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.
Right Now
Black Thought Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking down at the street and wondering where their car went
Someone in a car is sitting at a signal
In front of a restaurant staring through the window at
Someone right now with their finger in their teeth
Who could use a little floss, right across the street
There's somebody on the curb who really needs a jacket
But spent half the rent at a bar getting plastered
Just to work at a shop where he's about to get fired
Someone right now is looking pretty tired
Staring at a laptop trying to get inspired
As somebody living right across the street
Just wrote the best thing that she's written all week
But her best friend's coughing up blood in the sink
He can't even think what happened, feeling so confused
And he knows it looks bad but nothing he can do
I wonder what it's like to be right there in his shoes but...
Yo, I'm just taking it in
Out the window of a hotel bedroom again
Tomorrow I'll be gone, I don't know when I'll be back
But in this world everything can change just like that...
Somebody right now is dropping his vote
Inside a box trying to not get shot in his throat
For the act of freedom, right now somebody's stuck in Iraq
Hoping that he gets shipped back breathing
In a war but he's not really sure the reasons
So we show our support when the press mislead him
Though we mourn, remain proud, salute the troops
Get some, I know you boys got some work to do
Meanwhile, right now someone's 25-to-life-ing
Standing on a corner with their thumb up hitchhiking
Scratching off a lotto ticket hoping for a real winner
Sneaking through the border just to work and eat a real dinner
Right now someone wishes they were you and I
Instead of second-guessing fatal thoughts of quiet suicide
But right now I'm staring out the window at a fiend
With holes in his arm and holes in his jeans
He pulled out a cigarette and sparked a light
And walked right around the corner just out of my sight but...
I'm just taking it in
From a second storey hotel window again
The TV's on and my bags are packed
But in this world everything can change just like that
Yeah, right now somebody's sittin' in the darkness
Tryin' to figure how to put some heat in their apartment
But they got a little mattress, little carpet
And they appreciate it 'cause some people on a park bench
You see 'em rushing to get to the office
Wife ride by 'em when she up from the market
Right now somebody comin' out the pocket
Tryin' to dump that rock they runnin' round the block with
Same time the cops is raisin' the glock
With aim to fill your legs and your back with some hot shit
Right now somebody's struggling to stop this man
That's kicking and punching and cussing at the doctors
Down the hall a child is takin' its first breath
The doctors ain't even passed him to the nurse yet
Yo, I wonder of he understand what it's worth yet
Life, the time spent while we here on the earth yet
The answers to the questions we all seek
Can be found, it depend on how free y'all think
Right now, it's somebody who ain't eat all week
That would kill for the shit you throw away in the street
I guess one man's trash is a next man's treasure
One man's pain is a next man's pleasure
One says infinity the next say forever
Right now everybody got to get it together man
I'm just taking it in
In another strange hotel lobby again
With my luggage on my back, I don't know where I'm at
I'm in a world where it all changes just like that
Like that
Yo, I'm just taking it in
Out the window of a hotel bedroom again
Tomorrow I'll be gone, I don't know when I'll be back
But in this world everything can change just like that
In the song Right Now, Black Thought gives us a glimpse into the lives of people all around us who are struggling to make it through the day. Through his vivid lyricism, he paints portraits of individuals dealing with poverty, addiction, mental illness, and war. This song is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and how everyone has a story that we may never know. In the first verse, Black Thought describes various people that we encounter on a daily basis, showing us how different people have different struggles. He discusses topics like addiction, poverty, and homelessness. In the second verse, he shifts focus to the military, immigrants, and prisoners. He raises questions about the purpose of war and the impact it has on people fighting it. He also gives us a glimpse into the lives of undocumented immigrants who have left everything behind just to have a shot at a better life. In the third and final verse, Black Thought talks about the value of life, the disparity between the haves and have-nots, and the fleeting nature of success. He ends the song on a hopeful note, urging people to come together and work towards a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone right now is leaving their apartment
A person is leaving their apartment and seems to be in a hurry.
Looking down at the street and wondering where their car went
The person may have parked their car somewhere else and cannot find it.
Someone in a car is sitting at a signal
A person is waiting at a traffic light in their car.
In front of a restaurant staring through the window at
They are looking at something or someone inside the restaurant through the window.
Someone right now with their finger in their teeth
Someone is picking food out of their teeth with their fingers.
Who could use a little floss, right across the street
There is a person across the street who could use some dental floss.
There's somebody on the curb who really needs a jacket
There is a person sitting on the curb who appears to be very cold and needs a jacket.
But spent half the rent at a bar getting plastered
This person probably spent a large amount of money at a bar and is now struggling financially.
Now he's gotta walk fourteen blocks
This person has a long walk ahead of them - possibly to go to work.
Just to work at a shop where he's about to get fired
Despite the long walk, this person is probably going to lose their job when they get to work.
Someone right now is looking pretty tired
A person is looking very exhausted at the moment.
Staring at a laptop trying to get inspired
They are trying to find inspiration from their laptop.
As somebody living right across the street
There is another person who lives across the street from them.
Just wrote the best thing that she's written all week
This person just wrote something that they consider to be their best piece of writing all week.
But her best friend's coughing up blood in the sink
Unfortunately, their best friend is currently very ill and coughing up blood.
He can't even think what happened, feeling so confused
The person is very confused right now and cannot understand what's going on.
And he knows it looks bad but nothing he can do
They realize the situation looks bad, but they don't know what they can do to help.
I wonder what it's like to be right there in his shoes but...
The person is wondering what it would be like to be in the shoes of the confused person from earlier.
Somebody right now is dropping his vote
Someone is currently placing their vote into a ballot box.
Inside a box trying to not get shot in his throat
The person placing the vote is trying to avoid getting shot in the throat while they do it - which implies they live in an unsafe area.
Hoping that he gets shipped back breathing
There is a soldier who is currently fighting in Iraq and is hoping to return to their home country alive.
In a war but he's not really sure the reasons
The soldier is fighting in a war but doesn't really understand why this war is taking place.
So we show our support when the press mislead him
People offer support to the soldier, even though the media and news outlets misleadingly show them as villains.
Though we mourn, remain proud, salute the troops
Despite the negative coverage, people still take pride in, and respect the sacrifices made by their troops.
Get some, I know you boys got some work to do
The person is encouraging soldiers by expressing their support and telling them they have work to do.
Meanwhile, right now someone's 25-to-life-ing
A person is currently serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Standing on a corner with their thumb up hitchhiking
This person is standing on a corner, trying to hitchhike a ride.
Scratching off a lotto ticket hoping for a real winner
Someone is scratching off a lottery ticket, hoping to win a substantial amount of money.
Sneaking through the border just to work and eat a real dinner
A person has entered another country illegally so that they can work and make enough money to support themselves and have a decent meal.
Right now someone wishes they were you and I
There is a person who admires the lifestyle of the person listening to this song.
Instead of second-guessing fatal thoughts of quiet suicide
This person is fighting a battle with depression and suicidal thoughts.
But right now I'm staring out the window at a fiend
The person is looking out the window at a drug addict.
With holes in his arm and holes in his jeans
The addict has visible holes in their arm and clothing from drug use.
He pulled out a cigarette and sparked a light
The addict smokes a cigarette, possibly to relieve stress or anxiety.
And walked right around the corner just out of my sight but...
The addict walks away and out of the person's line of sight.
In another strange hotel lobby again
The person is in yet another hotel lobby that they are unfamiliar with.
With my luggage on my back, I don't know where I'm at
The person is carrying their luggage on their back and is unsure of their current location.
Like that
The world can change suddenly and without warning, and the person has to be ready to adapt to those changes.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MATTHEW RYAN MAGINN, MIKE SHINODA, TAKBIR KHALID BASHIR, TARIK L. COLLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SAMEEofficial
-"I guess one man's trash is the next man's treasure one man's pain is the next man's pleasure" THIS LINE !!!!
@declanlacey337
SAMEE tbh i think it is one of the most important things to rememeber in life
@100timessquare
That's Black Thought from the roots.
@jacobmanning7262
Missed much bigger lines my man
@Jhosyc06
There are so many lines in this track you could pick out... They pretty much covered everybody... But black thought pretty much hit every line!
@bobeiger3275
C B T
@alex10mf
Mike Shinoda: Rapper, Pianist, Guitarist... The best
@miguelzazueta2051
...And awesome singer :)
@kata5606
And he is an awsome painter❤
@beandip5032
i love your linkin park icon