Playlist K Naan

k naan - wavin flag

Ooooooh Wooooooh
Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher
See the champions, take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud
In the streets our hands are lifting as we lose our inhabition,
Celebration its around us, every nations, all around us

Singing forever young, singing songs underneath that sun
Lets rejoice in the beautiful game.
And together at the end of the day.

WE ALL SAY

When I get older I will be stronger
They'll call me freedom Just like a wavin' flag
And then it goes back
And then it goes back
And then it goes back (x2)

Oooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho

Give you freedom, give you fire, give you reason, take you higher
See the champions, take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud
In the streets our hands are lifting, every loser in ambition,
Celebration, its around us, every nations, all around us

Singing forever young, singing songs underneath that sun
Lets rejoice in the beautiful game.

And together at the end of the day.

WE ALL SAY

When I get older, I will be stronger
They'll call me freedom
Just like a wavin' flag

And then it goes back
And then it goes back
And then it goes back (x4)

Wooooooooo Ohohohoooooooo ! OOOoooooh Wooooooooo
And everybody moving and singing it

Wooooooooo Ohohohoooooooo ! OOOoooooh Wooooooooo
And we are all singing it

k naan - what s hardcore

I put a pen to the paper
This time as visual as possible
Guns blast at the hospital
The walls are whitewashed
With tin roof tops

To show love you lick your two shots
Its dangerous man,
Journalists hire gunmen
There's violent women

Kids trust no one cause fire burnt them
Refugees die on boats
Headed for peace
Is anyone scared of death here?

Not in the least.
I walk by an old lady
Selling coconuts under the tree
Life is cheap here but wisdom is free

The beach boys hang on the side
Leaning with pride,
Scam artists and gangsters
Fiending to fight
I walk with three kids

That cant wait to meet god lately
Thats bucktooth mohammed and crybaby
What they do everyday
Just to eat, lord have mercy
Strapped with an ak and they bloodthirsty..

Chorus:
So whats hardcore, really?
Are you hardcore? Hmmmm..

We begin our day by the weight of the gun
Rocket propelled grenades blow you away if you front
We got no police ambulance or firefighters
We start riots by burning car tires
They lootin, and everybody starts shootin
Bullshit politicians talkin bout solutions
But its all talk, you cant go half a block without a roadblock
You dont pay at the roadblock you get your throat shot

And each roadblock is set up by these gangsters
And different gangsters go by different standards
For example, the evening is a no go
Unless you want to wear a bullet like a logo
In the day you should never take the alleyway
The only thing that validates you is the ak
They chew on jad, its sorta like coca leaves
And there aint no police..

So whats hardcore, really?
Are you hardcore? Hmmmm..

I'm a split these verses, cause i feel annoyed
And im not gonna quit till i fill the void
If i rhymed about home and got discriptive
I'd make 50 cent look like limp bizkit

It's true, and dont make me rhyme about you
Im from where the kids is addicted to glue
Get ready, he got a good grip on the machete
Make rappers say they do it for love like r kelly
Its hard.

Harder than harlem and compton intertwined
Harder than harbouring bin laden and rewind
To that earlier part when i was kinda like
We begin our day by the weight of the gun

Rocket propelled grenades blow you away if you front
We got no police ambulance or firefighters
We start riots by burning car tires
They lootin, and everybody starts shootin

So whats hardcore, really?
Are you hardcore? Hmmmm..

k naan - wash it down

When you here in the water and you feel like it's order
Releasing your tension,
The stress and disorder is big in america,
Stephanie, erica, both of them suffer from livin in hari cause,
Livin is very competitive, hassling creditors, hazardous,
Accidents, driving with negligence, to many beverages,
People got to many things on they letters,
Says tvs deadliest, professing the ugliest, war, war, war, war
What the hell you keep on killing me for,
Please won't you come and bend down low,
Let me tell you what little I know, and if it's worth something,
Spread it indeed like shit and vomit that's under your feet,
I was born in a pot boiling black and hot,
Waiting to be tasted and rapping alot,
But justice would not come and eat my flesh,
Instead I had poverty to feed my stress,
Until my life became an ode to the gun,
Not needed like an overcoat to the sun,
So I thought I was just made to exist,
Not to live or, change or resist, but fear
Will have you believe in fear, paralyze
Have you believe in tears,
This is the therapy needed so use it, music is water,
You know how I might prove this, people need music
Like they need excuses, people need water
Like kanye needs jesus, so wash it down,
(wash it down) wash it down, (wash it down)
Wash it down, (wash it down), wash it down,
(wash it down), wash it down, (wash it down),
Wash it down, (wash it down) wash it down,
(wash it down) wash it down, (wash it down)
I know you stressin, this is a little meditation
For you to relax and jump in the pool and you know,
Sink and sing, my people drum on water, drink on water,
Live on water, die for water, my people
Drum on water, drink on water, live on water, die for water.

