Black Thought

Released: November 26, 2018

Songwriter: Salaam Remi Black Thought

Producer: Salaam Remi

[Intro]
This shit crazy
Two-fifteen

[Verse 1]
Uh, I'm here seated at the helm
The black soundtrack to confusion is the film
I’m channelin' uncertainty and usin' it to tell the story of winnin' in life, then losin' it as well
The triumph was Makaveli inspired
Awaken a sleepin' giant, commander Tariq ibn Ziyad
Fresh from the fire and into formal attire
That's from a foreign designer, I call the plug, supplier, but a high we got
Try me not, that's the caveat
You'd probably get the same thing my last body got
Poet Laureate, swift chariot, the Maserat'
The one to watch, born the year of the ox
I got more than a reason to revel like Desus and Mero
Lyrical religious hero on Jesus' level
The reason none of these heathens is even as thorough
We bare arms like Idris or Venus de Milo
My blood is different than the blood that you bleed if it's yellow
I'm colder than Paul Robeson leadin' Othello
I'm older than the barcode, it ain't easy to tell though
The rap John Henry, they send me deep in the railroad
I'm heavy metal, the rock roller, the rebel without a pause
Perspective is bipolar as ever, I gotta cross the bridge and then burnt it into ash
A reoccurin' dream and then turnt it into cash
The reoccurin' theme is the hurt lives in the past
But undeniable lessons I learned live in the stash
Uh, the breadwinner, the dead center, the head-spinner
I heard life is a bitch, I went to bed wit' her
I once was told to know thy self
How can I grow myself, if I don't know myself?
The low-hangin' fruit for bottom feeders, no top-shelf
I chase demons for a lotta reasons, not just health
Seated at the throne, summonin' the ghosts like a seance
I never take a day off work, it never pay off
I wish for more peace on this Earth and never chaos
As long as classrooms gettin' sprayed with the ARs
Yeah

[Verse 2]
Revelation of a blessin' in disguise
I looked hate in the face and read the message in his eyes
They clickbaited a nation and requested the response
And dictated the makings of another renaissance
But wait, the fate of it's what the government decides
And I don't mean the state, I mean this government of ours
The mark, Ark of the Covenant requires
Frauds, I'm makin' a mockery of 'em with the bars alone
The population of the world has grown
And more people in the streets than live in gorgeous homes
A lotta heavy conflict zones, the swords are shown
I'm tryna study all the language on the Georgia Stones
To quote the classic joint, “What a fool believes”
And what the teachers of the school believes
Is very different from what the thieves and the class in rule believes
I'm tryna give y'all some jewelries
We under pressure like a diamond mine
Huntin' it somethin' like a phenomenon
And we losin' light like M. Night Shyamalan
Them people searchin' for somethin' with body armor on
You never know who they wantin', that’s why we on the law
Preparin' me, that isn’t necessary, what I'm haunted by is knowin' where the bodies are buried
Yet, I'm taunted by the omen
Knowin' my adversary, I'm gone to Neveruary
It’s on, it’s gettin' heavy for real

Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is the co-founder and MC of the legendary Philadelphia-based hip-hop group The Roots.

Thought is highly renowned in the Hip-Hop community for his socially aware, informed, and character-driven rap style. He is considered by many, a lyrical killer and legend that falls in the same category as Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, members of the Wu-Tang Clan and even Nas.

He also is a member and founder of supergroup Money Making Jam Boys, consisting of Black, and other Roots collaborators Sugar-Tongue-Slim (STS), Greg Porn, Truck North, and Dice Raw. STS can be heard on “Right On” while the other three are widely and largely on Undun.

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