featuring Gamilah Shabazz
I was born..
[Big Daddy Kane]
A black man from the motherland
Speakin a language today most people don`t understand
where no one could bother me
cause I had freedom, justice, and equality
But then one day it was tooken away
and I was shipped to the U.S.A.
A young brother, made into a slave
to harvest the midlands and clean the chittlins
Given a new name, new religion
No freedom to vote, not even to make a decision
I saw my peoples, sold raped and took out
The rest of that stuff that Alex Haley talks about
They said I`m not from Asia I`m from Africa
And all the blacks there now are just scavengers
That`s the way my mind was poisoned
to believe that in America blacks are inferior
A weak mind and a body of swine
only adds up to being - deaf dumb and blind
Illiterate to who where what and why
So I ask myself: who am I?
I was born..
[Big Daddy Kane]
A native New Yorker on the streets
Known for rockin rhymes to real rough beats
that I found in the attic, noisy with static
A sound that made me, a hip-hop fanatic
I made a few songs that sold OK
Never top 20 or plenty airplay
I came out hardcore, flexin cock diesel
Saw a little cash, and pop goes the weasel
I had to make that change and rearrange
my whole rap format, no hardcore rap
So now all the pop charts I rule
over New Kids on the Block and Paula Abdul, huh
I thought I made it, then my song faded
and none of the black stations ever have played it
I tried to blame it on MTV
and say, Damn, they cold played me for Young MC
But when you get down to it, I`m the real blame
because I wanted the fame
Money is not only the root of all evil
It`s also the destruction of black people, so
conjunction junction, what`s your function?
Bein a scout, or sellin out?
Look in the mirror at yourself, eye to eye
and say: who am I?
[Gamilah Shabazz]
A solid change, have to rearrange this strange
feelin I`m feelin, so appealin
I am having to deal with
Time to forget the myth, of bein black and a woman
Can`t get ahead, walkin on a thread, a tightrope
Can`t cope, don`t be a dope, have a little bit of hope
Runnin your scope on affairs
You have to be aware, don`t flare up
Let your cup runneth over
I`m not Irish, don`t need a donut to fill up my dish
nor two mango wish to wish on a star, they`re so far
Anyway I`m thinkin about today, not tomorrow
I`m not a follower of anyone
My time has come, it`s already here
My message is clear
Like the women of long ago, I am also here
also to show, I have the courage
Have the strength, I`m for equal opportunity
no matter the life, length of time
Show me a sign, should I rely on a
subliminal message, should I question
what would seem to be, life`s told me?
Yes indeed, so let me speak
[Big Daddy Kane]
And that`s comin from the daughter of Malcolm X
So black women put it in your texts
so you can never let, opportunity pass you by
or even ask yourself, who am I?
