Nuthin’ to Do

By Common

On Resurrection

Released on October 25, 1994

14K Views

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[Intro]

Check it on the one, yo, Com is gonna come

Check it on the one, yo, Com is gonna come

Check it on the one, yo, Com is gonna come

And check it out, ha


[Verse 1]

My raps do laps around tracks and adapt

To any environment... I'm the comma comma chameleon

I use to pop a wheelie on my blue and gray Sting-Ray, it had mags

That was when bitches had Gucci bags

And wasn't rockin' Starters, looking harder than niggas

Hoes wore clothes, that exposed they figures

'8-7 stepped in the jam, next the police come

Fights there would be one, numbers I'd get at least one

We'd come to the get-together with whoever

You wouldn't know how deep we was, we all didn't sit together

Eat up all your vittles, drink your brew

And then step to the next queue – let's do it again, y'all

That was when "mad" was "tall," and "phat" was "cold"

The days of Old Chicago and Fun Town

As shorties we'd run 'round, play strike-outs 'til sun down

But the shit ain't as fun now, and the city's all run-down

We'd troop down to Jew Town, talk a cat down on some gear

Have enough for a Polish and car fare

I stare–at what used to be better

And think about who use to cop our liquor

(Who?) Our neighborhood father figure


[Chorus: Common & (ODB sample)]

I'm out with my crew, ain't nuthin' to do but, uh

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Ain't nowhere to go, so I hook up with a ho, while my...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Gotta make a stop, take a leak and get some tops, 'cause, um...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

We gonna hit the streets for some brew and some eats, 'cause, umm...

("Niggas be rollin'...")


[Verse 2]

I got more rhymes than The Manor got folks

Had style since I went to McDowell, wearin' boats

And penny loafers, though I had the nickel in mines

We use to hoop in my yard, but now I dribble the rhyme

It's like rain drops couldn't make our game stop

Skeeter would hit from the same spot

'Til Marlon tore my shit down, get down

Put your body in motion, only the strong survive

But on the 6 or the 5

Live is how the sets used to be, at the Racquet

Ball Club with music by, Andre Hatchett

Or either a beat by Pharris at them country club parties

We'd be hot as hell and House studs would yell "Aight now, money!"

Sauers I would go there, Hip-Hop clubs were so rare

I liked the music anyways and it was always hoes there

Whitney Young and Kenwood was said to have the best chicks

But mostly Hyde Park and V hoes is who I messed with

The best shit was troopin' to the Loop in your Precisions

Cut class to get ass, but still go to Division (I remember that)

Over Yamela's crib, while his old girl was at work

Bust a spoolie on the spread, but still have some on your shirt


[Chorus: Common & (ODB sample)]

I'm out with my crew, ain't nuthin' to do but, uh

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Ain't nowhere to go, so I hook up with a ho, while my...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Gotta make a stop, take a leak and get some tops, 'cause, um...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

We gonna hit the streets for some brew and some eats, 'cause, umm...

("Niggas be rollin'...")


[Verse 3]

I tuned into BMX, and taped Farley on the Tone Master

Took the 6 instead of the 28 to get home faster

Then 'HPK was the only station that would fuck with rap

You was on The Shore by yourself cats'd say "Up your hat"

What you could, you'd make of it, if you was a gump they'd take your shit

Either fight or break for it, we'd go to the lake and get full

My drink then was Boone's and Red Bull

I remember swimming in Avalon, and peeing in the pool

I thought I was cool, with my Members Only and a bald fade

Walk to Walgreens to get the Sportin' Waves pomade

And soft brush, as we got older we would stalk, rush, and bang fags

Go to Marshall's and change tags, I snagged 'nuff niggas

In games of Off the Wall, and softball

"Piggy one," I would call

When I first got my three-way callin', I caught marks tryin' to lie

Home of the original gangbangers, and ain't nobody shy


[Chorus: Common & (ODB sample)]

I'm out with my crew, ain't nuthin' to do but, uh

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Ain't nowhere to go, so I hook up with a ho, while my...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

Gotta make a stop, take a leak and get some tops, 'cause, um...

("Niggas be rollin'...")

We gonna hit the streets for some brew and some eats, 'cause, umm...

("Niggas be rollin'...")


[Scratched]

("I'm Petey Wheatstraw from the South Side of Chicago")


[Outro]