Remarks:
This song by Mos Def and Talib Kweli is from 1998. It never charted.
Lyrics:
[Mos Def]
Be like yo, let me ask you somethin
I wanna know, I wanna know who you are
[Mos Def singing]
[Mos] Brown skin lady, hey hey
[Talib] Yes
[Mos] Where you goin
[Talib] This goes to the brown skin ladies
[Mos] Brown skin lady
[Talib] Yo, indigineous women of the planet Earth
[Mos] What you doin?
[Talib] Givin birth to the brown skin ladies first
[Mos] Brown skin lady
[Talib] For what it’s worth, from me to you
[Mos] How do you feel?
[Talib] From me to you, watchin you
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, yes, I live the way you move
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like the WAY you move
[Talib] I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, please, won’t you do that dance
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like you baby
[Together]
And everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing
Everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing, there she is
[Talib]
Fresher than Tony Rebel’s vestibules at African street festivals
My incredible women is, plentiful
Over the years I met a few, none of them compare to you
Preparin you to make food bearable, somethin terrible, let’s see:
you fruitful, beautiful, smart, lovable, huggable
Doable like art, suitable to be part
of my life, Coppertone, oh you copyright infringement
Pay you bidness ten cents, way back in the day
It’s like I’m standin there you know appreciatin God’s design
and then you showed up, it’s like you read my mind
DAMN SHE’S FINE, I think I add the R-E, in front of that
and see if she D, to get, with a cat like me
[Talib] I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, yes, I live the way you move
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like the WAY you move
[Talib] I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, please, won’t you do that dance
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like you baby
[Together]
And everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing
Everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing, there she is
[Mos Def]
Ooooh! Daring me girl, look at you!
Comin on the block lookin fresh and brand new
Ooooh! Headwrap cover your hairdo
Pretty feet peekin through open-toed shoe
Ooooh! No limit to what I would do
Make love to you like long interview
Whooh! Is she for real, me like you
Good look champion, win the title
True, many man try invite you
Shot down lyric each time they cyph you
Jewel, what man you get all insides you
Feet they walk way and just that sheik posture
Ooooh! Can’t be a next one like you
Famous like tapes made by DJ Clue
I tighten up my game as I approach you
Yo check her she the nectar the bee get close to
…
[Talib]
I don’t get many compliments, but I am confident
Used to have a complex about, gettin too complex
You got me, willin to try, looked me in the eye
My head is still in the sky, since you walked on by
I’m feelin high, got my imagination flickerin like hot flames
it’s how it seems, you make me wanna ride the coal train to A Love Supreme
My brown lady, creates environments, for
happy brown babies, I know it sounds crazy
but your skin’s the inspiration for cocoa butter
You provoke a brother we should get to know one another
I discover when I bring you through my people say TRUE, all I can say
is all praise due I thank you God for a beauty like you
[Mos Def singing]
[Mos] Brown skin lady
[Talib] Yes
[Mos] Where you goin
[Talib] This goes to the brown skin ladies
[Mos] Brown skin lady
[Talib] On the planet Earth today, yes
[Mos] What you doin?
[Mos] Brown skin lady
[Mos] How do you feel?
[Talib] I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, yes, I live the way you move
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like the WAY you move
[Talib] I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the
way you walk, yes, please do that dance
[Mos] I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the way you move, I like you baby
[Together]
And everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing
Everybody on the avenue, I know, when they see you sing, there she is
[Mos] There she is, she’s a brown skinned lady
Such a brown skinned lady
She’s a brown skinned lady
She’s a brown skinned lady
She’s a brown skinned lady
She’s a brown skinned lady
[Talib]
You know what some people put themselves through
to look just like you?
Dark stocking, high heels, lipstick, alla that
You know what?
Without makeup you’re beautiful
Whatcha you need to paint the next face for
We’re not dealin with the European standard of beauty tonight
Turn off the TV and put the magazine away
In the mirror tell me what you see
See the evidence of divine presence
Women of the, Carribean, they got the, golden sun
I know women on the continent got it
Nigeria, and Ghana, you know they got it
Tanzania, Namibia and Mozambique
and Bothswana, to let it speak
about latinas, columbianas
[?]
Tallenas, of course the Brooklyn women walk that walk
And the Bronx women walk that walk
Honies from Queens walk that walk, NYC, ATL, LA
Cincinnati, the Bay Area…
This is brilliant, except that nearly all the women have straightened hair!
LikeLike
I love this song.
LikeLike
Ironically Yessin Bey went against this moral principal and dated married a light skinned Canadian exotic stripper who wrote a tell all book all by herself and probably even edited it. Go look it up.
LikeLike
Welp, I learn somethin’ new every day-it doesn’t surprise me about Yessin though, from the vibe I get from his persona I suppose..
LikeLike
Besides skin color, I think a nice or unique eye drawing physique can really get any man going. I’m heavy set myself and don’t mind a woman with some curves or slender. But a heart shaped ass is a must…
LikeLike
Black on both sides is one of my favorite albums of mos def. My favorte tracks are:
Rock n Roll, New World Water, N*aa N*aa” are a few of my favorite tracks on it.
brown skin Lady was on the “Black Star” album. It wasn’t one of my favorite tracks but i did like it.
LikeLike
I like “Sunshine” from that Black on both sides album. But my all time favorite of his from my when I was like 19 was and will be ” Mz Fat Booty”
LikeLike
I wish all the brothers thought this way. Sadly, only white folks have ever told me that my skin is beautiful. Not that I need affirmation from THEM. My family told me from birth that I was beautiful and so was my skin colors. But, I absolutely appreciate the sentiments of this song and putting the mainstream (read: white) media on blast for their biases. @emma I agree. What’s up with the straight hair? Once we let go of that crutch, it will be a great day.
LikeLike
@poetess, in the interests of honesty, I should say that I am as white as a lily. I think all colours of skin are beautiful except the skin of racists.
LikeLike
For most of this spring, all I listened to was this, “Respiration”, the Reflection Eternal album, “Respiration”, Talib’s mixtapes, and “Respiration”. Good Times.
LikeLike