Released on 1996

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[Intro]

Yeah, reminiscent of another time

And another state of mind


[Verse 1]

I used to flow, they used to call me a rhyme animal

Some of them don't call me no mo'

So, I try a new style refuse to get wild

On the B-side because I still got my pride

The pride comes from another time

My father and mother plus God blessed the rhyme

Born in 1960, '70 suckers quizzing me

"What was it like before everybody tried to be like Mike?"

Back in the day when our peeps had to fight for our rights

To make the day feel aight

But there is no is without a was

No about to be, buts, or because I got the pride


[Hook]


[Interlude]

Reminiscent of another time

Dashikis, bells, to straight legs

Platforms and picks

See it wasn't just about the fro

It was what was underneath that fro

Black power for the powerless

Deuce and quarters, caddies 442's

Yeah, pride


[Verse 2]

Say it loud

James singing, "Black and I'm Proud"

I was in third grade when Dr. King got slain

And if I had to read a book about the facts

The fact is that the black would be overlooked, look

1967, I was seven, living proof

Of what I had learned in my youth

What a difference a score and a decade makes

Mistakes and Superbad breaks, wait

I ate the food in the lunch programs

And now I see the young strung out on grams

So I work on a go on and so on and soon communicate

To teach the young straight 'cause I got the pride


[Hook]


[Interlude]

Flamboyant names

Free Huey, Eldridge, Bobby, Angela

Woodstock to Kent State

The music of the time for the mind

45's, Aretha, Four Tops

Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes

Assassinations Presidents

Nothing but 60's soul


[Interlude]

Now in order for us to know who we are

We got to know who we was

And once we know who we was

Then we know who we're gonna be

Pride


[Verse 3]

The Panther Party before "La Di Da Di"

Put pride inside plus taught karate

Fed heads in many ways, many days

We're served locked down protecting the Black and the Brown

Now today the old must spread it, I said it

If they don't communicate, then you can't get it

Problems have to be solved they won't go away so man what

You say and don't sway

Gotta get that pride


[Hook]


[Outro]

Dr. King, Malcolm, Medgar, Hampton

Riots and rebellions

Newark, Watts, Uptown

Harlem that is, black gold

Ghetto stell

I reserve the right to be nothing but a man

We reserve the right to be nothing but men and women