "how ya do dat?"
Nigga you, get smacked 'til ya blue black
And ya crew, give me dap like true dat

(Black Thought)
Yo, I hit these emcees with the grip of death like I was a Vulcan
Ain't a lot of "ifs" an "ands", it's just straight talkin
It's hard to swallow at times, so take portions
Bitin off more than you can chew, create offense
Emcee species endangered like dolphins
Rappers is spittin nails into they own coffins (c'mon)
Hear come the Dundee moves rocket-launchin (yeah)
Black Thought, quit playin him close and back up off him

(Talib Kweli)
Kweli -- spruce to the tree, Bruce to the Lee
The real emcee, that your favorite rapper used to be
One by one I knock 'em out like Schoolly D - my rhymes is eulogy
A flea could move a tree, before ya think ya movin me
I black and blue emcees - actin new to me, get smacked stupidly
That lack skills, like the black community lack unity (uh)
Still my rhymes heard like Ali DePhrase
Step off the stage to shouts of "Kweli boomayyay!!"

(Pharoahe Monch)
See these four emcees came to get down
Rearrange the rap game, change ya whole sound
Nigga YOU, got ta, understand the plot ta
Movin and groovin and always improvin alot-ta
I'll outfox the, average Porsche Boxster talk
Break the bank on some old Frank Sinatra (New York...)
Slash Chi-Town, slash Philly
Check the blast from Geneva, you can get slapped silly

(Hook)

(Black Thought)
Okay... my sound drenches, each of the five senses
And hold the shock value of electrified fences
It's truth or consequences, ride wit us or against us
Is you a dedicated soldier, or you a princess, dog?
I'm in it to win it and not for the wealth
Got a crib with a Grammy and a gat on the shelf
Nan nigga competition, gotta battle myself
And me and Kweli on a mission, hittin' Pharoahe for help

(Talib Kweli)
From natives walkin in trail of tears to players sippin Belvedere
We always comin well prepared, and all my dogs' smellin fear
PLUS, even my niggaz from the Bay they say you hella-scared
Truth or consequences, and all senses be well-aware
Your style - under-developed there, hell if I care
What hardship you claim to see, but I can tell by your stare
Nigga you fool gazin, sayin ya crew blazin
like sayin Miss Cleo is a true Jamaican, we makin...

(Pharoahe Monch)
Guerrilla monsoon rap, smell the fumes, get in tune wit it
When I attack your city, y'all gon' think Dr. Doom did it
Spit it like white trash in seed-spittin contests
With a vendetta that sent a betta letter bomb to Congress
I'm pissed - cumulus clouds of ominous
Words of the Thor, the rawness that'll restore ya calmness
Unless, you wanna be leg and armless
That's parapaleg' for those who believe in bomb threats

(Hook)

(various ad-libs til fade)

yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
freak, freak y`all, freak y`all freak y`all
freak y`all, freak y`all freak y`all
to the beats y`all, beats y`all beats y`all
beats y`all, beats y`all beats y`all
and you don`t stop, don`t stop don`t stop
and you don`t quit , don`t quit don`t quit
and you don`t stop, don`t stop don`t stop
and you don`t quit , don`t quit don`t quit

yo, Black`s the real,
he the thoroughbred for feel park the whip,
jump out dressed to kill
hop the charter flight down to Brazil
ran right into Will
"What up Black?" (What`s the deal?)
A cape with a cain, you what`s in a name
I got a little bit of change,
but I`m feelin the same
came here for a taste of the finer things
because the girls look like different
months in a magazine
judging how fast the word go, the probably
already know we hang with Sergio
So, let`s get a few classy girls yo,
and sip a little wine, anything but Merlot
though, live and let learn, use "protekchurn"
and twist a little something
that`s Katherine Hepburn
fresh to death, still makin them heads turn
still got mine, but you got to get churn
yo!

"Know what I`m talkin about?
There it is (there it is)

yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
baby don`t you stop
don`t you stop don`t you quit don`t you stop

It`s the Will.I.Am, I`m killin them
got flows that float just like helium (aahh)
these hoes know I`m drillin `em
so when feminine`s thrown I`m throwin them
the billin `em til I`m rollin in millions
gotta flip billions into trillions
businessly, I`m brilliant
turn pennies into twenties like the chameleons
but never put a chinchilla on a chick,
Karma-style too legit to quit
Hip-hop on and on and on and
break mics constant til the break of dawn and
if you want to compete, come compete
bring and MPC-16, make a big beat
we could take it back to the B-Street
we could break, we could rap, do the graffitti
yo!

