[Kwame Toure']
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Africans in America try to identify
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totally with their master in every respect
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They are the only ones who can not do it
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but they are the ones who will go to all extremes to do it
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* laughing * (check it out) * then laughing some more *
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They can not be disguised
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but they will attempty to disguise themselves
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[KRS-One]
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I'm on a search, not for a car or a miniskirt
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But the words I wish to exert
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will hurt, damage or upset the ego
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You wanna be macho, yeah, but we know the deal
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Jheri curls just ain't gettin it
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KRS-One is only down for pickin it
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Pick the afro, need no Soul Glo
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or Carefree Curls, that's just a no-no
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Where oh where, are all the real men
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The feminine look seems to be the trend
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You got eyeliner on, chillin and maxin
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See you're a man with a spine extraction
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So what I'm askin is plain to see
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Are there any straight singers in R&B?
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All I see, is the light-skinned buffy
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Tryin hard, to be Mr. Tuffy
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Yet in fact, you're Mr. Softie
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with the beige contacts on, yo you lost me
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I ain't with it, never will, never have
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How can your son even call you dad?
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Your skin is bleached and your nails you just buffin
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Take a look at yourself man, YA STRUGGLIN'
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[Kwame Toure']
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Africa is so strong, that once she puts a stamp on you
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four hundred years of cold weather, death,
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and all that fryin your hair shall not disguise you
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As a matter of fact, she is so strong
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that no matter what chemicals you put in your hair
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she will come back and snatch it up
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* audience laughter *
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[KRS-One]
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Tell me
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Are you proud man, of who you are?
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Or does your pride come out of a jar
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Cause if you bought it, put it on, or sprayed it on
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I tell you right now, it won't stay long
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Cause if it ain't natural, it ain't kosher
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It's like buyin and wearin a culture
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If that culture ain't yours naturally
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it's his, not yours, actually
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You better wake up and smell the coffee
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Look in the mirror and think Mr. Softie
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People change, when they are ashamed
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of how they look or from which they came
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Are you ashamed, of original black?
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If you're not, why does your hair look like that?
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Why is your nose straighter, from surgery?
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I think you're really in a state of emergency
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You're not sane to the African aim
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so you're insane, and you need to obtain
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ANY, average rap album sculpture
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and study it, JUST, to learn your culture
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Even though, you don't think it's music
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It's the blackest you'll EVER get so use it
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The blue-eyed black man to me is buggin
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Take a look at yourself man, YA STRUGGLIN'
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[Kwame Toure']
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* audience laughter *
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Yess.. capitalism will confuse these people, have them totally confused
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They will try every way to identify with their masters, every way
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Go to extreme lengths * laughter *, I'm telling you, seriously!
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Capitalism will confuse them y'know tell them the truth's a lie
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I saw a sister the other day and I spoke to her about her hair
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she said, "I don't care what you say, I'm still gonna get my perm!"
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I told her, "It's not a perm, it's a temporary"
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* audience laughter *
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Try in every possible way to identify..
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-----------------
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Ya Strugglin'
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Boogie Down Productions |