Rock N Roll

Mos Def

(Huh) my grandmomma was raised on a reservation
(Huh) my great-grandmama was, from a plantation
They sang, songs for inspiration
They sang, songs for relaxation
They sang, songs, to take their minds up off that
Fucked up situation
I am, yes I am, the descendant (yes yes)
Of those folks whose, backs got broke
Who, fell down inside the gun smoke
(black people!) chains on their ankles and feet
I am descendants, of the builders of your street
(Black people!) tenders to your cotton money
I am hip-hop
"It's heavy metal for the black people"
I am rock and roll (rock and roll, rock'n'roll)
Been here forever
They just ain't let you know (ha!)

I said, elvis presley ain't got no soul (huh)
Chuck berry is rock and roll (damn right)
You may dig on the rolling stones
But they ain't come up with that style on they own (uh-uh)
Elvis presley ain't got no soul (hell naw)
Little richard is rock and roll (damn right)
You may dig on the rolling stones
But they ain't come up with that shit on they own (nah-ah)

Guess that's just the way shit goes
You steal my clothes and try to say they yours (yes they do)
Cause it's a show filled with pimps and hoes
Trying to take everything that you made or control (there they go)
Elvis presley ain't got no soul
Bo diddley is rock and roll (damn right)
You may dig on the rolling stones
But they ain't the first place the credit belongs

Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (jimi hendrix say)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (albert king and)
Oh-we-oh (and motown)

I ain't trying to diss
But I don't be trying to fuck with limp bizkit ("the fuck is on your mind?")
When I get down in my zone
I be rockin bad brains and fishbone
I ain't tryin to slow your groove
But that ain't the way I'm trying to move
I don't turn on korn to get it on;
I be playing jimi hendrix 'til the dawn
That's my word is bond
Sitting up on my front lawn
Got the volume turned to ten
Playing albert king the best again (black)
When the morning in the cooker
Got to turn on some john lee hooker
When I want some rock and roll
Go to otis redding to get some soul

Say, james brown got plenty of soul
James brown like to rock and roll
He can do all the shit fo' sho'
That elvis presley could never know (black people)
Said, kenny g ain't got no soul
John coltrane is rock and roll (uh-huh)
You may dig on the rolling stones
But they could never ever rock like nina simone

Say whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-wee-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh (don't take it)
Oh-we-oh (black music)
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Who am I, huh!
Get your punk ass up

Elvis presley ain't got no soul
Jimi hendrix is rock and roll
You may dig on the rolling stones
But everything they did they stole
Elvis presley ain't got no soul
Bo diddley is rock and roll
You may dig on the rolling stones
But we send their punk ass home

Who am I? (rock and roll)

Say, rock and roll!
Who am I? rock and roll!

Get your punk ass up
Company, move
For harlem, fort greene, compton
East st. louis, detroit (bo bo)
Chicago (bo bo) bed-stuy (bo bo)
Flatbush (bo bo) brownsville (bo bo)
East new york (bo bo) newark new jersey (bo bo)
Illadelphia cincinatti atlanta the dirty south
All towns get your punk ass up!
"Rock and roll for the black people"
Hi ma