k naan - waiting is a drug

Uh and I'm one of those
I don't wanna boss
But I waited most
When I was born I already made it to be a ghost
Life was a cage instead it had an age
That I had to wait hated everyone of those years
And I cried actually I tried I'm surprised my eyes froze nose couldn't blow
So emotional couldn't flow I supposed had it wait
For the autumn to go then the springs in my tears
Came and fell of the snow
They made a well in the snow, cheers!
Then had to be 18 to make a toast beer
And half of us gotta get to heaven just a half one
And I probably gotta die just to have time
But how long have I waited just to have mine

Waiting for the sun then
Waiting for the rain
Waiting for the night then
Waiting for the day
Waiting for a holiday so we can get away
Waiting to come home, at home we never wanna stay
Waiting for the love, waiting for a love
Waiting for the love, waiting for a love
Waiting for me the sun got the stars
Girls for you waiting is a drug

And I wanna taste,
I don't mind trouble but add a little bass
I don't mind subtle but add a little waist
If it was me though what would you say
Got a cold blade following my bay
Send what you want bucks not under what you play
Throw one ain't long in Tanamo Bay
Skinny bup well fed walk one dread
Shout out anybody named Mohammed
'Cause no lie I know about a hundred
The right mom bled 'cause we ain't back niggas
Wonder K'naan dead
But now K's getting so much nom bread
Everybody turn butter chicken switching my story was written
Living my vision you've been waiting for either bug
Or waiting is a plural

Waiting for the sun then
Waiting for the rain
Waiting for the night then
Waiting for the day
Waiting for a holiday so we can get away
Waiting to come home, at home we never wanna stay
Waiting for the love, waiting for a love
Waiting for the love, waiting for a love
Waiting for me the sun got the stars
Girls for you waiting is a drug

And I wanna taste

k naan - soobax

Basically, I got beef, I wanna talk to you directly, I
Can't ignore, I can't escape, and that's cause, you
Affect me, you cripple me, you shackle me, you shatter
My whole future in front of me, this energy, is killing
Me, I gotta let it pour like blood, Soobax:

Dadkii waa dhibtee nagala soobax
Dhibkii waa batee nagla soobax
Dhiigi waad qubtee nagala soobax
Dhulkii waad gubtee nagala soobax

So for real, who's to blame, we loose lives over
Qabiil's name, disregard, for the soul, we just don't
Give a f**k no more, left alone, all alone, settle
Your issues on your own, what to do, where to go, I
Got to be a refugee damn, soobax:

Dadkii waa dhibtee nagala soobax
Dhibkii waa batee nagla soobax
Dhiigi waad qubtee nagala soobax
Dhulkii waad gubtee nagala soobax

Mogadishu, use to be, a place where the world would
Come to see, Jaziira, sugunto liida, wardhiigleey iyo
Madiina, Hargeysa, Boosaaso, Baardheere iyo Berbera,
My skin needs to feel the sand the sun, I'm tired of
The cold God damn soobax

Dadkii waa dhibtee nagala soobax
Dhibkii waa batee nagla soobax
Dhiigi waad qubtee nagala soobax
Dhulkii waad gubtee nagala soobax

I guess I could use the last bar to flow, I'm known as
A lyrical rhyme domino, I'm cynical, well, oh now you
Know, put a whole in an emcee like cheerio, they don't
Hear me though, I work for the struggle I don't work
For dough, I mean what I say, I don't do it for show,
Somalia needs all gunmen right out the door.

k naan - abc s

Bundle up my whole style is so cold
I glow like old guys who go bald
My flow got no front in the vocal
Your flow got no button its so old

I don't mean to sound like a showboat
But it's true my persona's no joke
I stepped into some kinda portal
I'm legend and sometimes I'm noble

I'm from the most risky zone - oh
No place is more shifty global
More pistols, Russian revolvers
We shootin' all that is normal

But it ain't just because we want to
We ain't got nowhere we can run to
Somebody please press the undo
They only teach us the things that guns do

