Roots, The - Sacrifice Lyrics






[Verse One: Black Thought]
Listen, I got you phobic off of this like arachnids
Drastic, it ain't plastic it's Pro-Blackness
Grown man tactics, no pediatrics
the kind of track that make the comeback miraculous
the catalyst, Thought with the knack for splashin'
I'm dashin' I mastered the craft of mashin'
The level-headed throughbred, the female's passion
Mag-netic attraction be keepin' them askin'
The crews in the Cadillacs with the Pendergrassin'
Swerve half-naked, won't come near crashin'
But if I go to heaven, would y'all know my name
or would it be the same for you like I was Eric Clapton, huh?
Clap for you freedom dog, that's what's happening
My spit take critical political action
The hustle is a puzzle each piece is a fraction
And every word that's understood is a transaction
I'm an S.P. soldier, microphone holder
Rep Philly set from Bolivia to Boulder
Paris, France to Tip and Tioga
How we gonna make it through the dark, I show ya

[Chorus: Black Thought & Nelly Furtado]
I tell you one lesson I learned
If you want to be something in life
You ain't gonna get it unless
You give a little bit of sacrifice
Ooohh, sometimes before you smile you got to cry
You need a heart that's filled with music
If you use it you can fly
If you want to be high

[Verse Two: Black Thought]
Listen, yo kick off your shoes, jump off the jock
I fly higher than them dudes, from off your block
My name Black, the style is unorthodox
It tap chins in your mens 'til you thought could box
A couple of people wanted Thought to stop, but guess what?
My man grab the missile, plug for the gut
Now next time beatty stop being such a glut
I'm precise with it like Faheim with haircuts
We up close on 'em with toast but no crust
It's fructose on 'em they froze and won't bust
Choke on your face you jewels is lacklust
Got to put it to you straight, y'all fools is jacked up
Came close to the upmost but no cigar
Nose to the grindstone, head to the stars
The number one runner with the number one drummer
Grammy award winnin' it's the world's eighth wonder
Come on

[Chorus]

[Verse Three: Black Thought]
Your first impression might be I'm a asshole
Or say I'm sometimey and give people a hassle
Or try to suntouch and put the heat in the capsule
Dog I'm far deeper than that though; I get in the zone
Recognize I'm a rolling stone
No time to lollygag or lounge with scaliwags
Give me the disc or I put it where your body at
Old school spit flow laid over Trotter tracks
With no apology fraud or trick-knowledgy
Just trust, what I see and I say and follow me my way
I read an open booklet inside me
The star of the story that groove teller got me
Through all the dark times part of the business
The light be contingent on small forensics
My microphone'll make a man a newborn infant
It's true so the crew gon' sense it
I get in the zone

[Chorus x3]

The fact of the matter is a matter of fact....





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Roots, The Sacrifice Comments
  1. P.... E....

    This still sounds so fresh even 17 years later!

  2. D.... H....

    Still rockin' this in 2019

  3. K.... M....

    The 32 people who disliked this should jump off a building

  4. E.... 3....

    Me gusta el porno

  5. I.... D....

    2019 and still getting spinned

  6. j.... 7....

    I have their record autographed on my wall from a show in Boulder in 2006. Rep Philly set from Boliva to Boulder<3 I always come back to the Roots.

  7. M.... ....

    Best mixdown, hands down!

  8. J.... G....

    👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

  9. D.... ....

    used 2 rinse this

  10. h.... l....

    Just taking a musical trip down memory lane- Preach!!!! " Oooh sometimes before you smile you gotta cry... "

  11. c.... ....

    I was 3 when this came out

  12. I.... A....

    My favorite Roots album fo shizzles

  13. P.... ....

    ...to cruise in da Cadillac wit da Pendergrass’n , swerve half-naked won’t come near crashin’ #youwasntthere Ha!

  14. J.... G....

    Roots crew👌 must underrated of all time- Black Thought GOAT number 1 runner with the worlds greatest drummer!

