"I Remain Calm" lyrics - THE ROOTS

THE ROOTS
"I Remain Calm"
(Smart Abdul-Basit / Questlove / Tariq Trotter)

[Hook 4x:]
I remain calm, lyrically, I got the bomb
When you put me on, I remain calm

[Verse 1: Malik B.]
It's the 'I Remain Calm', but for jerks that erk
Come out my humble, go berzerk
And make you swallow your smirk
I splurge most and bash, capacities mass
I fascinate as I assassinate and show task
Characters and egos get crushed in trust
And my words stampede like herds in the dusk
Cream of all crops, topics I drop with Trotter
When heated up, I gets hotter 'cause I'm proper
You never knew the levitude the clever few
Different tax for revenue, man, if you ever knew
The tac-tic, strategies of word ca-pa-bil-ities, display, decease
The rhythm, and man, how it swerved and curved
Made a nigga's dream but his hope deferred and stirred
Dig the mentals, Papermate, Bic's and No. 2 pencils
My credentials flow on instrumentals
I write an anthem, throw a tantrum and remain handsome
Mysterious vibes like I was The Phantom
Erupt abruptly, then conduct, amaze
You're fucked when the lyrics get buck because I graze
Never animosity, on my property
Niggas acropoly, or they feel extreme monstrosity
Wreak and leak out the verbals, Akhi, don't forget it
The chief of edit, the Malik'll shred it, yeah, I said it!

[Hook 4x:]
I remain calm, lyrically, I got the bomb
When you put me on, I remain calm

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
That nigga Thought flows like a river, I deliver styles like Domino's
Eyes closed, I inhale equality, follow me now, son
Listen, my divisions advance, I surpass one half of the rap mass
The other half want my autograph
Because I got soul, plus a ghetto stroll similar to Shaft
It's the mic rapers, splittin' Phillies in the cellar
My a capella verse can stomp, I delete comp
My rated-X larynx wrecks your context
I'm complex, confusin', lyrically amusin'
I drink brews then when I'm groovin', I'm no longer human
I'd like to take this time to give a shout to all the money makers
In the house galore, they help me turn it out
I whip the cap to the back, I'm laid back like your gramps
I make niggas embarrassed like they spendin' food stamps
I take my time when I rhyme lovely, me, nah like ugly
Like, God, we get odd to ill rhythms
Rappers thinkin' of steppin' up, what the fuck you doin?
I amplify the hymn to bring your empire to ruin
Who's your girl screwin', fellas? Jealous because I'm fly?
Keep my sneakers dry when you cry-baby
See, I can have you headin' for the border like a refugee from Haiti
Aiyyo, this brother drivin' my cab tried to flip
Sayin', "Pay me in advance" - I asked him if he ever danced
In the dark with the rap devil Black Thought
See, niggas who get caught off guard remain scarred
Ear to ear, with headphones remainin' on they domes, they hear
I resound and astound and scare
I reign terror into another nigga rap era
My rhymes sedate, I lubricate like Aloe Vera
I'm extreme, restin' in the land of the plot and the scheme
Peace to Bed, Shedroch and the Equal Team

[Hook x12]
I remain calm, lyrically, I got the bomb
When you put me on, I remain calm