Who Am I Lyrics - Big Daddy Kane

Featuring gamilah shabazz 

"i was born." 

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? 

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"i was born." 

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? 

Photos 

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 

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?