Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods & Nitty Scott
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods & Saba
Jamila Woods & theMIND & Jasminfire
Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods & Nico Segal
Jamila Woods
Jamila takes inspiration from Nikki Giovani’s 1972 poem “Ego Tripping,” playing on its themes to pay homage to her family, lineage, and the strength and unity of womanhood.
[Verse 1]
You might want to hold my comb
When you find out what I’m made of
You might want to follow me and copy all of my mistakes
I’m so nice, so nice
You can’t not smile when I smile
And I cry, I cry
It’s just the rain so I can grow
[Chorus]
Any minute now you get the message
Eenie meenie miney pick an apt description
I’m impressive, you can check my chart for reference
Moon-and sun-kissed, reverend blessed it
Come and listen to a quick confession
Water is to oil, me to your aggression
I’m protected
Joycetta prayed on me, mama burned sage for me
None can take that energy away from me
I’ve been up in here since grandmama was a baby, praise me
I be on my Giovanni, tea and honey
Tell it like I see it
Speak it so I be it
My ancestors watch me
Fairytale walking
Black Goldilocks, yeah
My naps just right
You got questions, I know that’s right
There must be a reason why
There must be a reason
There must be a reason why
There must be a reason
[Verse 2]
Little bitty, you wanna call me
A hundred motherfuckers can’t tell me
How I’m supposed to look when I’m angry
How I’m supposed to shrink when you’re around me
Permission denied to rearrange me
I am the Kingdom, I am not your Queen
Hotep better step from up around me
I am not your rib, I am not your Eve
[Chorus]
Any minute now you'll get the message
Eenie meenie miney pick an apt description
I’m impressive, you can check my chart for reference
Moon and sun, guess reverend blessed it
Come on listen to a quick confession
Water is to oil, me to your aggression
I’m protected
Joycetta prayed on me, mama burned sage for me
None can take that energy away from me
I’ve been up in here since grandmama was a baby, praise me
I be on my Giovanni, tea and honey
Tell it like I see it
Speak it so I be it
My ancestors watch me
Fairytale walking
Black Goldilocks, yeah
My naps just right
You got questions, I know that’s right
There must be a reason why
There must be a reason
There must be a reason why
There must be a reason
There must be a reason why
GIOVANNI was written by Jamila Woods.
GIOVANNI was produced by Slot-A.
Jamila Woods released GIOVANNI on Tue Oct 16 2018.
This song is based on the poem “Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why)” by Nikki Giovanni, right?
Yes. I teach this poem at Young Chicago Authors, which does a lot of programming with high school students. We always try to pair a poem that they probably don’t know with a song that they do, so I’v...