Ya Strugglin'

[Intro sample: Kwame Toure']

Africans in America try to identify

Totally with their master in every respect

They are the only ones who can not do it

But they are the ones who will go to all extremes to do it

[laughing] (CHECK IT OUT) [laughing some more]

They can not be disguised

But they will attempt to disguise themselves

[Verse 1: KRS-One]

I'm on a search, not for a car or a miniskirt

But the words I wish to exert

Will hurt, damage or upset the ego

You wanna be macho, yeah, but we know the deal

Jheri curls just ain't gettin it

KRS-One is only down for pickin' it

Pick the afro, need no Soul Glo

Or Carefree Curls, that's just a no-no

Where oh where, are all the real men

The feminine look seems to be the trend

You got eyeliner on, chillin' and maxin'

See you're a man with a spine extraction

So what I'm askin' is plain to see

Are there any straight singers in R&B?

All I see, is the light-skinned buffy

Tryin hard, to be Mr. Tuffy

Yet in fact, you're Mr. Softie

With the beige contacts on, yo you lost me

I ain't with it, never will, never have

How can your son even call you dad?

Your skin is bleached and your nails you just buffin'

Take a look at yourself man, YA STRUGGLIN'

[Interlude sample: Kwame Toure']

Africa is so strong, that once she puts a stamp on you

Four hundred years of cold weather, death

And all that fryin' your hair shall not disguise you

As a matter of fact, she is so strong

That no matter what chemicals you put in your hair

She will come back and snatch it up

[audience laughter]

[Verse 2: KRS-One]

Tell me

Are you proud man, of who you are?

Or does your pride come out of a jar

Cause if you bought it, put it on, or sprayed it on

I tell you right now, it won't stay long

Cause if it ain't natural, it ain't kosher

It's like buyin' and wearin' a culture

If that culture ain't yours naturally

It's his, not yours, actually

You better wake up and smell the coffee

Look in the mirror and think Mr. Softie

People change, when they are ashamed

Of how they look or from which they came

Are you ashamed, of original black?

If you're not, why does your hair look like that?

Why is your nose straighter, from surgery?

I think you're really in a state of emergency

You're not sane to the African aim

So you're insane, and you need to obtain

Any average rap album sculpture

And study it, just to learn your culture

Even though, you don't think it's music

It's the blackest you'll ever get so use it

The blue-eyed black man to me is buggin

Take a look at yourself man, YA STRUGGLIN'

[Outro sample: Kwame Toure']

[audience laughter]

Yess.. capitalism will confuse these people, have them totally confused

They will try every way to identify with their masters, every way

Go to extreme lengths [laughter], I'm telling you, seriously!

Capitalism will confuse them y'know tell them the truth's a lie

I saw a sister the other day and I spoke to her about her hair

She said, "I don't care what you say, I'm still gonna get my perm!"

I told her, "It's not a perm, it's a temporary"

[audience laughter]

Try in every possible way to identify..