"Know what I`m talkin about?
There it is (there it is)

yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
baby don`t you stop
don`t you stop don`t you quit don`t you stop


Hey! 2na Fish back to business
I hit the track like a sheer act of vengeance
masked avengers get smacked and injured
strapped`ll get cho`
back with some black suspenders
autographs of the Jurassc Crew
flippin flashes so fast like a fashion shoot
classics, spittin acid the fastest route,
bass`ll hit yo face quicker than a passion fruit
big cheese inflict sick disease
make hits that`ll make thick chicks strip tease
clicks freeze when the trigger click squeeze
makin people in the disco duck like Riq Jeeves
but I ain`t going to war wit ch`all
and got no alcoholic beverages to pour for y`all
I`m gonna let these cats get there garbage off
while I crush y`all like Mikhail Gorbachev

"Know what I`m talkin about?
There it is (there it is)

yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
yes y`all, yes y`all, yes y`all
baby don`t you stop
don`t you stop don`t you quit don`t you stop

baby don`t you stop
don`t you stop don`t you quit don`t you stop
baby don`t you stop
don`t you stop don`t you quit don`t you stop

Two months prior you said you had a dire emergency
It's 1:30 my face was all dirty trying to get some sleep
Head still whirling, throw on my shearling leave my man home
Two dots yes I'm coming yes my car is running, hang up my cell phone
By the time I arrived you was deep about five like you had beef
Then you tried to step told me that I slept like you was cock deez
It was all about some niggaz that you thought was jigga who was digging me
And I told you after that day we ain't cool babee

What cha think this a game ain't no bo dy playing
Thought I told you before, don't knock on my door
I was trying to be nice for your own advice
Ooh girl you don' did it now, really, really, really did it now watch out

I was kinda thrown head was kinda blown but I'm not blue
Lost a couple friends once or twice before, I'm still cool
Then you tried to flex like you were the next bitch who you trying to fool
You just another girl from the avenue who graduated school
Now you wanna be down after you tried to clown me baby doll
But ain't no future in fronting and fronters don't hang around with me at all
And now I make my music got me some new dick and I'm doing fine
And I'm still real ghetto and I still kick your black behind

What cha think this a game ain't no bo dy playing
Thought I told you before, don't knock on my door
I was trying to be nice for your own advice
Ooh girl you don' did it now, really, really, really did it now watch out
Repeat 1

Rap
Yo, I'm ringing the phone two in the a.m. rudely awaken dreaming deep concentration hazy
She really couldn't peep what they was saying at first all I know is Jag really wasn't playing at all
She left calming to speak to the John had the Jaquar double parked and the blinkers was on
Head pulled back sneakers is on, yo I don't know what sis told her but she bout' to get a beatin performed
She grabbing all up on her shirt tugging on her slacks Jag tried to go in the grill I had to hold her back
Cool her out try to tell her to chill, lower the thermostat, you a star no need to stoop as low as that
Scrapping over men is best avoided, and a real lady would never confess to doing it
She said I'm ganstar don't let the dress confuse you, the only things sweet is the music
It's really not a game

What cha think this a game ain't no bo dy playing (aint' nobody playing body playing)
Thought I told you before, don't knock on my door (don't you be knocking on my door)
I was trying to be nice for your own advice
Ooh girl you don' did it now, really, really, really did it now watch out

What cha think this a game ain't no bo dy playing
Thought I told you before, don't knock on my door
I was trying to be nice for your own advice
Ooh girl you don' did it now, really, really, really did it now watch out

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Every time you hurt me I don't know
Why I can't throw your clothes out the window
Every time I try to be strong and let you go
You start talking sweet to me like I was you ho

Tell me baby what you want with me, doing this to just embarrass me
Tell me who think you pimping boy when I'm the only one who brings you joy
And I'm the one who keeps you stash, never make you spend the money you flash
Never ask you for a f**king thing, and you gave that bitch my diamond ring
I don't know why I try, to believe all your lies
Every time using me, why I act like you playing big deez
Why I still understand, you got more kids than you said you had man
Every time a new girl pops up, I guess I don't give enough

Every time you hurt me I don't know
Why I can't throw your clothes out the window
Every time I try to be strong and let you go
You start talking sweet to me like I was you ho