  15. F.... B....

    2018 & still getting spinned.

    Salute to The Roots 👊👍

    F.... B....

    I gave´em respect & salute yesterday in cologne! Great funky party. They got my respect 4ever and B best inspiration 4 my life!

  16. D.... ....

    2002. 16 years this album came out, so long ago but yet again seems like yesterday. this is a nice album, underrated.

    D.... ....

    Doug.Guigar So many slept on it when it came out. Such an underrated album for sure.

  17. v.... ....

    2017 and still rockin!!!

  18. C.... ....

    2017 and still a prolific word, lyrics and music that stand the test of time 💯💪

  19. A.... F....

    Love this song! Nelly is just icing on an already delicious cake!

  20. b.... ....

    i swear that album cover head looks like rakim or tupac from the side

  21. M.... -....

    Sacrifice - Lyrics!

    by The Roots and Nelly Furtado

    Listen, I got you phobic offa this like arachnids
    Drastic, it ain't plastic, it's just pro blackness
    Grown man tactics no pediatrics
    The kind of track that make the comeback miraculous
    The catalyst. Thought with the knack of splashin'
    I'm dashin', I mastered the craft of mashin'
    The level-headed thoroughbred the females passion
    Magnetic attraction be keeping em askin'

    The crews in the Cadillac, the Pendergrassin'
    Swerve half-naked won't come near crashin'
    But if I go to Heaven would ya'll know my name
    Or would it be the same for you like I was Eric Clapton, huh?
    Clap for your freedom dog, that's what's happenin'
    My spit take critical political action
    The hustle is a puzzle, each piece is a fraction
    And every word that's understood is a transaction
    I'm an S.P. soldier, microphone holder
    Rep Philly set
    From Bolivia to Boulder
    Paris, France to Tip and Thai Yoga
    How we gon' make it through the dark?
    I'll show ya.

    Tell you one lesson I've learned
    If you want to reach something in life
    You ain't gonna get it unless
    You give a little bit of sacrifice
    Ooh sometimes before you smile you got to cry
    You need a heart that's filled with music
    If you use it you can fly
    Listen,
    If you want to be high

    Yo kick off ya shoes, jump off the jock
    I fly higher than them dudes from off ya block
    My name Black, the style is unorthodox
    It tap chins wit ya men's who you thought could box
    A couple people wanted thought to stop
    But guess what?
    My man grab the missile, plug for the gut
    Now next time greedy stop being such a glut
    I'm precise with it like Faheim with haircuts
    We up close on 'em with toast but no crust
    It's fructose on 'em they froze and won't bust
    Choke on your face you jewels is lackluster
    Gotta put it to ya straight
    Y'all fools is jacked up
    Came close to the utmost but no cogar
    Nose to the grindstone, head to the stars
    The number one runner with the number one drummer
    Grammy award-winning it's the world's eighth wonder
    Come on!

    Tell you one lesson I've learned
    If you want to reach something in life
    You ain't gonna get it unless
    You give a little bit of sacrifice
    Ooh sometimes before you smile you got to cry
    You need a heart that's filled with music
    If you use it you can fly
    If you want to be high

    Yo, your first impression might be I'm a asshole
    Or say I'm sometimey and give people a hassle
    Or try to suntouch and put the heat in a capsule
    Dog I'm far deeper than that though,
    I get in the zone, recognize I'm a rolling stone
    No time to lollygag or lounge with scallywags
    Gimme the disc or I'll put it where your body at
    Old school spit flow laid over Trotter tracks
    With no apology, fraud or tricknology
    Just trust what I see and I say and follow me
    My way, I be the open book, look inside me


    The star of the story that the grooveteller guide me
    Through all the dark times part of the business
    The light be contingent on small forensics
    My microphone'll make a man a newborn infant
    It's true so the true gon' sense it
    I get in the zone

