The Roots
Lyric guide

What They Do

Read What They Do lyrics by The Roots on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: The Roots Canonical path: /the-roots/what-they-do Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

What They Do

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Chorus: (Saadiq)

Never do....what they do, what they do, what they do...

Never do....what they do, what they do, what they do...

Verse One: (Black Thought)

Yo, yo, lost generation, fast paced nation

World population confront their frustration

The principles of true hip-hop have been forsaken

It's all contractual, and about money making

Pretend-to-be cats don't seem to know their limitations

Exact replication and false representation

You wanna be a man, then stand your own

To MC requires skills, I demand some shown

I let the frauds keep frontin'

And roam like a cellular phone far from home

Giving crowds what they wantin'

Offical hip-hop consumption, the 5th dumpin

Keepin' ya party jumpin with an original somethin

Yo, I dedicate this to the one dimension-al

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 uh

Chorus: (Raphael Saadiq)

Never do, what they do when they do what they do

(repeat 2X)

Verse Two: (Black Thought)

Thin is the line that run between love and hatred

The game is ill-natured, it's nothing sacred

Hey yo, it's funny when i see some rap niggaz do to make it

A few would 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 saying rent paying life support

I take it very seriously within this industry

It's various crews that try to touch me

But I come wit the beautiful things

And I bless the track plushly

Around the world the crowds love me from doing tours

Recipient of applause from all'a you and yours

Creator of original sounds to send to 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

Verse Three: (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 to hit my head like brick

As I embark on a mission welcoming to the dark

When I first spark the arts, when the listening start

Open your head wide and let the thought inside

My style fortified by all of philadel-phi

I've dealt more stealth than all the wicked weal-thy

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 darkskin devil bred and discover

My level is that of no other

And Roots crew reign offical and true

While I'm continuing to...

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Who performs "What They Do"?

The Roots performs "What They Do", and this lyric page sits inside the The Roots catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "What They Do"?

Yes. The related section below points to I'm Out Deah and Kool On (feat. P.o.r.n.) with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by The Roots?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through The Roots's lyric pages.

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