Rock N Roll Lyrics - Black On Both Sides - 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