Released: July 13, 2004

Songwriter: Black Thought Scott Storch

Producer: Scott Storch

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Yeah! That all mighty amazin', ill, highly contagious
Kamikaze South splash like it shot from a gauge
Until your body sound clash
Head of the Class, Magna Cum Laude
Beats bring the beast out me, flagrant foul rowdy
Reed pipe but deep tight, disposition keep on flippin'
Keep 'em playin' they position
Keep makin' the people listen what I spin
Put 'em out on a limb
Got tears, got blood, got sweat leakin' out of the pen
Y'all fake niggas not settin' a trend
We never listen to them
It's like tryin' to take a piss in the wind
My home team doin' visitors in, yo, don't test 'em
They all standin' close to the edge, so don't stress 'em
Now, who the type built to last? It's no question
The master, villain in black wit' no Stetson
My sound hittin' you hard from every direction
Your head and shoulder area, your midsection, dawg!

[Hook]
When the saint on the ground with his nine on line
With the niggers who grind with King Kong hittin' Thailand
Give it here, and don’t say nuthin'
Just give it here, give it here and don’t say nuthin'
When the team on the set with the guns gone clap
Gettin' down on everything, hmmm, cut the check
Give it here, and don't say nuthin
Just give it here, give it here and don't say nuthin

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Yeah, Illadel! Home of the original gun clappers
Out on the wrong corner, your shit'll get spun backwards
You got the fool wantin' the rules, enter at risk
Or your own nana'll keep a gat under the mattress
Shorties runnin' reckless from Philly to Texas
Surprisin' what niggas willin' to do to get a necklace
Some emotions felt better left unexpressed at times
Niggas' crime record longer than a guest list
Yes, I done seen things you wouldn't believe
Seen people reach levels thought they'd never achieve
Silhouettes waitin' in the wings ready to D
Thirsty sheists who need at least a buck to breathe
C'mon! Stick up kids, they be out to tax
Most times, they be stickin' you without the gats
I'll still be on the grind when it all collapse
And if it’s mine, word is bond, I'mma take it right back, nigga

[Hook]
When the saint on the ground with his nine on line
With the niggers who grind with King Kong hittin' Thailand
Give it here. and don’t say nuthin'
Just give it here, give it here and don’t say nuthin'
When the team on the set with the guns gone clap
Gettin' down on everything, hmmm, cut the check
Give it here, and don't say nuthin
Just give it here, give it here and don't say nuthin

[Verse 3: Black Thought]
Yeah, it ain't nothin like the rush I get in front of the band
On stage, wit' the planet in the palm of my hand
When a brother transform from anonymous man
To the force, crush whoever might of thought I was playin'
I'mma flame some sinister shit, the code twister
Slang thicker than Big Boi baby mom’s sister
Pain beyond measure, relaxed under pressure
You see the master piece, but to me it's unperfected
Give it here, Geffen Records, I'm off the handle
Cut the check, and yo, it better be as heavy as anvil
Next joint comin', all bets is canceled
Nigga Black Ink, Grand Wizzard, Gee Financial
We finna have the whole industry at a standstill
See me put the system on lock like Camp Hill
So get wit' them endorsements, and call reinforcements
'Cause my clique come a full sizable portion

[Hook]
When the saint on the ground with his nine on line
With the niggers who grind with King Kong hittin' Thailand
Give it here. and don’t say nuthin'
Just give it here, give it here and don’t say nuthin'
When the team on the set with the guns gone clap
Gettin' down on everything, hmmm, cut the check
Give it here, and don't say nuthin
Just give it here, give it here and don't say nuthin

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.