The Roots — Proceed

[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)