The Next Movement by The Roots Lyrics Meaning – From Revolution to Evolution in Hip-Hop
Lyrics
Hey you listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
You listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Yo, one, two, one-two one-two
That’s how we usually start, once again it’s the Thought
The Dalai Lama of the mic, the prime minister Thought
This directed to whoever in listening range
Yo the whole state of things in the world bout to change
Black rain fallin’ from the sky look strange
The ghetto is red hot, we steppin’ on flames
Yo, it’s inflation on the price for fame
And it was all the same, but then the antidote came
The Black Thought, ill syllablist, out the Fifth
This heavyweight rap shit I’m about to lift
LIKE, a phyllum lift up it’s seed to sunlight
I plug in the mic, draw like a gunfight
I never use a cordless, or stand applaudless
Sippin’ chlorophyll out of ill silver goblets
I’m like a faucet, monopoly’s the object
There ain’t no way to cut this tap, you got ta get wet
Your head is throbbin’ and I ain’t said shit yet
The Roots crew, the next movement, c’mon!
And yes y’all
You are now in tune to the sounds
Of the legendary, foundation, check it out, uh
Testin’, yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
You listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
Word up, the formation of words to fit
That’s what I usually disturb you with
A lot of rappers never heard of this, or know half the time it is
You doubt the Illa-Fifth, what could you accomplish?
Whether they skywriting your name, or you anonymous
You be speechless, with stinging sinuses
The Roots royal highnesses through your monitors
I tilt my crown, then blow down a diamond kiss
You need to buy a CD and stop rewindin’ this
I’m the finalist, shinin’ like a rugged amethyst
And at your music conference, I’m the panelist
Listen close to my poetry, I examine this
Like an analyst, to see if you can handle this
Check it out
You, got the groove, emcees
Freeze, stand still, nobody move
Unless you dealin’ with The Next Movement
The P-Phi-D we be the mon-u-ment
I live my life nice, but I’m not too bent
You theatrical as a Broadway play, this ain’t Rent
One hundred percent, straight out the Basement
Spreading this across a planet on some next shit
How many people feelin this love music? C’mon
Yo, you go
Hey you listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
You listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and
Set it in motion, it’s the next movement
Word up, we got the hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The hot hot music, the hot music
The Roots, a band that’s blurred the lines of hip-hop by incorporating live instrumentation and profound lyricism, are revered for their cerebral tracks. ‘The Next Movement,’ a title that oozes the ethos of change and progression, is no deviation. It’s more than just an auditory pleasure; it’s a call to arms, a manifesto set against a backdrop of syncopated rhythms and poetic finesse.
Diving into the world woven by Black Thought, we encounter an articulate tapestry that speaks on personal growth, the chokehold of commercialism, and the echoing footprints of a group determined to set the bar within an industry of often ephemeral messages.
Unleashing a Sonic Revolution: It’s More Than Music
The track jumps to life with a simple, yet profound command. The chorus, ‘Hey you listeners, stop what you’re doin’ and set it in motion, it’s the next movement,’ serves as a rallying cry. In this electrifying opener, The Roots don’t just request attention—they command it. The ‘next movement’ is both a literal and metaphorical call to disrupt the status quo.
Consider the duality of the term ‘movement.’ It is at once a series of organized activities working toward an objective, and the act of changing location or position. The Roots are orchestrating a shift in hip-hop’s landscape and urging listeners to be agents of change themselves. Every verse and groove is carefully constructed to not only make you move but to inspire action in the realms of social and artistic innovation.
The Forecast is Change: Black Thought’s Social Prognostication
When Black Thought raps, ‘The whole state of things in the world ’bout to change / Black rain fallin’ from the sky look strange,’ he’s not merely setting a scene; he’s forecasting transformative social upheaval. The ‘black rain’ symbolizes a purifying form of destruction, washing away the old to reveal a new, potentially fertile landscape.
The verses navigate through the harsh realities of fame, the heat of urban struggle, and the oppressive systems that douse creativity and freedom. Yet within these gritty images emerges hope, painting the Roots as the phoenix rising from the commercial ashes to redeem and redefine.
Decoding The Roots’ Lyrical Labyrinth
A closer look at the lines ‘I’m like a faucet, monopoly’s the object / There ain’t no way to cut this tap, you got ta get wet’ reveals Black Thought’s masterful layering of metaphors. Like water from a faucet, their music is essential and unending; defying monopolistic control over what hip-hop should sound like or what messages it should convey.
Black Thought positions himself as the antidote to the diluted lyrical content proliferating the genre. In advocating for awareness and intellect, The Roots are purveyors of depth in an often shallow marketplace, providing a nourishing alternative to the listener.
The Anthemic Chorus: A Call to Arms for Audiophiles
The refrain ‘Word up, we got the hot hot music, the hot music’ isn’t just about asserting that their music is fire—it heralds the arrival of a discourse hotter than the beats. This mantra-like chant affirms the potency of their messages. Infused within the song’s rhythm and funk are nuggets of wisdom, coated in melody and hook.
These lines are an open invitation: join the movement, become part of the change. By intertwining commanding lyrics with infectious beats, The Roots seek to engage the listener on multiple levels, stimulating both the body and the mind.
Championing the Underground: Celebrating Roots’ Authenticity
The final takeaway from ‘The Next Movement’ is its homage to the underground scene and the unadulterated roots of hip-hop. Black Thought declares, ‘One hundred percent, straight out the Basement / Spreading this across a planet on some next shit,’ hearkening back to the raw origins of the genre, the basement sessions far from the commercial spotlight, where the real magic happens.
It’s an affirmation of their commitment to originality and substance over the superficial appeal that often overtakes popular music. The Roots remind us that even as they ascend, they remain grounded, unswayed by the intoxication of mainstream success, and firmly focused on the artform and message.