Tell me baby what you want from me, do you just want to embarrass me
Tell me why I let you steal my
You don't know how bad it hurts me, when my niggaz laugh at me
I don't know what's keeping me but the sex ain't as good as it use to be so
I don't know why I still pay your bail and you deserve to be there
And every time that your're broke, I pay you money just to leave me alone
Why I don't understand that you ain't no kind of man
Giving me grabbing my clothes, I guess I don't get enough

Every time you hurt me I don't know
Why I can't throw your clothes out the window
Every time I try to be strong and let you go
You start talking sweet to me like I was your ho

Rap (Black Thought)

[John Legend]
Yeah-yeah, ooohhhhhhhhh
So many hard times
Yea-yeahhhhhh, ooohhhhhhhhhh
Yeahhhh-yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeahhhh
YEAHHHHH, yeah-yeah
YEAHHHHHHHHHH


Cold, cold eyes upon me they stare
People all around me and they're all in fear
They don't seem to want me but they won't admit
I must be some kind of creature up here having fits
From my party house, I'm afraid to come outside
Although I'm filled with love, I'm afraid they'll hurt my pride
So I play the part I feel they want of me
And I pull the shades so I won't see them seeing me


[Chorus: John Legend - 2X]
Having hard times, in this crazy town
Having hard times, there's no love to be found


[John Legend]
Yeah, yeah, yeah
In my party house I feel like meeting others
Familiar faces, creed and race, a brother
But to my surprise I find a man corrupt
Although he be my brother, he wants to hold me up


[Chorus: John Legend - 2X]


[Black Thought]
Check it out, seventeen years and counting
I'm tryna climb up the rough side of the mountain
Friends warned me I'ma have to do it without them
No problem really, it was never about them
So my house, I never come out from
cause every day a drought, then a shadow of doubt come
I'm down to do whatever if it betters my outcome
The city's like the Audubon Ballroom waiting on Malcolm
Cause people wanna see my blood flow like fountains
I got nowhere to go and still feel like bouncing
I'm looking for the closest window I can rap from
or for the highest speaker-box that I can shout from
And I'm hoping to feel like something is real
But it's no hope when you are but a spoke in a wheel
A brick in a wall, tryna find an opening still
Having hard times, tryna climb over the hill


[John Legend]
Yeah, so many hard times, yeah, yeah
Sleeping on motel floors, yeah, yeah
Knocking on my brother's door
Eating Spam, Oreos
Drinking Thunderbird baby, yeaaaaaaahhhh


[Chorus: John Legend - 4X]


[John Legend]
Yea-yeah, yea-yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeaaaahhh, yeah
Yeah, mmmmm, yeah, yeaaah
So many hard times, yeah, yeah
Sleeping on motel floors, yeah, yeah
Knocking on my brother's door
Eating Spam and Oreos
Drinking Thunderbird baby, ohhhhhhhhh, yeah
I don't wanna do it no more
No-no-no, no-no
I don't wanna go back there no more
No-ohhhhhh
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna..

Oh American citizen, come collect your freedom
no matter what your living in
no more giving in
Oh American citizen, come collect your freedom
no matter what you're living in
it's time to win
keep us in the four walls of our childrens will be quiet
most of us aint even democratic or Republic
can, and by coincidence we love the elected until the detected of being human
American falls, minorities lose war
but if we unite we would have won the war
on poverty
on drugs
on medicated
on love
Freedom isn't given it is taken
freedom isn't free it's earned
not, no, it's learned
been hung and burned,
yet rest in peace, resurrected plea
this aint black or white, it's grey
this is not about my face
most of us don't know what to say
right from wrong, I'm free from slaves
Let freedom reign
do you wanna be free or do you wanna be
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be
free,
let freedom Reign
(repeated)
[Talib Kweli]
America the beautiful
suspect as usual
liberty and death give me freedom on my funeral
I walk across the planet with the steps of a giant
my rhymes bridge the gap between religion and science
cause my evidence is spiritual
I know my sheer presence is a miracle
I wasn't supposed to be here to share with you
but here I am, standing with my chest out
I take my place in history I never get left out
You stressed out and scared so it's causing you to act hard
freedom aint free, gotta put it on my black card
my passport claim I'm an American citizen
the constitution said I'm three fifths
I'm not a semi and gorrilla
make my songs stronger than the horn of Gideon
truth is the ? gave the native people syphillis
Consider this: Christopher Columbus ain't know where he was goin'
So lets stop calling our Native brothers Indians
[Chorus]
[Black Thought]
We were carried here in shackles from the homelands
? chop, chain locked, brain washed, programmed
time's change, freedom reigns, I'm a grown man
holding the future in the palms of my own hands
in this World, the coonery and tomfoolery
all I'm trying to do is stay true to my community
the daily news aint the only thing that's schooling me
watching these haters operating with impunity
tis journey dollar signs, black and white collar crimes
running out of time, out of sight, out of mind
it gets realer and it's real in Palestine
troubles of the World start to seem intertwined
war criminals, conflict minerals, pillagers are coming home
and five star generals telling lies in press conferences and interviews
I'm trying to take back the power cause it's been abused
[Chorus]
[Chrisette Michele]
I'm just black in America
I'm not afro american
just a passive american
making belief I'm better than
what we've been, what we've been
I said
I'm just black in America
I'm not afro american
just a passive american
making belief I'm better than
what we've been, what we've been