    Tell you one lesson I've learned
    If you want to reach something in life
    You ain't gonna get it unless
    You give a little bit of sacrifice
    Ooh sometimes before you smile you got to cry
    You need a heart that's filled with music
    If you use it you can fly
    If you want to be high
    Tell you one lesson I've learned
    If you want to reach something in life
    You ain't gonna get it unless
    You give a little bit of sacrifice
    Ooh sometimes before you smile you got to cry
    You need a heart that's filled with music
    If you use it you can fly
    If you want to be high
    Tell you one lesson I've learned
    If you want to reach something in life
    You ain't gonna get it unless
    You give a little bit of sacrifice
    Ooh sometimes before you smile you got to cry
    You need a heart that's filled with music
    If you use it you can fly
    If you want to be high

  22. B.... ....

    The base on this track is DOPE.....yeah I said it & i'll say it again DOPE :=)

  23. K.... ....

    THE REASON WHY I SACRIFIED LURO CATHY

  24. n.... ....

    This is one of the greatest Roots records. Top 3. Do you really hear Black Thought though, do you?

    n.... ....

    Records?

  25. P.... A....

    too good

  26. L.... K....

    I love tooo... Very nice......

  27. V.... M....

    I love this song...

  28. s.... ....

    Wow, that hook sounds out of place

  29. A.... ....

    TY Dave Pensado

    A.... ....

    what do you mean bro?

  30. H.... 9....

    5 people listen to mainstream rap and hip hop.

  31. E.... ....

    "The Hustle is a puzzle, each piece is a fraction and every word that's understood is a transaction..." ~ The man is a savant (Black Thought)

    E.... ....

    so true!! most underrated mc in the game.

  32. E.... ....

    Dave Pensado brought me here :)

  33. x.... s....

    This song awesome

  34. E.... J....

    Black Thought is a lyrical genius!

  35. I.... ....

    hate how the majority of people are just here for nelly.

    I.... ....

    Who is here for Nelly? Hell nooo! :-)
    And I love how BT says " Teddy Pendergrassin"- brilliant.

    I.... ....

    ItsMeStubbsy I’ve had this album since 2002, and have heard this song literally hundreds of times, and never knew before today that it’s Nelly on this song. I would simply put the CD in and listen to the whole album without reading who was on what song.

  36. b.... ....

    yall bitches are fukn wack as fuk , learn how to write a sentence properly ,

  37. K.... ....

    human before being white or black and sorry man but i wanted to adress myself to blahzeff the thrash white , anyway , evrything s gonna be alright

  38. K.... ....

    let him more than dry and see how i lyrically ducked him down!!

  39. K.... ....

    you suck,you the inferior typa shit, yu da fucking devil'sdickTAK.K.KAR

  40. s.... ....

    "How we gon make it through the dark" by listening to amazing music like this

  41. a.... ....

    how can you dislike this beautiful song? sigh

  42. b.... ....

    You should go ram your head into a wall repeadedly , then come back when you knock some sence into yourself .. lmao ! weirdo

  43. b.... ....

    i bet you dont go in public talking your ignant shit to anyone , you display your ignorance and anger , for whatever reason , on the internet .. typical ..! i bet The Roots dont support your judgements

  44. b.... ....

    i only drink my coffee black too . you get the full flavor of it that way , does that make me a black supremisist like you ?

  45. b.... ....

    while your repping a white guys name .. lmao!! your a loser ,

  46. b.... ....

    first of all , its not "black music" , its just music .. a way of self expression .. there are alot of black folks that like "white music" , is that just as wack ? you really are ignorant , from reading your other comments you also sound like you should go read some books .. people like you is why all of us cant live together .. idiot!! im pretty sure the Roots dont mind white people listening to their music

  47. b.... ....

    with a white guys name .. you a cold stiff!

  48. b.... ....

    racist dirtbag ..

  49. l.... ....

    Black Thought, the best to ever do it.