Chorus
They don't teach us the ABCs
We play on the hard concrete
All we got is life on the streets
All we got is life on the streets
(repeat)

(Chubb Rock)
Rock, you know my era
B-boy seasoning, salt -n- pepa
Grown and sexy, come with the extra
Crushed up linen, fly like sess-a
This type brew I gave it birth
Now it's time again to give it a verse
Jamaican born, not a fan of the ganja
..... Brooklyn to Somalia
[ K'naan Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
And it goes in the background
Playa, that is my sound
The green doesn't symbolize I made it on the top
Pioneer legend, and they call me Mr. Rock
No B word or N word, I don't need those words (no)
Respect for hers
The game dried up, so we come with the grease
Leadin' ya right and treatin' ya right, so peace

Chorus

Superman is known by the locals
As this dude who's so fly it's global
Attitude that came outta struggle
Destitute but I make it hopeful

You real, but my real is tenfold
My real'll make yours a rental
Gangsta if at ease, essential
Fight with guns or utensils

So bold nothin's confidential
Breakfast was not continental
And lunch could not compliment all
We still become competent souls

These streets ain't paved with no gold
Matter fact someone stole the light bulb
Nobody fat enough for lypo
They don't teach us to read and write, so...

Chorus

k naan - america

uh huh uh huh uh huh
oh this takes me home,
it makes me think about sitting outside of my old home
when I was younger and singing something like

(Somali)

Gabaryaray shuxaano
Maro Shabeel eh xirato
Maro qafiif eh huwato
Magacaaga ii sheeg?
Magacayga waa Sharaf
Sharaf, Xaaji weyaan
Aqalada xiriirta
Dhinac baa ka jooga
Ala yaa usheega?
Tinta ushaleeya?

Naa hoéy Zamzamey!
Sabaax nuurey!
Adoo kilkiley
iyo
Kaloon badanay!
Adoo xajka jira
Xasuus badhanay!
Saxiibtaa
Caasho, cashaq baa dhilay
Ugu dhambaystina
Aniga iyo geel uba
ugu banaan bixin

Waa aniga orodneey!
Nabad dheynee!
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
(Repeat x3)x2

There are certain things fresh,
and certain things mesh,
I got my own sound i don't sound like the rest,
and even my attire and my choice of dress,
and not long ago i don't spoke English
my point is police pull me over a lot
they wonder what kind of rap sheet i got.
and sometimes i take a young girl out to eat,
and hold the door open oh your so sweet,
of course my affection's super illustrated
and i like to give don't reciprocate it
unless you could give me someone innovated
well let's cook it up we don't refrigerate it
but back to the country of the educated
where people get robbed and they celebrate it,

(Somali)

Waa aniga orodneey!
Nabad dheynee!
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
(Repeat x3)x2

(MOS DEF)
Maraken,
my country tis of thee
sweet land for robberies
dos smokin SUV's
grab me an army green
fat and frills
thrills and spills
eat and sleep
hump and kill
shop til you drop
work til you dead
get all you can
then get in the wear
outta my face
on your knees
sleep in the mansion
shut out the streets
make that cake
woop that trick
lick my swagger
suck my sick
get high get low get stcky get rich
get yo own show get down get quick
you slow you blow you broke your fix
terror dome, home swag home
terror dome, home swag home
home swag home
home swag home

(Somalian(America))

(CHALI 2NA)

There are some things pure while certain things blur
dilute it with the lie and you believe when it occur
falsified information got my people in the stir
we have to be in search of something equal to the cure

straight out the door, i come to give you more
lay the law keep it raw, when i speak it from the core

get underneath your skin like especially with the claw

conflicted with the rich cuz i kick it with the poor
i laugh in the face of adversity
sound clashed with the bass cuz its natural to me
but if you pay attention to the past you will see
not long ago you black they'd hang your ass from a
tree
certain things things change, while some stay the same

some are recluse others are lovers of the game
I'm trying to walk the lane,the siratul mustaqim
(Arabic for 'the straight path') was the cane
instead of doing things they keep you covered in the
flame.

(Somali)

Nanananana that shit was cool in English, but let me
get that Somali verse.
(Somali)

Gabaryaray shuxaano
Maro Shabeel eh xirato
Maro qafiif eh huwato
Magacaaga ii sheeg?
Magacayga waa Sharaf
Sharaf, Xaaji weyaan
Aqalada xiriirta
Dhinac baa ka jooga
Ala yaa usheega?
Tinta ushaleeya?

