The Roots

Released: May 19, 1993

Songwriter: Black Thought ?uestlove

Producer: The Roots

[Black Thought]
On the actual, I swings like I'm Satchel
And brings groovy things to my peoples on the natural
Inclined to align, index to other flow and through beats
The butta kid got yet another bid to serve
In groovy stew, peace to all the kids who smuggle buddha
Cross the border 'cause it means a remedy to [?]
Recruiter of refugees, the urbanite objects
Wreck to catch the gravy, grass be the po' baby
That I planted in the long run, dig the rhythmic song from
The one who goes left see, how many brothers test me?
Touch, the texture of the weak and yo I wrecks the comb
From picking 'cause I'm cool and umm, kicks 'pon the dome
I'm kicking, on the regular I puts masses in motions
Shit'll split your mind open like a canteloupe then
The Roots and the boots Don boost to stomp potholes
Mr. Job Kicker, ease off, 'cause I got soul enough
To sell it, yo let spell it, B-L-A-C-K
T-H-O-U-G-H-T don't play
When I skits off a land funk that boogies up your pants and
Kicks flavor dug by your gramps in Johansen
Jazz cats that's hip, plus them brothers who scramble
Your uncle and your cousins and the wino who gamble

Hahaha, and for my next trick

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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