Various Artists & Jayanthi Kyle & Jamela Pettiford & Mankwe Ndosi & I Self Devine &
Various Artists & Afrokeys & Lady Midnight & ibe & I Self Devine & Niles
Various Artists & Paris Bennett & Greg Grease & Lioness
Various Artists & Bailey Cogan & Lady Midnight & Alicia Steele & Tek & I Self Devine
Various Artists & Nate Collis & Proper T
Various Artists & Bailey Cogan & Mike the Martyr & G.P. Jacob & Brother Ali
Various Artists & & I Self Devine & Sarah White
Various Artists & & Proper T & I Self Devine & Budah Tye
Various Artists & Alicia Steele & Afrokeys & I Self Devine & Metasota
Various Artists & Proper T & Nate Collis & Jayanthi Kyle & Izell Pyramid & Mankwe Ndosi & Jamela Pettiford & I Self Devine
Various Artists & Bailey Cogan & Afrokeys & Proper T & Lioness & I Self Devine & Jamela Pettiford &
Various Artists & I Self Devine
Various Artists & Mankwe Ndosi & Lady Midnight & I Self Devine & Izell Pyramid
Various Artists & Nate Collis & Mankwe Ndosi & Jayanthi Kyle & Jamela Pettiford
[Part 1: Black Joy]
[Intro]
No no no no no
[Verse 1]
A melanated mother looking at her newborn
A black boy, he see his father in his true form
Strong, vulnerable, grace and poise, and lovable
Ungovernable, ride or die on we thuggin' to
Fondness, tenderness, caring, endearment
Intimacy, spirits you can feel it
Beloved, up above it always covered I can feel it
Thriving always flourishing, somebody tryna to kill it
But we
Stay resilient as the world stay spinning
Stay feeling with that love healing
I feel unity
Mutiny against my oppressors is what be moving me
Love with no power sentimentally
Empower no love, it is tyranny you feeling me?
Warmth and connection to my people most critically
Black love criminalized, seen as a threat
To white supremacy on every corner of the map
[Bridge]
My love
It’s on
Your face
They look
[Chorus 1]
Deep in the brown eyes lie dignity and pride
Rebuilding generations, loving the darkest nation
Hair and skin, texture
It's a celebration
(x2)
[Verse 2]
Seen everywhere, validated and acknowledged
Picked the black doll in a test paying homage
Many different shades on an earth tone rainbow
Stopped look and listen, see we glisten and our frame glow
Pleasure like a soul food plate when you ain't ate
Collard greens, mac and cheese, red velvet cake
We can celebrate
Set it straight
Libation meditate
Increase and educate
Decrease the murder rate
Sharp like in a [?]
Suited and booted
Civilize and refine
Move as a movement
Gorgeous and beautiful
Uplift and multiply
Platforms generate
Incomes to amplify
How we see ourselves, be ourselves, see our wealth
Dreaming of equity, power, and mental health
Self-determination, respect, and dignity
Need spaces that reflect our identity
[Bridge]
My love
It’s on
Your face
They look
(x2)
Nah nah nah nah nah
It wears on my face
[Bridge]
My love
It's on
Your face
They look
(x2)
[Outro]
It's on my face
Get it get it get it
Like it's every day
Like it's every day
It's on my face
My every day
My every day
[Part II: We The People (Covert/Overt)]
What's good people
It's a pleasure to be here
In the physical
It’s quite rare to see us, you know, all intact
You know what I mean, like
Public enemy for real
Feeling like heavy
Heavy handle like the sky’s made of metal
You feel me?
[Chorus 2]
Lynching, hate crimes, drawn swastikas
[?], burnin’ crosses as they toss to us, [?]
Tokenism, flag waving, white [?]
Blame the victim, paternalism, the lie is missing
(x2)
[Verse 3]
Covert, overt
Saviors here to work
Self-appointed
Trained to disconnect the past from the present moment
Wired to resist the truth
Post-racial attitudes
Claiming [?] through reverse
Benefits from terror moves
Beneficiaries of terrorism and argumentive
Country built off this false premise, y'all offended?
Here to crack on my bones and teeth, no relief
Impunity, for police, there is no belief
Segregation, separatism, restricted covenants
Withdraw the funding, redraw the country
Profiling holidays with slaveowners bootstrap pull up
Standing on my back tell me to get up with sit ups
Conflict, dissonance, instability
Uncertainty, lack of control, stifles ability
Humiliate, reduce, destroy
Imagination that produces joy
Inside the minds of black girls and boys
[Chorus 2]
Lynching, hate crimes, drawn swastikas
[?], burnin’ crosses as they toss to us, [?]
Tokenism, flag waving, white [?]
Blame the victim, paternalism, the lie is missing
(x2)
Black Joy / We The People (Covert/Overt) was produced by Greg Grease & Mmyykk.
Various Artists released Black Joy / We The People (Covert/Overt) on Fri Jun 15 2018.