Ding! Here goes round two…as promised we will be leaking not one but two lyrical exclusives from The Roots every day this week. Today we unveil the lyrics for tracks 3 and 4 of undun, their forthcoming conceptual longplayer. That is, “One Time” which I described as “Big drums and rappity-rap” and “Kool On”–the D.J. Rogers-sampling loop de loop which prompted my controversial (stupid) comment about The Roots’ sampling habits. Guest MCs who were question marks on my track-by-track breakdown are now revealed as Phonte (“One Time”) and Truck North (“Kool On”), though I think it’s the P.O.R.N. verse that sets off “Kool On” that might be my favorite. Both lyric-sheets are after the jump, compare with my hastily-transcribed sketches and feel free to tell me how I did.

“One Time”

Verse 1 (Phonte)

Yo, the spirit in the sky scream homicide
But it was time to ride
Then some niggas funny talking and too much money talking
We make em economize
Real rap – no tails spinning, such is the life of a
Kam-I-Ka-Ze pilot
We wylin out of control until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con
Feared in all streets so, if you ever see me out in y’all streets
Find another one to occupy
I never hope for the best
I wish a nigga would
Turn around and walk away
I wish a nigga could
Listen to my instincts and say fuck the rest
But once you’ve had the best better ain’t as good
Weak-heartedness cannot be involved
Stick to the script nigga fuck your improv
Like the samurai
The street’s Hammurabi Code
Play your part shut the fuck up and do as I was told

Chorus#1

I was always late for the bus
Just once can I be on time
Then I start to think what’s the rush
Who wants to be on time
Feeling unlucky and if I ever got lucky it was one time
In this crazy world

Verse 2 (Black Thought)

Not a thing I fear besides fear itself
This is clearly a lesson learned for someone else
Reach for the crown of thorns upon the shelf
Cross around my neck
I’ve been taught by stealth
Capture this moment in time… it’s a smash and grab
And where my party people y’all finna have a blast
You say goodbye… I say hello first and last
Hello-Hello… Now all of y’all elevate your glass
To an example of what time will do to you
When those nameless things just keep on eluding you
When shit is new to you and lies is true to you
Words of suspects-usual… coming though to you
Man, I guess if I was ever lucky it was one time
Then I went missing looking for the sublime
A nigga stayed low left the ladder unclimbed
Time after time, verse blank, the line unrhymed

Chorus #2

You ever wonder what’s the big fuss..
For everyone be on time
What’s the big deal, why do they feel
The need to have as marching on line
Feeling unlucky and if I’d ever got lucky it was one time
In this crazy world

Verse 3 (Dice Raw)

I wonder when you die do you hear harps and bagpipes
If you born on the other side of the crack pipe
Niggas learn math just to understand the crack price
Then drive in head first like the jack knife
Cause out here, yo you niggas can’t belly flop
If you wanna make the noise inside your belly stop
One time means being on the front line
Being on the front line means ducking one time
The pendulum swinging my way- couldn’t be more blind
Niggas talk to the cops? Not even one time
Cause we all going down just like the subprime
Or a cheap ass half gallon of Ballantine
But hopping over gates to escape is sublime
Then through the alley way and down to the sub line
Tales from the streets
A life of high crime
To make it to the bottom
Such a high climb

Chorus #1

“Kool On”

Ooh
Come get your kool on
Stars are made to shine (4xs)
Stars are made to shine

Verse 1 (Greg Porn)

I’m in the double G, three-piece tux
Screaming dressed to kill
Hope somebody call my bluff
It’s a full house… sipping on a royal flush
Two queens is on my cuffs
Good times is in the cards
Living on borrowed time
I’m paying the extra charge
To feel like something small is worth a hundred large
Swag is on retard, charm is on massage
Wit is on guard, I challenge you to a duel
Who needs a chain when every thoughts a jewel
God bless the weirdo when everyone’s a fool
Fuck a genie and three wishes
I just want a bottle, a place to write my novel
I am like heroin to those that hear a rhyme and think
How do you find this upper echelon this time
Let’s toast to better days a beautiful mind and a flow that never age

Chorus

Verse 2 (Black Thought)

Yo, I’m never sleeping like I’m on meth-amphtamines
Move like my enemy ten steps ahead of me
Say my reputation precedes me like a pedigree
Gentlemanly gangsta steez beyond the seventies
Holdin fast money without running out of patience
Move in silence without running up in places
Cake by the layers
Rich but never famous
Hustle anonymous still remain nameless
In hindsight gold come in bars like a klondike
The minute before the storm hit is what I’m calm like
Suited and booted for a shooting like it’s prom night
It’s suicide right pursuers tried like
To no avail and a heroes what they died like
I’ve got em waiting on the news like I’m Cronkite
Not in the lime light or needed for the crime right
No boasts, just bodied, chalked close to the line tight

Chorus

Verse 3 (Truck North)

Yeah outside where the killers and the dealers swarm
And inside they dressed up like it’s a telethon
Black tie affair but they holding heavy arms
Straight cash with a stash in the cummerbund
More Bacardi and the bouncers of the party hum
Riots erupting around and still we party on
Made the quantum leap to a king from a pawn
But it was destined the conclusion was foregone
Serenade of the former slave promenade
Cause them long days in the sun
Have now become shade
So we doing high speeds in a narrow lane
Say cheese
Free falling from the aeroplane
Another feather in the cap for all the years
That we spent in luxuries lap
Without looking back
Cause memories could sting like hornet
Damn it felt good to see people up on it