Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
The Roots
Performer
Raphael Saadiq
Vocals
Leonard Hubbard
Bass Guitar
Angela Slates
Vocals
Black Thought
Vocals
Kamal Gray
Keyboards
Questlove
Drums
Spanky
Guitar
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Raphael Saadiq
Songwriter
Ahmir Thompson
Songwriter
Tariq Trotter
Songwriter
Leonard Hubbard
Songwriter
James Grey
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
The Grand Negaz
Producer
Raphael Saadiq
Producer
Bob Power
Mixing Engineer
Richard Nichols
Mixing Engineer
Kelo
Mixing Engineer
Dave Dashinger
Recording Engineer
Jerry Brown
Recording Engineer
Questlove
Producer
Tom Coyne
Mastering Engineer
Vince Reynolds
Assistant Recording Engineer
Lyrics
[Chorus]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
[Verse 1]
Yo, yo, lost generation, fast paced nation
World population confront they frustration
The principles of true hip-hop have been forsaken
It's all contractual and about money makin'
Pretend-to-be cats don't seem to know they limitation
Exact replication and false representation
You want to 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
Givin' crowds what they wantin'
Official hip-hop consumption, The Fifth thumpin'
Keepin' ya party jumpin' with an original somethin'
Yo, I dedicate this to the one dimensional
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, um
[Chorus]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
[Verse 2]
Thin is the line that run between love and hatred
The game is ill-natured, it's nothing sacred
Aye yo, it's funny what I see some rap **** do to make it
A few'll 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-sayin', rent-payin', life support
I take it very seriously within this industry
It's various crews that try to touch me
But I come with the beautiful things and I bless the track plushly
Around the world crowds love me, from doin' tours
Recipient of applause from all of 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]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
[Verse 3]
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, they hit my head like brick
As I embark on a mission welcomin' to the dark
When I first spark the arts, when the listenin' start
Open your head wide and let the Thought inside
My style fortified by all of Philadelph-i
My delph more stealth than all the wicked wealth-y
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, 'nough said
Then after that I'm puttin' on my cousin Hamed
We let the ladies blend with the dark-skinned thoroughbred
And discover my level is that of no other
And Roots crew reign official and true while I'm continuin' to
[Chorus]
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Never do what they do, what they do, what they do
Written by: Ahmir Thompson, Brown, Jimmy Grey, Leonard Hubbard, Raphael Saadiq, Tarik L Collins, Tariq Trotter