[Intro: Ghostface]
Yeah, niggas don't know about Fatback
With the different color records they had back in the days
You know what I mean, the belt-driven turntables
With Technics joints (with the slipmats!)
Put nickels on the needles so the motherfucking record won't jump
The needle won't skip and shit
Getting juice from the fucking light poles
Shout out to the Bronx, nigga!

[Verse 1: Ghostface]
Ay yo, this shit go way back like a Uni marker, kid
Bombing the D train and hit the Bronx up
Krylon bandits attack; Planet Rock, Bambaataa
Peace to Pylon discovering rap
And the DJ that made the first scratch
Paved the way for Flex, Mister Cee, 'nuff of them cats
See, this rap shit came at a time that was accurate
Twenty-something years later, I mastered it
Seen light poles get used for power
I was a little nigga
Couldn't stay out late - I was sour
So I sat by the window, heard the DJ cut
Impeach the Pres, Apache, and just begun
Otis Redding - slam! The music stopped
Guess the system blew out one of his amps
It'd take a little while, then it come back on
Somebody stepped on the wire and shit, that's all
Now everybody's back in the groove, echo chamber
"Check one two, one two" - that's my favorite
Strobe lights is live, Pink Champale
Little pink joints being lit up on the side
Couple niggas had two fives
Other than that, cleared a circle in the park and shoot 5
Girls wore they Lees and jellies
Jordache and Lees, TF Lords fit the fellys
Sams and Kangol buckets, BVD's
Go to Sergio's like, fuck it
Seen the stamp on that Crazy Eddie
Niggas coming back from the Funhouse dusted
Throwing bubbles on the wall

[Hook: Ghostface]
We must remind you
Where this rap come from
Yes my brother, my sister

It's our duty, we must remind you
Hip hop was set out in the park
We used to do it out in the dark

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Yo, it all started at the After Midnight Philly, but walk with me
Mad niggas coming down from New York City
Prolly hit the skating rink USA
Banging Schoolly, "Gangster Boogie" and "PSK"
I remember shells, Gazelles, top tens, and lottos
Mega design, reefer smoke, Coqui nine bottles
Entire wore velours, call the boys with the Lucci wore
84's from Atlantic City Coogi store
Linoleum break dancing, Rust-Oleum cans
I put the writing on the wall signed, "Truly yours"
Philly smashed '87 Music Seminar
Out on the battlefield like Pat Benatar
Hit the borough with Krown Rulers out of Camden
People Patty Duke-ing in the party, all cramped in
Around the time Flav started cold lamping
"Rebel Without a Pause" was the street anthem
Old Memorex cassette, tape collections
Bright spotlights on all the fights at the Spectrum
When the Fresh Fest come, leather bombers and sheepskins
Brothers would bust they guns to get one
MC Breeze, Disco C, Jazzy Jeff
Cash Money and Miz and Lady B
Everybody banging "Sucker MC's" in '83
I was South Philly like St. Charles and Crazy D
Them wild North Side Puerto Ricans would snuff you
Twenty deep in a Ford Escort, pumping the Tuff Crew
I used to follow my cousin, he was a buck too
"Y'all don't like how I'm living, well, fuck you!"
I been a G since a little kid
Sticking my head up into somebody's dollar party, getting into shit
And late nights, shoulda been in bed
Instead, I was running 'round with them downtown lemonheads
A little man, hanging where them grown women is
Under thirteen, seeing real strong images
And that's the reason for my real rap penmanship
That's where I started it, and that's where I'm a finish it

[Hook]