YEAH! And quit giving "the white folks", power, when they already know they aint shit for the many, many....but we all MUST face The Almighty Creator one day, cause we can't leave this earth alive and i don't care who or what you think you are.
I think what she means by 'other africans helped enslave your ass' is that in Bénin and other countries, the african elite collaborated with the slave traders, whether they be arab or european. There are still broken dishes (saw them when there) in the sand in the beach in Ouidah which were supposed to be offered by traders to chiefs/kings in the royaume de dahomé. everyone's just trying to make that dollar.
...love this song...me'shell ...SHE IS A POET, an intelligent, talented, beautiful,deep human being. THE LYRICS...man i've been having opinions, thoughs in my head, like the words in the lyircs...AND SHE JUST POURED THEM OUT OVER A MELODY.... speaks truth...some people don't see... LUV THESE LINES "Slave to the dead white leaders on paper " & Our greatest destiny is to become white But white is not pure And hate is not pride & niggas need to redefine What it means to be free .
I've been vibin' this whole time. Then 3:53...I couldn't help but shout "FUCK!" at 1:45 in the morning because this song is just a smooth ass groove that is TIGHT AS FUCK. This woman is NOT human.
I will not agree with anyone who believes otherwise. lmao
What you see is what we're being given, not WHAT IS.
What is a "black ACT" anyway? ... everybody on earth is playing some "genre" of black music somewhere anyway (outside of their own traditions with all due respect)
Who is this guitarist? I love the sound and confidence that allows him to play this way. Awesome. I would like to hear David Gilmore play guitar with this group (no, not the Pink Floyd Gilmore).
When she says "Africans help enslave your ass" she referring to the African slave trade of the 1400's. You see white folk were afraid to go into those jungles in fear for there lives from disease and fierce tribes. So it was the stronger African tribes who would capture the weaker tribes in battle and transport them to the coast where they would then trade us to the white folks for agricultural products (goods). SO in short it was our own people who helped get our ass over here.
I love Meshell's music, but I really don't get the line "the Africans helped enslave your ass". As an African who has done a lot of studying about this issue, I know for a fact that not everybody supported this. Some Africans were against slavery, but in the end we didn't have the power to fully oppose it.
Indeed, there were several tribes that were against slavery and fought hard both in Africa as well as in the diaspora to fight against it. However, there were others who derived their greatest wealth off of the trade. In other words slavery was extremely complicated, and we as a world African community need to do the extensive research and not get caught into distortions of the truth.
Precisely. In addition, whenever you make generalizations about people or things, experience has taught me that you are bound to be wrong 'cause there are always exceptions to the rule.
"Africans helped enslave your ass." She's talking about current times. SOME African[americans]s help enslave their collective ass by doing bad things that counteract the progress made by the ones functioning like contributing members of society. That's what she's saying in this song.
@Ijeomanikulapokuti i think she means that africans enslaved their own - but it was indentured servitude. there are vast differences. one being that the servants (not slaves) were working off debt or restitution. another being that they weren't subject to the same brutality and demeaning treatment due to the color of their skin. also they were allowed to retain their culture, religion, family ties and overall self respect. slaves that made it thru the middle passage can't say the same.
oooohhh but Africans DID...it was a common custom to sell indentured servants (other Africans who lost to the superior tribe) off to one another...tribe to tribe...when the slave traders came, they offered them trinkets that they couldn't refuse...watch ROOTS...
I live in VA....lawd knows 79% would benefit from this message in this song...Thank You
rozarior 5 months ago
POWERFUL AND ON POINT . THIS SISTER YOU CAN TELL HAS DONE HER SOCIAL HOME WORK.
davisismail1comcast 5 months ago
YEAH! And quit giving "the white folks", power, when they already know they aint shit for the many, many....but we all MUST face The Almighty Creator one day, cause we can't leave this earth alive and i don't care who or what you think you are.
MrAnniemae 5 months ago
I think what she means by 'other africans helped enslave your ass' is that in Bénin and other countries, the african elite collaborated with the slave traders, whether they be arab or european. There are still broken dishes (saw them when there) in the sand in the beach in Ouidah which were supposed to be offered by traders to chiefs/kings in the royaume de dahomé. everyone's just trying to make that dollar.
ThomasDeanNordlum 7 months ago
Niggas need to redifine what it means to be free!!!! whoop whoop! go head MeShell!!!
Jkidbig 7 months ago
Damn! Just plain old, DAMN!
Bad ass.
TheBoneRanger1968 9 months ago
She is so sexy....I most definitely feel her music
mayakalinda 1 year ago
I'm in LOVE with this Woman, she's got the sexiest voice makes me wanna eat her up mmmm yummy
UniversalMinded 1 year ago 2
Meshell is a glimmer of hope!!!!
Djagou 1 year ago
bein' black aint no "hipper than bein' white. that woman can groove but goddamn it! can't we let that shit go?!
horridism 2 years ago
@horridism
you let it go
TheBoneRanger1968 1 year ago
Comment removed
horridism 2 years ago
"just cause civil rights is law doesn't mean we all abide"
dpcollins 2 years ago
LOVE THIS LINE TOO...
You see brown folks are the
Keepers of the earth
Unifiers of the soul and mind
dia92008 2 years ago
dia92008 2 years ago 3
@dia92008
I agree 100%. A woman you kinda fall in love with. ;-)
taurine13 1 year ago
Just wonderful.
clubland459 2 years ago
Makes me wanna just cry tears!
roblimusic 2 years ago 2
MeShell tells the truth, great lyrics!
