The Roots - Rising Down (feat. Mos Def, Dice Raw & Styles P)
I’ve been a fan of the Legendary Roots Crew since as long as I can even remember. What makes them so incredible is their consistency and innovation. For many other artists, the two qualities usually can’t go hand in hand. You either get the same good formula used repeatedly or you get a new sound but the artist fails to ever recreate the sound or anything better than it. The Roots have proven over time, that they are not the case.
With Rising Down, The Roots turned to a darker and more social/political sound with their 10th studio album. “Rising Down” most effectively showcases the sound. Set with heavy claps, grungy synths and hard drums courtesy of ?uestLove, Black Thought with the assistance of emcees Mos Def, Styles P and Dice Raw rap about their pessimistic views on the present society. Each emcee fires lines off criticizing every present problem from outsourcing to global warming. However, where some emcees would fall short for coming off as too “preachy”, they are able to get their point across and still create one dope song.
- michi
Lyrics
Hello hello hello hello…
(Mos Def)
Every anywhere heights plains peaks or valleys
Entrances exits vestibules and alleys
Winding roads that test the firm nerve
fortune or fatal behind the blind curve
The engine oil purr, lights flash to a blur
speed work through the earth make your motor go scurrr tonight at noon watch a bad moon rising
identities in crisis and conflict diamonds
blinding staring at lights till they crying
bone gristle popping from continuous grinding
grapes of wrath in a shapely glass
ingredients influential on your ways and acts
zero tolerance to raise the tax
it don’t matter how your gates is latched
you ain’t safe from the danger jack
made it way before they made the map
or a GPS this is DEF leader
(Chorus-Dice Raw)
I know where I’m going even when its dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello…
you don’t see that somethings wrong earth’s spinning outta control
Hello hello hello hello…
Everything’s for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello…
Northside nigga Southside
Hello hello hello hello…
shits popping off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello…
(Black Thought)
Between the greenhouse gases and earth spinning off its axis got mother nature doing back flips the natural disasters
its like 80 degrees in Alaska you in trouble if you not an Onassis
it ain’t hard to tell that the conditions is drastic
just turn on the telly check for the news flashing
how you want it bagged paper or plastic?
lost in translation or just lost in traffic?
yo I don’t wanna floss I done lost my passion
and I ant trying to climb yo i lost my traction
they making me break my contents under pressure
do not shake I’m working while the boss relaxing
here come Mr. tax man he leaving a fraction give me back some matter fact next pay check it’s like that son
I’ll fuck around and have to hurt a few men
They probably chalk it up as a disturbing new trend hello
I know where I’m going even when its dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello…
you don’t see that somethings wrong earth’s spinning outta control
Hello hello hello hello…
Everything’s for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello…
Northside nigga Southside
Hello hello hello hello…
shits popping off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello…
(Styles P)
Should I say hello or should I say that hell is low
And my nigga are niggero I’m an African American
They sell drugs in the hood but the man he move the medicine He’ll prescribe you augmen for everything
a little stuffy nose tell you get some Claritin
you know I’m hip to it and its hard to claim the land
when my great great great grands were shipped to it
look at technology they call it downloading
I call it downsizing somebody follow me
Does a computer chip have an astrology
When it fuck up could it give you an apology
Could it
Should I say hello or should I say goodbye
Try to understand how smart and how hood am I, It don’t matter though
until we learn that the world don’t turn right ,we all oughtta’ scatter though
I know where I’m going even when its dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello…
you don’t see that somethings wrong earth’s spinning outta control
Hello hello hello hello…
Everything’s for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello…