Naa hoéy Zamzamey!
Sabaax nuurey!
Adoo kilkiley
iyo
Kaloon badanay!
Adoo xajka jira
Xasuus badhanay!
Saxiibtaa
Caasho, cashaq baa dhilay
Ugu dhambaystina
Aniga iyo geel uba
ugu banaan bixin

Waa aniga orodneey!
Nabad dheynee!
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
Mareekan waa laga soo waayey
(Repeat x3)x2

(Somali until fade out)

By: Mih

k naan - dreamer

Yeah, believe it or not
What kept me alive is my dreams

I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
We alive man, it's okay to feel good

I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
Lock me up now, it's okay to feel good

I got a friend named Flow
Who got a friend named Blow
With a finger named Clap
That'll leave you on the side like a Kangol hat
He ain't have no choice, he was born this way
These streets pull your number like a phone display
And you gotta be defensive with your life
You gotta be like Bush and take pre-emptive strikes
And the boys from the hood are always hard
Let alone in Mogadishu it's a mastered art
If you bring the world hoods to a seminar
We from the only place worse then Kandahar
Well, that's kinda hard
But we still like to party and hardy hard
Something good happens we say, 'Mashallah'
Something bad happens, 'Que Sera Sera'
I close my eyes and all I can see is you dancing with me

I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
We alive man, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
Lock me up now, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer
It's okay to feel good, yeah, it's the truth
Ay, yo' check it out

What would it take for a boy about my age
To hear cheers in his head upon that stage
And the cheers that would drown out
The tears from my brown eyes?
Come on back stage, you see the screams
Ain't the screams from gunshot streams
In my dreams, these screams are from hot teens
And I'm barely thirteen, I pack dirty
Old Russian firearm that shoots thirty
Just then I hear the bus engine
I'm transcending, I'm crowd surfing
I can't see the time burning
I'm not hurting with my mahogany pen
I'm on a world tour with Mohammad and them
And we'd be overseas and not in these trees
Where my peeps stay alive like the Bee Gees
And the likes of JZ would save my steeze
Singing handily brought Hip Hop peace

I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
We alive man, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
Lock me up now, it's okay to feel good, I'm a dreamer

Sometimes we just like to have fun
Man, we like to forget all the fighting
All the guns and the tires burning
Back on the verse, imagine crack was in birth
Imagine the earth wasn't hurt, imagine no homeland alerts
Imagine no record locater
So I wouldn't have to get a criminal waiver
Imagine the peace wasn't ; in my briefs
Instead peace could stretch across the seas
So finally we could just rest and ease, no refugees
And you, well, you could dress in a book
And I can read your body with less then a look
I got a dream girl in my mind that's the hook
An intellectual, sexual and still can cook
Yeah, and I feel good right now
I feel good right here, you feel good right now?
You feel good?

I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
We alive man, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
Lock me up now, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
We alive man, it's okay to feel good
I'm a dreamer but I ain't the only one got problems
But we love to have fun
This is our world, from here to your hood
Lock me up now, it's okay to feel good

Yeah, we not down and out just because the times are hard
Yeah, shout out to the struggler's in my country
The hardest place on earth right now but still
I still know how to get down, I still know how to vibe out
I still know how to talk to a pretty girl, take it easy now, yeah

k naan - take a minute

And any man who knows a thing
knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurtin'
I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall
I'm just gonna take a minute to let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe
I'm just gonna take a minute to let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe

How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday
when injustice had him caged and trapped in every
way?
How did Gandhi ever withstand the hunger-strikes at
all?
Didn't do it to gain power or money if I recall. It's
the gift,
I guess I'll pass it on, mother thinks it'll lift the
stress of Babylon
my mother knows, my mother she suffered blows
I don't know how we survived such violent episodes
I was so worried, it hurt to see you bleed,
but as soons as you came out the hospital you gave me
sweets yea,
they tried to take you from me, but you still only
gave 'em some prayers and sympathy
Dear Mama, you helped me write this
by showing me to give is priceless

chorus:
And any man who knows a thing
knows he knows not a damn, damn thing at all
And every time I felt the hurtin'
I felt the givin' gettin' me up off the wall
I'm just gonna take a minute to let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe
I'm just gonna take a minute to let it ride
I'm just gonna take a minute and let it breathe

All I can say is, the worst is over now
we can serve the hard times, divorce is over now
They try to keep us out, but they doors is open now
my nigga Akon is gettin' awards and covers now
This K'naan, and still reppin' the S
Comin' out of Muqdisho and still draped in the mess
And no matter how we strong homie
It ain't easy comin' out of where we from homie
and it's the reason why I can never play phony
"Tell 'em the truth" is what my dead homies told me,
ooh yeah
I take inspiration from the most heinous of
situations
Creatin' medication out my own tribulations
Dear Africa, you helped me write this
by showin' me to give is pricless

chorus

Nothin' is perfect man, that's what the world is
all I know is
I'm enjoyin' today, you know
'cause it ain't every day that you get to give

chorus

k naan - tia

(Spoken)
I hope you got your passports, and vaccine shots.

