Artist: The Roots f/ Dice Raw, Phonte
Album:  undun
Song:   One Time
Typed by: kirenamloh@msn.com

[Phonte]
Yo..
The spirit in the sky screams homicide
But it was time to ride when some niggas funny-talkin
If too much money talkin, we make 'em economize
Real life, no tale/tail spinnin, such as the life of a kamika-ze
pilot, we wylin out of control
Until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con
Fear 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 yo' improv!
Like the samurai, the street's Hammurabi Code:
Play your part, shut the fuck up and do as I was told

[Chorus 1: Dice Raw]
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 woooooorld

[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 eludin you
When, shit is new to you and, lies is true to you
Words of suspect usual, comin through to you
Man, I guess if I was ever lucky it was one time
Then I went missin, lookin for the sublime
A nigga stayed low, left the ladder unclimbed
Time after time, verse blank, the line, unrhymed

[Chorus 2: Dice Raw]
You ever wonder what's, the big fuss
for everyone to be on time?
What's the big deal? Why do they feel
the need to have us marchin on line
Feeling unlucky 
and if I ever got lucky it was one time
..in this crazy woooooorld

[Dice Raw]
I wonder when you die, do you hear harps and bagpipes
if you born on the other side of the crack pipe?
Niggaz learn math just to understand the crack price
Then dive in, head first like the jack knife
Cause out here, yo you niggaz cant belly flop
If you wanna make the noise, inside your belly stop
On time means, bein on the front line
Being on the front means duckin one time
The pendulum swingin my way, couldn't be more blind
Niggaz talk to the cops? Not even one time
'cause we all goin down, just like the subprime
or a cheap-ass half gallon of Ballantine
But, hoppin over gates to escape is sublime
Been through the alley way and down to the sub line
Tales from the streets, life of high crime
to make it to the bottom, such a high climb

[Chorus 1]