  50. g.... ....

    your jewels lack lust. awesome

  51. g.... ....

    awesome

  52. C.... ....

    @Grammy2Be He was just saying the people that disliked this song are hopeless in a sense that god doesn't like them because they disliked a roots song, he was trying to be satirical but you took it the wrong way and made yourself look like an idiot arguing with nobody hahaha no hard feelings

  53. 1.... ....

    the roots crew forever !!!!!!!

  54. A.... B....

    3 people dont know the meaning of sacrifice

  55. C.... ....

    this song is motivating me to do my homework right now, no lie

  56. w.... ....

    who's the one douche who disliked this song? they should be tied up and forced to listen to the roots nonstop.

  57. B.... 8....

    FAVORITED

  58. L.... S....

    @DrunkenTurtle9 Nah, he's probably some mainstream cunt that only listens to Lil Wayne

  59. C.... C....

    I never get tired of this Song! Inspire me! Sometime you got to cry before you can smile! Breath it in...



  60. J.... J....

    the day i see a video with no dislikes is the day i buy youtube and take all the commercials off the vicious videos

  61. J.... B....

    1 person should be sacrificed to the roots

    J.... B....

    Fishy Fingers ahhhhhwwwww FF!

  62. K.... A....

    Sometimes before you smile you gotta cry....REPRESENTING deep shit.
    thnks.

  63. D.... ....

    1 person is a complete dick

  64. r.... ....

    0 dislikes...thats what im talkin about!!!

  65. r.... ....

    Clap for your freedom dog, thats whats happening,
    My spit take critical political action
    The hustle is a puzzle, each piece is a fraction
    And every word that's understood is a transaction.

    r.... ....

    rocktown612011 Fiyah!!!!

  66. B.... ....

    Toight like a toigah!

  67. C.... ....

    @markyfal For real. So few views... but the Roots fucking rule, they're so far above meaningless YouTube numbers.

  68. C.... ....

    TELL YOU ONE LESSON I'VE LEARNED IF YOU WANNA BE SOMETHING IN LIFE YOU AIN'T GONNA GET IT UNLESS YOU GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF SACRIFICE SOMETIMES BEFORE YOU SMILE YOU GOTTA CRY YOU NEED A HEART THATS FILLED WITH MUSIC IF YOU USE IT YOU CAN FLY

  69. t.... ....

    No dislikes... good. DON'T DISLIKE THIS JUST TO SPITE MY COMMENT!!! That would not be cool.

  70. h.... ....

    un-freaking-believable. the kind of music that just sucks you in and you never want it to end!!

  71. J.... ....

    This is what hip-hop is all about.

  72. A.... ....

    The Roots are G E N I U S

  73. n.... ....

    @mykell301
    shoutout? or shootout?

  74. M.... H....

    @Maraz480 *reach* something in life.

  75. c.... ....

    This is what I'm talking about..TUNE

  76. o.... ....

    This song goes sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hard! OMG True to life conversation!!

  77. d.... ....

    @Crazyretard067 Sorry to hear that. May he rest in peace.

  78. D.... ....

    This song takes me to an exciting, but strange, time in life. Haven't heard it on forever. This is probably my favorite Roots album.

  79. M.... A....

    @JayBirdimus Actually, if you look in the back of the booklet with Phrenology, In the Thank you's and praises section, Kamal says that the lead/main part (xylophone part) was made by his daughter on a midi keyboard. He saved it and put a beat on it and that was the basis for the tune. Read the whole part, it's quite moving actually.

  80. C.... ....

    me n my dad used to listen to this.now.... hes gone

    C.... ....

    I know it's been too long but wanted to say thats! beautiful- your Dad is a ☆now watching over you. :-)

  81. W.... W....

    REAL Talk!!! Sometimes before you smile you have to cry

  82. D.... D....

    best tune

  83. A.... ....

    The Roots are just amazing with the different sound they had for this album

  84. m.... m....

    wow...forgot how amazing this album is

  85. k.... a....

    i love dis song

  86. K.... A....

    The cohesion on this album is just right on. Timeless. The greatest Hip Hop band ever...

  87. M.... M....

    motivational!

  88. J.... P....

    I love it!