Tariq and ?uest met in the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts, and formed a drummer/MC duo performing on the streets of Philly and at talent shows. Thought would subsequently spend some time as one of two MCs in the group The Square Roots: the other one was Malik B.
A name change (to simply The Roots) and an album release (Organix) Black Thought and Malik struck a balance, with Malik bringing more personal raps and Thought oriented more towards a more political style infused with battle raps.
After Malik B. left the group due to drug issues, Thought continued drifting toward the political, and was featured on several other records like Common's One Day it'll All Make Sense, Linkin Park's Reanimation and more recently its frontman Mike Shinoda's The Rising Tied, as well as Damian Marley's Welcome to Jamrock and The Coup's Pick a Bigger Weapon.
Black Thought was in the process of recording a solo album, but the project was shelved when it was realized the effort would not assist the group in their release from their contract with MCA Records. Some of the songs he had recorded were eventually released as tracks on The Roots' album Phrenology. He is working on a collaborative project with producer Danger Mouse (which, according to XXL magazine, is tentatively being called Dangerous Thoughts), as well as a Gangsta Grillz mixtape with DJ Drama. He is still a core member of The Roots. He has also been a member of two production teams, Grand Negaz and The Grand Wizzards.
The Roots latest album Game Theory shows a more introspective side of Black Thought and is the "darkest" Roots album to date.
Art Imitates Life
Black Thought Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tina Farris's pay King to Paris
Living long, making my kids heirs and heiresses
The family crest, the legacy, the heritage
I'm out of Philly where the ecstasy and syrup is
And we don't need Theraflu, we need therapists
Them never-ending pursuit of them dead presidents
Is the reason I got the band back together, bitch
North side, bomb squad, Eric Vietnam
If you don't see it like I see it then you see it wrong
We October 3rd niggas like me and Kwe'
Life got me in a state on the interstate
And all I'm thinking bout is what's up on my dinner plate
Meanwhile I make your girls hyperventilate
Prolly cause I live the kind of life art imitate
That's my art in your eyes, my life in your hands
We living next door to the Aquilius again
Pardon me fam
But I'mma show you how it is
I'mma show you how we get in
Rocking the Guy Fawkes mask like Anonymous
Passport pimping like I'm going outta town to flip
The ass for a symbol with the cops hopping out of whips
Bath salt niggas with the zombies apocalypse
I'm blessed cause my afterlife is the studio
This rappers life is gangster's paradise like I'm Coolio
That's what a few believe like a doobie roll
We off of that Patrón, we sipping the Don Julio
You talking shit? we don't need the chatter
Opinions are like assholes, not everybody fecal matter
So they straining to push it out, put they foot in their mouth
That's when I'm letting the Brooklyn out when they pull it out
Better let it off cause you set it off
The music that's creating a movement like it's December 4th
Threw away the dark meat but they ate the white
Animated like it's kind of darklit it's my wicked life
It imitate my life
That's my art in your eyes, my life in your hands
We living next door to the Aquilius again
Pardon me fam
But I'mma show you how it is
I'mma show you how we get in
Yeah, y'all keeping it 3hunnid, we keeping it 360
Coming full circle echelon don emcees with me
Tired of saying I'm the best, I won't waste another breath
Heard lyrics coming back, I say it never left
Y'all just catching up, so slow to come around
Ice-T gave ya cliff notes, I ain't gotta dumb it down
Cause I read the book, made the movie and I edit this
All while I be living it, and set the precedence
And get the presidents, fuck all the chit chat
Might hear the click clack, and I'mma diss back
Married to the game get the rice out Riff Raff
Nice being self employed, ain't gotta kiss ass
I ain't gotta slim fast, smack a ho with a love handle
Dare you to say you ain't a fan boo, roll a bamboo
Life imitating art imitating life, show you how the fam do
That's my art in your eyes, my life in your hands
We living next door to the Aquilius again
Pardon me fam
But I'mma show you how it is
I'mma show you how we get in
The song "Art Imitates Life" by Black Thought is a reflection on life, legacy and success. Black Thought praises paid mortgages, longevity in marriages, and securing a family crest, as a sign of legacy and heritage. He highlights the need for therapists instead of Theraflu in dealing with the challenges of life. The pursuit of money is a recurrent theme in the song, and Black Thought mentions that it is the reason his band got back together. He also raps about the glamorous side of his life, from passport pimping, sipping on Don Julio, living in a studio, and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.
The second verse speaks to the violence that is ever-present in society. Bath salt users, zombies, and cops form part of Black Thought's imagery. The rapper mentions being blessed because his afterlife is the studio, where he can create a world that reflects his reality. The music is a movement that creates a precedent in society. Black Thought also addresses the haters, telling them that he won't 'dumb it down' since he has made it thus far. He has read the book, made the movie, and set the precedent. He urges them to hop onto the bandwagon, and he will show them how to do it.
