[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]

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

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

[Verse 1: Black Thought]

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 wanna be a man? Then stand your own

To emcee require 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' your 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: Raphael Saadiq]

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

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

[Verse 2: Black Thought]

Thin is the line that run between love and hatred

The game is ill-natured, it's nothin' sacred

A-yo, it's funny what I see some rap niggas 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 that's in the 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 is to...

[Chorus: Raphael Saadiq]

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

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

[Verse 3: 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, they hit my head like brick

As I embark on a mission, welcomin' to the dark

When I first spark the art's 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, 'nuff 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: Raphael Saadiq]

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