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What They DoThe Roots

Released: September 24, 1996

Featuring: Raphael Saadiq

Songwriter: Leonard “Hub” Hubbard Black Thought Raphael Saadiq ?uestlove Kamal Gray

Producer: Grand Wizzards ?uestlove Raphael Saadiq

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Yo, yo
Lost generation, fast-paced nation
World population confront they frustration
The principles of true hip-hop have been forsaken
It's all contractual and about money-makin'
Pretend-to-be cats don't seem to know they limitation
Exact replication and false representation
You wanna be a man? Then stand your own
To emcee require skills, I demand some shown
I let the frauds keep frontin' and roam like a cellular phone
Far from home, givin' crowds what they wantin'
Official hip-hop consumption, The Fifth thumpin'
Keepin' your party jumpin' with an original somethin'
Yo, I dedicate this to the one-dimensional
No imagination, excuse for perpetration
My man came over and said, "Yo, we thought we heard you"
Joke's on you; you heard a bitin'-ass crew, but, um

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Thin is the line that run between love and hatred
The game is ill-natured, it's nothin' sacred
Aiyo, it's funny what I see some rap niggas do to make it
A few'll blow up, or go as far as they can take it
My nine-to-five is just to hit ya, get the party live
I'm Black Thought, used to rap for sport
Now the rhyme-sayin', rent-payin' life support
I take it very seriously within this industry
It's various crews that try to touch me
But I come with the beautiful things, and I bless the track plushly
Around the world crowds love me from doin' tours
Recipient of applause from all of you and yours
Creator of original sounds that's in the stores
You take home to absorb and sweat it out your pores
Now, who can stop the music runnin' through these veins?
Infinitely go against the grain, that's why my motto's to

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do

[Verse 3: Black Thought]
Livin' the life of limos and lights
Airplanes and trains, short days and long nights
Keyboards and mics, bass chords and drum kicks
And my mental thick, they hit my head like brick
As I embark on a mission, welcomin' to the dark
When I first spark the art's when the listenin' start
Open your head wide, and let the Thought inside
My style fortified by all of Philadelph-i
My delph more stealth than all the wicked wealth-y
Mentality undetectable by the naked eye
Then I get paid when the record is played
To put it short, "I want it made" like Ed, 'nuff said
Then after that, I'm puttin' on my cousin Hamed
We let the ladies blend with the dark-skinned thoroughbred
And discover, my level is that of no other
And Roots crew reign official and true while I'm continuin' to

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do

The Roots

The world’s premiere hip-hop band, The Roots were formed in Philadelphia in 1987 by MC Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and drummer and bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Since those early days, the band has weathered changes in personnel and record labels while performing hundreds of shows a year and releasing a string of well-regarded (if not always top-selling) albums.

While the musicianship of Thompson and the other band members, as well as their seemingly limitless repertoire, gets most of the attention, real hip-hop fans know that the rapping skills of Black Thought (along with former group member Malik B.) are the group’s hidden weapon. Thought, one of the few MCs brave enough to go toe to toe with Big Pun, handles any groove the band throws at him with aplomb, style, and flash.

Today, The Roots are seen by millions every night as the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a move that has given the group the chance to indulge its not-insignificant comic side.

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