[Verse 1]
I take rappers on a field trip any day
They never been opposite real clip anyway
I know where all the looters and the shooters stay
Welcome to the city we call Doomsday.

When niggaz is just fried chicken like Tuesday
Oh you from the hood huh, who say?
My Nigerian niggaz would call you Pussy
My Somali niggaz are quick to grab the uzi

Around here we only bumping Fela Kuti
Tupac, or Bob Marley, Lucky Dube.
So we don't really give a fuck about your groupies
This Is Africa, Hooray.

T.I.A.
(Hooray)
T.I.A.
(Hooray)
T.I.A.
(Hooray)
It means, This Is Africa
(Hooray)

[Hook]
You don't know how hard it is here
The streets is tricky in these parts here
You don't know how hard this is here
The streets need this shit here

You don't know how hard it is here
The streets is tricky in these parts here
You don't know how hard this is here
The streets need this shit here

[Verse 2]
I walk rappers through the Killa woods any day
They never been opposite real goons anyway
I know all the tricky sticky icky alley ways
Welcome to the continent of Holidays (Africa)

Where Holidays quickly turn to hell days
Stars fall quicker than box of shell case
No Bill Gates, No PCs
Why you cats debating, acting and faking these days

I deliver what they need like milk crates
I learned from the deadly streets no regrets
And I wasn't ever looking for street cred
But these streets bred me to be street safe

It's no secret we know how to squeeze lead
But the Pre-set is not to have to squeeze it
Used to be at peace but now we using T-Shirts
And it reads RIP cause the peace dead

When I walk through the slums like (Nomane?)
Little children say K'naan (Bumaye ?)
The rap game just got itself a new day
This is Africa, Hooray.

T.I.A.
(Hooray)
T.I.A.
(Hooray)
T.I.A.
(Hooray)
It means, This Is Africa

[Hook]
You don't know how hard it is here
The streets is tricky in these parts here
You don't know how hard this is here
The streets need this shit here

You don't know how hard it is here
The streets is tricky in these parts here
You don't know how hard this is here
The streets need this shit here

k naan - the african way

[Verse 1]
I take it home
I take [?]
Don't think about it, just take it from my rule, it's done
I am sick about it
I feel like I am surviving alone
I got a record and I am not afraid of cops at all
I am like a Ja-Rule poster, cuz I am off the wall
Yo, basically the revolution is here
K'Naan and Mwafrika, there's no solution and fair
Yeap, I'm taking it back like clothes that don't fit
That you purchased in a happy-make-home and old shit
I'm so sick my rhyme book throws a fit
I need a vaccination just so I can spit my own shit
Hard to be, when I release these rhymes out of me
I am so ridiculous, I got to compose this
I am sorta a reporter strapped to a little recorder
The warder having a order not to let me in, in order
For me not to cause a slaughter
Lyrically, I am flowing water
Take it easy on me suckers
Harrass more niggas then a sleazy undercover
But seriously, I remember when I was 7
When rap came mysteriously and made me feel 11
It understood me, and made my ghetto heaven
I understood it as the new poor people's weapon
But now it tap ass like a chick with one butt cheek
Dusty foot philosopher came to change things, trust me
From Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia
Heathrow airport and customs in Laguardia
Uganda, Kenya, my people, up in Ghana
Kingston, Jamaica, big up,
because you know it's time for the African way

[Chorus]
It's the African way [5x]
What more can I say
It's the African way [5x]

Live from Revolution radio, welcome
East Africa's illest Mwafrika

[Mwafrika Rap Verse]
Na watu wameng'ara ma mini na nini
Kushinda wakizifuruta chini na chini
Utashindwa maana yao kuzivaa ni nini
Vumbi wakati wa jua matope wakati wa mvua
Potholes huwa ni lazima kawaida kwa njia
Nairobi city mji wa Mathree fiti fiti
Boardi zimejazwa graffiti
Ndani speaker biggi biggie za kulipua hiyo muziki
Na AK47 ndio utacheki kwa mikono ya polisi
Wala kutafoutisha na wezi si kitu rahisi
Wote wanataka pesa yako
Na ukikataa wataichukua toka kwa mfuko wako
Bling bling nazo huwanga kwa mashing za ma MC
Na hata nazo kushine kwa MIC bado hawawezi
Na ikiwa sauti yangu yangu ikiwa
unlimited kwa vichwa zao empty
Nikiwaambia hata waking'ara NiKE
kwa usahihishi wa lyriksi hawataona hiyo tiki
Mwafrika na K'naan Canada to Kenya
Hatubabaiki

Cuz we doin' it like
[Repeat Chorus]

Mwafrika na K'Naan
Canada to Kenya

[Verse 2]
I got a plan to reclaim all of my fam
I got brothers in Japan now that order my damn
I got record-propelled spit more [?]
I heard hip hop started with (sorta death scam)
A lot of people is ignorant and don't understand
They separate it and they celebrate it (part of the plan)
I got my people consider [?]
I break a needle in pieces and eat them like reeses
Y'all are just cheesing
Y'all are hate
Y'all are just teasing
Y'all don't believe in the African (y'all just sleeping)
I am sick and tired
I am on a riot
I'm [?]
Rap it, like a lion [?] (taste me)
I am so ridiculous, can you believe how vivid this shit is
Got theories like conspiracists, this shit is sick
A lyricist before I even spoke a word of English
I'm serious
I got it locked and y'all are just visitors
Just get busy
And snap your neck back and forth till you get busy
And tell your mother, tell your brother and tell your Aunt Lizzy
And you know you got to know some things before you get with me
Just break it down
Before I was born, I knew I was the shit
I used to kick so much, I was born with a broken hip
I had a twin brother, I used to battle day in
But I was so sick, the little nigga stayed in
I knew the doctor was shocked when I was first dropped
Cuz I had a gold chain, a fade and a high tie
Be buoyant, rocking around, ego destroying
I won't chill, till I hear the people enjoying

[Repeat Chorus till fade]

k naan - people like me

Heaven, is there a chance that you could come down
and open doors to hurting people like me
People like me
People like me
People like me
Yeah, people like me

Is it fair to say that I am stressing out
I'm stationed in Iraq and they won't let me out
My homies said I was stupid for even joining
My consulate said my decision was disappointing
How she had good slate for good state colleges
and with my good grades it wouldn't've been a problem
But they don't understand just the power of significance
More than brilliance and certainly more than dividends
And if you ask me now
Would I repeat it
Would I fight in a war I don't believe in?
Well the answer is its not me here the cancer is
They've been doing this before Jesus of Nazareth
And after all this time its still deadly hazardous
And Bush isn't really being all that inaccurate
When he says we winning the war cus its staggering
But thats cus we killin' everybody that we see
And most of us soldiers we can barely fall asleep
And time and time again I'm feeling incompetent
Cus my woman back home we constantly arguin'
And I must be crazy cus all I'm obsessin' with
Is her myspace and facebook and who's commentin'
I swear to God if she's cheating I'm doing her ass in
I can tell with one look
And it came to be something like a song hook
Saying

Heaven, is there a chance that you can come down
And open doors to hurting people like me
People like me
People like me
People like me
Yeah, people like me

Meet Sarah, the proud mother of young Sebastian
Suburban professional, went to college in Ashland
In self pity, she suddenly cried
Would my life be important if I suddenly died?
Neighbours sayin' what a nice woman she was
Keepin' mostly to herself ever since the divorce
And with the company downsizing in the fall, and all
She really shouldn't take it that personal at all
It wasn't her boss who had his eyes on his thighs
And got a rise from her risin' off the desk though
And despite remembering sayin' no plenty of times
It was still a damn surprise being let go
And now stuck with a mortgage she can't afford
And too educated to blame the corporate world
She got on welfare, then hated it
Case worker powertrippin' and generally being degrading
if nothing else she was treated sick, and ineffective
Which is the worse thing, that she'd been left with
Damn
No magic from David Blaine
No pain and her pain was plain
No Morgan Freeman to narrate the shame
So she took refuge in prayer
Kind of like finding God in the phonebook
and it came to her sounding something like a song hook.

Heaven, is there a chance that you could come down
and open doors to hurting people like me
People like me
People like me
People like me
Yeah, people like me

I guess I told you about myself to a degree
Just by telling you about people like me
But people like me, they speak politely
They don't start no beef for a piece of white meat
Everybody gotta eat, but everybody doesn't
Which is why I wanna tell you about my favourite cousin
He and I grew up where the sun shines
And we both partook in the gun crimes
And we both liked American rap rhymes
Even though we didn't understand one line
If you remember my liner notes in my last album
I talked about a close call with a grenade
I think we both must've been seventh grade
But don't panic, we both survived without damage
But we developed a bond like we survived the Titanic
So when the country became frantic
My mother tried to get us out, planned it
to the last detail, except the plan got derailed
cus there wasn't enough money for the plane tickets
How bitter when my mother had to chose who to take with her
So my cousin got left in the war
And that's just hard to record
But now I take refuge in prayer
Kind of like finding God in the phonebook
It came to me sounding something like a song hook

Heaven, is there a chance that you could come down
and open doors to hurting people like me
People like me
People like me
People like me
Yeah, people like me

Heaven, is there a chance that you could come down
and open doors to hurting people like me
People like me
People like me
People like me
Yeah, people like me

k naan - somalia

I spit it for my block, it's an ode I admit it
Here the city cold as lock and load
Any minute it's rock and roll
And then you rock and roll
And feel your soul leavin'
It's just the wrong glance that'll leave you not breathin'
I'm not particularly proud of this predicament but,
I'm born and bred in this tenement I'm sentimental what,
Plus it's only right to represent my hood and whatnot
So I'm about to do it in the music and the movies cut,
To the chase pan across to the face I'm right there
Freeze-frame on the street name, oops wait a minute
This is where the streets have no and the drain of sewage,
You can see it in this boy how the hate is brewin'
'cause when his tummy tucks in fuck the pain is fluid
So what difference does it make entertaining through it?
Some get high mixin' coke and gun powder sniffin'
She got a gun but coulda been a model or physician

[chorus:]
So what you know about the pirates who terrorize the ocean?
To never know a simple day without a big commotion?
It can't be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closin'

Yeah, yeah we used to take barbed wire
Mold em around discarded bike tires
And race 'em down the hill on foot blazin'
Now that was our version of mountain-bike racin'
Daaamn . . . do you see why it's amazin'?
When someone comes out of such a dire situation
And learns the english language as to share his observation
Probably get a grammy without a grammar education
So fuck you school and fuck you immigration
And all you who thought I wouldn't amount to constipation
And now I'm here without the slightest fear or reservation
They love me in the slums and their native reservations
The world is a ghetto administerin' deprivation.
But mommy didn't raise no fool, did she hoyo?
I promised I would get it and remain strictly loyal,
'cause when they get it they let it all switch and spoil,
But I just illuminated it like kitchen foil.
A lot of mainstream niggas is yappin' about yappin'
A lot of underground niggas is rappin' about rappin'
I just wanna tell you what's really crack-a-lackin'
Before the tears came down this is where it happened

[chorus]
So what you know about the pirates who terrorize the ocean?
To never know a simple day without a big commotion?
It can't be healthy just to live with such a steep emotion
And when I try and sleep, I see coffins closin'

k naan - sunny days

[Verse 1:]
Pour me a cup of tea like dat old song
Dat I had like dat old girl I was wrong
And it's sad if I spit I will cuss you
Is that bad cause I really did trus you
If the thought ever surfaced to leave you
I would die cause the purpose would be you
You've changed for the world look how you are
You front grillin me from a dudes car
How sudden let me see you got a tongue ring
How funny we forget about the little things
Say word now you hang out with big girls
And the guys you date these days differn
I hear the stories and it makes me sicker
My heart aches you fake like a picture
So close to reality but not quite
So dope man her body was so right
She was a highschool shit how would I've known
That her thoughts would conflict like the bible
I don't offend I pretend ike I'm laughin
Like we connect like some shit could really happen
And it did we made a move for this long thing
I met the parents and gave her the round ring
And all of a sudden she got a license to nag me
What the fuck I'm jus tyring to make you happy

[Chorus:]
(Sunny days)
-nope don't have em no more
-watchu on the phone for
-don't cal lme no more
(Sunny days)
Naw so don't agonize me
-I can't stand the stress
-see I'm alright without you
(Sunny days)
-see I'm far from your reach now
-your body doesnt tempt me... maybe jus a lil
(Sunny days)
-yea on the real
-like welfare checks
-you and I are through... through... through

