Complexion (A Zulu Love)

[Produced by Thundercat & Sounwave; Additional production by Terrace Martin & Antydote]

[Intro: Pete Rock]

I'm with this

[Chorus: Pete Rock]

Complexion (Two-step)

Complexion don't mean a thing (It's a Zulu love)

Ooh, complexion (Two-step)

It all feels the same (It's a Zulu love)

[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar]

Uh, dark as the midnight hour or bright as the mornin' sun

Give a fuck about your complexion, I know what the Germans done

Sneak (Dissin')

Sneak me through the back window, I’m a good field nigga

I made a flower for you outta cotton just to chill with you

You know I'd go the distance, you know I'm ten toes down

Even if master listenin', cover your ears, he 'bout to mention

[Chorus: Pete Rock]

Complexion (Two-step)

Complexion don't mean a thing (It's a Zulu love)

Ooh, complexion (Two-step)

It all feels the same (It's a Zulu love)

[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]

Uh, dark as the midnight hour, or bright as the mornin' sun

Brown skinned, but your blue eyes tell me your mama can't run

Sneak (Dissin')

Sneak me through the back window, I’m a good field nigga

I made a flower for you outta cotton just to chill with you

You know I'd go the distance, you know I'm ten toes down

Even if master's listenin', I got the world's attention

So I'ma say somethin' that's vital and critical for survival

Of mankind, a feline color should never rival

Beauty is what you make it, I used to be so mistaken

By different shades of faces

Then Whit' told me, "A woman is woman, love the creation"

It all came from God, then you was my confirmation

I came to where you reside

And looked around to see more sights for sore eyes

Let the Willie Lynch theory reverse a million times with...

[Chorus: Pete Rock]

Complexion (Two-step)

Complexion don't mean a thing (It's a Zulu love)

Ooh, complexion (Two-step)

It all feels the same (It's a Zulu love)

[Interlude: JaVonté & Kendrick Lamar]

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

You like it, I love it

(Where the homegirl Rapsody at?

I need you to speak your mind real quick, loved one!)

[Verse 3: Rapsody]

Let me talk my Stu Scott, 'scuse me on my 2Pac

Keep your head up when the juice stop, loving thy

Color of your skin? Color of your eyes

That's the real blues, baby, like you met Jay's baby, uh

You blew me away, you think more beauty in blue, green and grey

All my solemn men up north, twelve years a slave

Twelve years of age, thinkin' my shade too dark

I love myself, I no longer need Cupid

Enforcin' my dark side like a young George Lucas

Light don't mean you smart, bein' dark don't make you stupid

And frame of mind for them bustas, ain't talkin' "Woo-hah!"

Need a paradox for the pair of doc's they tutored

Like two Todd's, L-L, you lose two times

If you don't see you beautiful in your complexion

It ain't complex to put it in context

Find the air beneath the kite, that's the context

Yeah, baby, I'm conscious, ain't no contest

If you like it, I love it, all your earth tones been blessed

Ain't no stress, jiggaboos wanna be

I ain't talkin' Jay, I ain't talkin' Bey

I'm talkin' days we got school watchin' movie screens

And spike your self-esteem

The new James Bond gon' be black as me

Black as brown, hazelnut, cinnamon, black tea

And it's all beautiful to me

Call your brothers magnificent, call all the sisters queens

We all on the same team, blues and pirus, know colors ain't a thing

[Outro: Kendrick Lamar]

Barefoot babies with no care

Teenage gun toters that don't play fair, should I get out the car?

I don't see Compton, I see something much worse

The land of the landmines, the hell that's on earth