SergioPires2010 2 years ago 3
and does he have a chord in the guitar? always. just always.
bluebanshee3 2 years ago
Exelent Music Woman and Band . Exelent 5 stars "
glaucoaster 2 years ago
The rhythm - she plays wicked drums on the bass!
paapakobe 2 years ago
the guitar player is awesome, taking his time... I love that!
TheBrazilianFreak 2 years ago
I enjoy this song. It is so true though.
deinellpugs 2 years ago
o my she is amazin i would love to do music with her.
staywet69 2 years ago
my gosh I read the words jumbled and it mean something else entirely :p
sweetbutdaring 2 years ago
i guess thats where the daring part comes from uh
Grillmouth 2 years ago
FUCK. FUCK.
I've been vibin' this whole time. Then 3:53...I couldn't help but shout "FUCK!" at 1:45 in the morning because this song is just a smooth ass groove that is TIGHT AS FUCK. This woman is NOT human.
I will not agree with anyone who believes otherwise. lmao
bassicvision 2 years ago 11
I LOVE THIS WOMAN SOOOO MUCH. The fact that she marches to the beat of her own drum makes me love her that much more. No commercial crap here.
auggienique 2 years ago 3
SICK!!! Me'shell is a beast....
dreamichelle 3 years ago
This lady is THE best black act in the business. I love all of it;the musicianship, the lyrics,etc. Makes todays black acts look tired.
daveirving 3 years ago 3
hell...90% are, to be honest. and i'm being lenient with that number.
bassicvision 2 years ago
What you see is what we're being given, not WHAT IS.
What is a "black ACT" anyway? ... everybody on earth is playing some "genre" of black music somewhere anyway (outside of their own traditions with all due respect)
paapakobe 2 years ago
sean rickman is sick!!! he s quite under rated!
gaaand 3 years ago
I hear ya LOUD & CLEAR!!!
DRUMTOY2002 3 years ago
Who is this guitarist? I love the sound and confidence that allows him to play this way. Awesome. I would like to hear David Gilmore play guitar with this group (no, not the Pink Floyd Gilmore).
Xformat01 3 years ago
nice! its different!...i like this kind of playing music.
bournehuge 3 years ago
mad drumming!
gaaand 3 years ago
her sense of groove is out of this world
HammondB200 3 years ago 3
When she says "Africans help enslave your ass" she referring to the African slave trade of the 1400's. You see white folk were afraid to go into those jungles in fear for there lives from disease and fierce tribes. So it was the stronger African tribes who would capture the weaker tribes in battle and transport them to the coast where they would then trade us to the white folks for agricultural products (goods). SO in short it was our own people who helped get our ass over here.
DREWDEZ 3 years ago 2
this woman is the reason i love the bass on rock band if any of you have it add me my gamertag is shegotgame08 aright
shegotgame03 3 years ago
play that bass girl!!!
shegotgame03 3 years ago 2
I love her muzik so much, she represent all the beautiful lesbian women of color.... yeah thats right. God bless you Shell I rep u 4lyfe
shegotgame03 3 years ago
Brilliant.
VelvetRope1814 3 years ago
Brilliant.
VelvetRope1814 3 years ago
I love Meshell's music, but I really don't get the line "the Africans helped enslave your ass". As an African who has done a lot of studying about this issue, I know for a fact that not everybody supported this. Some Africans were against slavery, but in the end we didn't have the power to fully oppose it.
Ijeomanikulapokuti 4 years ago 4
Yes I know - Along with Yemen, the Saudis only abolished slavery in 1962.
bobfunk11 4 years ago
Indeed, there were several tribes that were against slavery and fought hard both in Africa as well as in the diaspora to fight against it. However, there were others who derived their greatest wealth off of the trade. In other words slavery was extremely complicated, and we as a world African community need to do the extensive research and not get caught into distortions of the truth.
adeart72 3 years ago 4
Precisely. In addition, whenever you make generalizations about people or things, experience has taught me that you are bound to be wrong 'cause there are always exceptions to the rule.
Ijeomanikulapokuti 3 years ago
As Africans we are still victims of mental enslavement. I think that is what she is refering to
akeldama725 3 years ago
"Africans helped enslave your ass." She's talking about current times. SOME African[americans]s help enslave their collective ass by doing bad things that counteract the progress made by the ones functioning like contributing members of society. That's what she's saying in this song.
smegwad 3 years ago 8
Ijeomanikulapokuti,
That line addresses elements of the Afrocentric movement in the Afro-American community, which often romanticizes about Africa and Africans.
soulssurvivor 3 years ago
@Ijeomanikulapokuti - I personally think that she's referring to the idea that some black people carry animosity towards white people about slavery.
I think she's really protesting racial and social ignorance. I wish more artists would stand up like she does.
CouganSmith 1 year ago
@Ijeomanikulapokuti i think she means that africans enslaved their own - but it was indentured servitude. there are vast differences. one being that the servants (not slaves) were working off debt or restitution. another being that they weren't subject to the same brutality and demeaning treatment due to the color of their skin. also they were allowed to retain their culture, religion, family ties and overall self respect. slaves that made it thru the middle passage can't say the same.
tacr5 10 months ago
oooohhh but Africans DID...it was a common custom to sell indentured servants (other Africans who lost to the superior tribe) off to one another...tribe to tribe...when the slave traders came, they offered them trinkets that they couldn't refuse...watch ROOTS...
thesanmartainwarrior 10 months ago