Overall, "Art Imitates Life" is a meditation on life, legacy and the pursuit of success. Black Thought uses his art to reflect on his reality, creating a world that mimics his experiences. The song also delves into the dark side of society, including violence and drug use.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's toast to paid mortgages, lasting marriages
Let's celebrate financial stability and strong relationships
Tina Farris's pay King to Paris
Tina Farris is paying artists like King and Paris
Living long, making my kids heirs and heiresses
My goal is to live a long life and leave financial security for my children
The family crest, the legacy, the heritage
Passing down our family's accomplishments and values to future generations is important
I'm out of Philly where the ecstasy and syrup is
I come from a city where drugs like ecstasy and codeine syrup are common
And we don't need Theraflu, we need therapists
We don't need medication to cope with our problems, we need mental health professionals
Them never-ending pursuit of them dead presidents
The constant chase for money is the reason why I've reunited my musical group
Is the reason I got the band back together, bitch
I've reunited with my musical group because of our shared desire for financial success
Yeah, it's me and [???], and his [???]
I am working with other musicians, but their names are not mentioned
North side, bomb squad, Eric Vietnam
I am from the north side and working with a group called the bomb squad, alongside Eric Vietnam
If you don't see it like I see it then you see it wrong
If you don't agree with my perspective, you're mistaken
We October 3rd n****s like me and Kwe'
My friend Kwe' and I share a similar vibe and were born on October 3rd
Life got me in a state on the interstate
I'm feeling overwhelmed while traveling on the highway
And all I'm thinking bout is what's up on my dinner plate
I'm preoccupied with what I'm going to eat
Meanwhile I make your girls hyperventilate
Meanwhile, I am making your girlfriends breathless and excited
Prolly cause I live the kind of life art imitate
It's likely because I live a life that's worthy of imitation
Rocking the Guy Fawkes mask like Anonymous
I'm wearing a Guy Fawkes mask like the activist group Anonymous
Passport pimping like I'm going outta town to flip
Traveling frequently and hustling to make money
The ass for a symbol with the cops hopping out of whips
Using sexual appeal to attract attention, but still facing police harassment
Bath salt n****s with the zombies apocalypse
Referring to people who use bath salts and act like zombies during the apocalypse
I'm blessed cause my afterlife is the studio
I feel fortunate because I spend so much time working in the recording studio
This rappers life is gangster's paradise like I'm Coolio
The life of a rapper can resemble the song 'Gangster's Paradise' by Coolio
That's what a few believe like a doobie roll
Some people have this view, just like smoking a joint
We off of that Patrón, we sipping the Don Julio
We're drinking high-end tequila like Patrón and Don Julio
You talking shit? we don't need the chatter
We don't need to talk trash or gossip
Opinions are like assholes, not everybody fecal matter
Not all opinions are valuable or worth listening to
So they straining to push it out, put they foot in their mouth
People try hard to express their opinions but often end up sounding foolish
That's when I'm letting the Brooklyn out when they pull it out
I reply with a tough attitude when people insult me
Better let it off cause you set it off
You better keep your mouth shut or risk starting a fight
The music that's creating a movement like it's December 4th
Our music is inspiring others and creating a revolution just like December 4th, a reference to the Black Panther movement
Threw away the dark meat but they ate the white
A reference to racism, where people might discard 'dark meat' but eat 'white meat' while consuming chicken
Animated like it's kind of darklit it's my wicked life
My life is dramatic and intense, like an animated movie with a dark environment
It imitate my life
It reflects my real-life experiences
Yeah, y'all keeping it 3hunnid, we keeping it 360
You're keeping it real in your own way, but we're taking authenticity to the next level
Coming full circle echelon don emcees with me
We're coming together with other high-level emcees to elevate our art
Tired of saying I'm the best, I won't waste another breath
I'm tired of claiming to be the best and won't waste time repeating it
Heard lyrics coming back, I say it never left
Lyrics have always been important in hip-hop and never truly disappeared
Y'all just catching up, so slow to come around
Other artists are just now catching up to our level of musicianship
Ice-T gave ya cliff notes, I ain't gotta dumb it down
Ice-T explained the principles of gangsta rap, so I don't need to simplify them
Cause I read the book, made the movie and I edit this
I have a deep understanding of the hip-hop industry and control my own music
All while I be living it, and set the precedence
I'm living the life I rap about and setting an example for others to follow
And get the presidents, fuck all the chit chat
I'm focused on accumulating wealth and don't care about small talk
Might hear the click clack, and I'mma diss back
I'm not afraid to get aggressive and retaliate when someone disrespects me
Married to the game get the rice out Riff Raff
I'm committed to the hip-hop industry and focused on making a profit
Nice being self-employed, ain't gotta kiss ass
Being my own boss is great because I don't need to suck up to anyone
I ain't gotta slim fast, smack a ho with a love handle
I don't need to lose weight or resort to hitting women to feel good about myself
Dare you to say you ain't a fan boo, roll a bamboo
I dare anyone to say they don't like my music while I smoke a bamboo blunt
Life imitating art imitating life, show you how the fam do
My life and music are intertwined, and I'm using my art to showcase my family values
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIELS, FISHER, - TROTTER, ? JACKSON, TALIB KWELI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind