Now or Never
The Roots/Phonte/Dice Raw Lyrics

Everything's changing around me
The world is constantly changing and evolving

And I wanna change too
I also want to change and evolve along with the world

It's one thing I know
One thing I am certain of

It ain't cool being no fool
It is not desirable to be ignorant or foolish

I feel different today
I feel a sense of change within myself today

I don't know what else to say
I am unsure of what to say next

But I'm-a get my shit together
I am going to focus and get my act together

It's now or never
The time to take action is either now or never

I'm sick, sick of waiting in vain
I am exhausted and fed up of waiting for something to happen

Tired of playing the game
I am tired of playing a game that leads nowhere

Thinking of making a change
I am considering making a change in my life

Finally breaking the chains
I am breaking free from the limitations that have held me back

Every phase, every happening craze
Every moment, every trend or fad

When it's said and done
When everything is considered and evaluated

My head is right back in a haze
I am once again confused and uncertain

I'm ready for the next chapter and page
I am prepared for the next part of my life

To start acting my age and part ways
To start behaving more maturely and moving on

With black thought from back in the days
To leave behind my old ways of thinking

I'm stargazing from the back of the stage
I am observing from a distance

Questioning if who y'all praise is worthy of praise
I am questioning the worthiness of those who are being praised

What's the phrase--bygones is bygones?
Is it true that the past should be left in the past?

Niggas who used to be the underdog is icons
People who were once overlooked are now celebrated

People say the light shines once in a lifetime
Some believe that opportunities only come once

Is this mid-life kind of crisis a little bit like mine?
Could this be a crisis similar to the one I am experiencing?

I'm thinking not now, but right now
I am thinking that action needs to be taken immediately

I need some kinda sign that the future is bright now
I require some indication that the future is promising

I fuck around, do the right thing like Spike now
I will take action and do the right thing like Spike Lee

The quick and the dead--which is my look-a-like now
There are only two outcomes, succeeding or failing

I'm moving ahead
I am moving forward with determination

Yo, opportunities lost because I blew 'em
I have missed out on opportunities due to my own mistakes

On the sunniest days of my life I cried through 'em
Even on the happiest days, I still felt sadness

Mom's was out the picture and pops I barely knew him
My mother was absent and my father was also absent in my life

And I would pray to God, but I'm tired of lying to him
I would pray, but I feel like I am lying to God because I am not taking action

Tired of trying to run from the things inside of us
I am weary of trying to escape from my own issues and problems

Got a lot of fam' and a lot of admirers
I have many family members and fans

Who tell me that I should aspire to be changed
Those people encourage me to change and improve myself

But when I think of changing, it's like why even try this shit?
However, when I attempt to change, I wonder if it is even worth the effort

My mind hazy and my thoughts they get distorted
My thoughts are unclear and confused

I know my good and bad needs both get recorded
I acknowledge that both my good and bad actions will be remembered

You do right so your soul can last
Doing what is right will ensure that your soul is remembered positively

But my role was cast before I even auditioned for it
My destiny was predetermined, even though I did not choose it

So I don't really see an end to my vice
I do not see an end to my bad habits

It's just false reclamation, no end of my strife
Trying to overcome my issues feels fake, there is no end in sight to my struggles

Feel the evil overpowering
I feel like I am being consumed by negative thoughts and actions

You can go ahead throw the towel in
I could give up and surrender

'Cause, nigga, that's the end of the fight
But that means I have lost the battle

When you can only see the tunnel at the end of the lights
When all you see is darkness and despair ahead

Like (?) it's the end of your life
It feels like it is the end of the world

And I'm out
And I'm done with this struggle

When I look into the mirror and see my own image
When I look at myself in the mirror

It feels like there's something else far off in the distance
I feel like there is something I am missing or lacking

Something I wanna see, but something that's resistant
Something I desire, but seem unable to attain

And every day the haunting is growing more persistent
Every day, this feeling becomes more intense and persistent

I never noticed it before, but now I can't miss it
I never noticed this feeling before, but now it is impossible to ignore

And the constant pounding's driving me ballistic
This constant feeling is driving me insane

I ran from it for years, but it's still next to me
I tried to escape from this feeling, but it still remains

And it's growing stronger take and leaving less of me
This feeling is becoming stronger and more consuming

I can't fight it now; I know it's just destiny
I am unable to resist this feeling, as it is my fate

And I just wonder what's gonna happen when it catches me
I wonder what will happen when this feeling finally consumes me

Will it leave me face down in (?)
Will I be defeated and overwhelmed by this feeling?

Or will it just start bringing out the best of me?
Or will it somehow help me become a better person?

But is the best of me really just the worst of me?
I question whether my better qualities are actually my worst qualities

And if so yesterday could be my anniversary
If my good qualities are actually bad, then perhaps I should celebrate my bad qualities

In sinners' court it's important to have church with me
In tough times, I need spiritual guidance and support

I'm trying to get rid of these ghosts that's cursing me
I am trying to exorcise my demons and overcome my struggles

I feel that change is an absolute certainty
I am certain that change is necessary and inevitable

'Cause what's going on is a state of emergency
The current situation is dire and requires immediate action