"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