ProceedThe Roots

[Chorus: Black Thought]
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)

[Verse 1: Black Thought]
Just think, what if you could just
Just blink yourself away?
Just think, what if you could just
Just blink yourself away?
Jeff X can rock the mic with tooth decay
I be the 5 foot 7
Residin' at the Mecca rest address in South section
Used to cut class in the infinite pursuit of ass back in '86
Easy with the chicks, I was a chocolate boy
Raised in the cellar with the rhythm like Ella
Walked the mega-trife streets to the subway where I lay
'Til the train stopped, then a nigga hopped (Hopped)
Used to do the pop dance to the Planet Rock
At the block party, everybody jocked, "Who, me?!"
It's the MC sucka niggas envy
I got my contract in 1993, and I shall proceed

[Chorus: Black Thought]
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
I wake up early in the mornin', I mean early afternoon
Break a lyrical hymn of the stim' like boom
I'm fly and when I die, yo, put this shit up on my tomb
That nigga represented on the 28th of June
I'm representin' Philly on the 28th of June
I can make you feel that I'm a surreal cartoon
With my pistol in the face of Hip-Hop, stickin' for papes
Because I'm on a paper chase (Say what?) I'm on a paper chase
My Timberlands are fully laced, I be the Mr. Boogeyman
With records from 125th to Japan
I let 'em play like Donny Hathaway and shake a hand, shake a hand
Your lady tried to kick it, but I couldn't play my man
My niggas is my niggas and she didn't understand
I shake your hand and shit'll hit the fan
Just think, just think, what? What if you could just
Just blink, what? Blink yourself away? As I proceed

[Chorus: Black Thought]
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall (I shall) proceed (Proceed)
And continue (And continue) to rock the mic (To rock the mic)

[Bridge: Black Thought & Malik B]
Malik B, get on the mic, aiyo, it's too much on my mind
Say what?
Malik, get on the mic, there's too much on my mind

[Verse 3: Malik B]
Johnny on the spot, got the rhythm and the rhyme
Fuckin' with The Roots, you know them niggas is a dime
I can make a 100-yard line start to dash
I can make a whole lake of fish start to splash
I can make Conan and The Titans clash
And I could make Metallica and Guns N' Roses thrash
Used to smash, crash parties like I was disturbed
Used to make plots against the herringbone herb
But now, all I do—disperse the verb
And like a nerd, I can make you say "He's superb!"
Worded perfect, never ever shall you misinterpret
I move styles like bowels, so now you know I'm worth it
Direct from Philly, the land where niggas scheme
So you know I got that sheen in my gleam

[Chorus: Black Thought]
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)
I shall proceed (Proceed)
And continue to rock the mic (To rock the mic)