Released: February 23, 1999

Featuring: Dice Raw

Songwriter: Scratch Leonard “Hub” Hubbard Rahzel Kamal Gray ?uestlove Dice Raw Black Thought Scott Storch

Producer: The Roots Scott Storch Grand Wizzards

[Intro: Black Thought]
What the fuck, what, what, what?
Nothin' new, nothin' new, what? Nothin' new, check
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin nothin' new
I represent the legendary Fifth Dynasty crew
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin nothin' new
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin, check this shit out
It's nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin nothin' new
Nothin' new, nothin' new

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Ghetto related with this shit the whole world awaited
Y'all Dorito-head cats that 'gnac and stagnated
Black Thought, the Doug E., most war veteran
Crown ruler, soul controller of this lyrical land
Spliff wizard, kid, who is it? Fifth dinosaur ghetto!
Beat detonator, apex my level, next!
My complex patterns of speech is like sex
I mastered the art of makin' you snap ya necks
And Chase Manhattan endorse my mic checks
Upset poet threat just collectin' my debt
Yo, I'm overpaid in dues, blood, tears and sweat
When you fuckin' with The Roots, that's as good as it get
Ultramagnet! We pull you in a Drag-net
Then brainwash your clique and extort your assets
Then roadie all your homies on some old school shit
Roots Crew represent, the next movement!

[Verse 2: Dice Raw]
Life's a gamble, step up and place your bets
I drift through space, then make my escape on through the 'net
With CD's, cassettes, no C.O.D.'s or checks
Straight from the old school, ayo, Raw's in full effect
I'm like, Lex Luther with rifles filled with kryptonite
When you grip the mic, it's like, c'mon kids, let's say goodnight!
You don't like me?! But don't even know why should you hate me
You scared to face these so I still remain safely
Confidin', North Phil' where I'm residin'
Never let an outside nigga slide in
This ain't home plate, I dunk on you once inside the paint
Flow like this, you can't!
Take me you out, you ain't!

[Hook: Black Thought]
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Nothin' new, nothin' new, tell me what you could do
Yo, we drop the funk, and do the shit

[Verse 3: Black Thought]
Yo, head lost, sippin' this Lambic Framboise
Spittin' it for like whoever demand the answer
What's the cure for this hip-hop cancer?
Equivalent to this avalanche of black snow rap flow
To get my people thinkin' mo', we at the brink of war
What does it all mean? What's it all for?
With knowledge of yourself, then you're through the first door
My people hungry and thirst for more, next music explore
It's heavenly to your ebony daughter next door
So what you think The Roots get the world respect for?
The splendid authentic hip-hop that's raw core
Severe world premiere, a superior sophomore
No doubt, wherever you dwell, that's where the bomb fell
Explodin' from the imperial en-sem-ble, for real
From the venue to the avenue
We truly only got respect for a few, y'all ain't sayin nothin' new

[Hook: Black Thought]
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Represent the legendary Fifth Dynasty crew
Roots crew comin' through, tell me what you could do
Yo, you lookin' for me? Nah, we lookin for you
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Represent the legendary, with nothin' to do
For you, yo, lyrical one-two
Blow up y'all, it's nothin' new, nothin' new

[Verse 4: Dice Raw]
Look at y'all, you just a army ant, I'm a giant
Arm fist, king of my city, runnin' this shit just like a tyrant
Y'all clowns know what I meant, that's if we at war
Then my henchmen will be at your back door
Uhh, waitin', wise at debatin'
Trippin' over Legos, runnin' up the steps and lookin' for a weapon
But you come out wavin' a white flag
That's why I just backslap [fags] like Shaq did Ostertag
Either take me out or be taken
You think I'm goin' down? Psych! The jury, they're still deliberatin'
I got half of they kids tied up in a basement
Nah, I'm just playin', yo, but that's how I'm playin' tho'
Dig what I'm sayin', yo? D-I-C-E
Shove a mic in your mouth, like Ted DiBiase
When you come sloppy, fuck is y'all tryin' to do?
Y'all into some wack shit and ain't sayin nothin' new

[Outro: Black Thought]
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Represent the legendary Fifth Dynasty crew
Roots crew comin' through, tell me what you could do
One-two, one-two, yo, we lookin' for you
One-two, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Represent the Fifty Dynasty crew
Check it out, what? Well, one-two, one-two, one-two
Knahmsayin', yo? It's nothin' new
Nothin' new, nothin' new, y'all not sayin' nothin' new
Represent the legendary, Fifth Dynasty crew
Roots crew, tell me what you could do
You lookin' for me, we're lookin' for, one-two, one-two
Ha hah hah! Y'all ain't sayin' nothin' new
O-o-one-two, one-two
Represent the legendary Fifth, knahmsayin'?
Blowin' your vent, yo, content, yo, it's like that

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.