The American Negro

I am an evolving term that we can't agree on A multitude of colours Some can't quite process A porch monkey that arrived as a jungle bunny A boy, even though I was never a pickaninny I am the sound of America The dissonance they created I am a black American Coloured by America's ineptitude I am an African American Struggling with my allegiance to the motherland I am an evolving light living under the shade of our ancestors I am your American negro Sun burns in the shade My melanin feels the light Don't worry about radiation The people's gon' be alright Sun burns in the shade My melanin feels the light Don't worry about radiation The people's gon' be alright Love my people See the world through the darkness Black shine, no loss to shine Black love, oh Light up the world under the sky We need more love (We need to feel more love) We've got to give more love We need to feel more love We've got to give more love Sun burns in the shade My melanin feels the light Don't worry about radiation The people's gon' be alright Sun burns in the shade No matter the perjorative choice, we are black Unlike the tar they used on their faces To reinforce a stereotype Their stereos don't like And I say this because I am of sound mind And the sounds that reverberate in my mind Are never confused by the volume of misinformation Programming the minds of America Black people, listen to your own music As soul is the connection to our ancestors A language of tonal tensions Teaching an audience it was never intended for