[Verse 2:]
Alright I'm vexed
Aite look I'm tired and stress
Don't commend me like that cool it
I'll be back watch dr phill or somtin
You a lil to excited it's not your birthday
You might as well be a rapper talkin all that shit
What the... you throwin things aite that's it
You goin fix it I'm not gona scream
Not on some bitch shit, nothing but chill
I'm not callin you a bitch jus a figure of speaech
What's all these I hates yous
You sound like kellis, love look
You'r piercing me with this fierce scream
Seriously my ears feel like they bleeding tears
And hears the head scarf you left in my domain
And hears teh photos of our memory lain

[Bridge:]
And hears teh photos of our memory lain and there's
(nothin for you around here)
You crossed over the other side of the tracks so there's
(nothing for you around here)
I used to bet on you
But now the bets off and you know I got roots
There for my ex love
A brother like me deserves the best of
And your not some...

[Chorus]

(Sunny days)
-nope don't have em no more
-watchu on the phone for
-don't cal lme no more
(Sunny days)
Naw so don't agonize me
-I can't stand the stress
-see I'm alright without you
(Sunny days)
-see I'm far from your reach now
-your body doesnt tempt me... maybe jus a lil
(Sunny days)
-yea on the real
-like welfare checks
-you and I are through... through... through

Nothing for you around here
(nothing for you around here)
-nope don't have em no more
-watchu on the phone for
-don't cal lme no more
(Sunny days)
Naw so don't agonize me
-I can't stand the stress
-see I'm alright without you
(nothing for you around here)
-see I'm far from your reach now
-your body doesnt tempt me... maybe jus a lil
(nothing for you around here)
-yea on the real
-like welfare checks
-you and I are through... through... through
(Sunny days)
... (Sunny days)
... (Sunny days)
... (Sunny days)

k naan - fatima

Picture the morning taste and devour
We rise early pace up the hour
Streets is bustling hustling their heart out
You can't have the sweet with no sour

Spices herbs the sweet scent of flower
We came out precisely the hour
Clouds disappear the sun shows the power
No chance of a probable shower

I fell in love with my neighbors daughter
I wanted to protect and support her
Never mind I'm just 12 and a quarter
I had dreams beyond our border.

Is it true when they say all you need is just love,
Is it true
What about those who have loved
Only to find that it's taken away
And why do they say that the children have rights to be free
To be free
What about those who I've known
Whose memory still lives inside of me.

Fatima,
What did the Young Man say
Before he stole you away
On that fateful day Fatima
Fatima,
Did he know your name
Or the plans we made,
To go to New York City, Fatima

And after school we studied the lessons
I ask God to slow down the seconds
He does the opposite that's what I'm guessing
I better chill and count my own blessings

Fatima, Fatima what is the matter
How come you ain't come up the ladder
So we can be like there's no tomorrow
Damn you gonna make me wait until tomorrow

She spoke Arabic and Swahili
She'd say Upendo (Swahili for love) Anta Habibi (Arabic for, you are my love/dearest friend)
You so bright, you shine like my TV
Then one day she never came to meet me

Is it true when they say all you need is just love,
Is it true
What about those who have loved
Only to find that it's taken away
And why do they say that the children have rights to be free
To be free
What about those who I've known
Whose memory still lives inside of me.

Fatima,
What did the Young Man say
Before he stole you away
On that fateful day Fatima
Fatima,
Did he know your name
Or the plans we made,
To go to New York City, Fatima
(Repeat)

If beauty was in the eyes of beholder
how come everyone hushed when she walked by
How come girls would look just to scold her
How come the angel wanted to hold her?

Fatima, Fatima I'm in America
I make rhymes and I make them delicate
You would have liked the parks in Connecticut
You would have said I'm working too hard again.

Damn you shooter, Damn you the building
Whose walls hid the blood she was spilling
Damn you Country so good at killing
Damn you feeling, for persevering

Is it true when they say all you need is just love,
Is it true
What about those who have loved
Only to find that it's taken away
And why do they say that the children have rights to be free
To be free
What about those who I've known
Whose memory still lives inside of me.

Fatima,
What did the Gun Man Say
before he took you away on that fateful day
Fatima
Did he know your name, or the plans we made
To go to New York City
(Repeat)

Fatima..

(Spoken)
Now I just want to make it clear, I don't want you to shed a tear.
Because this here, is a celebration, We're not mourning, We're celebrating
Yeah
So baby don't cry, Please don't let the tears fall
So don't cry..

k naan