Melvin Van Peebles

Released: June 1, 1971

Songwriter: Melvin Van Peebles

Producer: Melvin Van Peebles Yeah Inc.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

He's gonna get across the border before we can catch him!

Just let me draw a beat on his black ass and he's dead!

He's gonna make it!
Just let the dogs go!
No, I won't do it!
Make a fool of him, what are you gonna do?
They'll tear him apart, I won't do it!
Just let the dogs go!
I won't do it!
Tear loose of those dogs!
Listen...

Well, what's done is done.
I guess it'll save the tax payers some money.

Melvin Van Peebles (b. August 21, 1932) is a highly influential and critically acclaimed actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer.

He’s best known for his work on Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, an African American action film that’s often considered the first blaxploitation film. Other significant directorial efforts include Watermelon Man and Don’t Play Us Cheap.

A musician of sorts, Van Peebles released a swathe of spoken word albums that teetered between speech and song. These releases are considered influential in the development of hip hop. His fourth and fifth records, What the….You Mean I Can’t Sing?! and Ghetto Gothic, found him moving into more traditionally musical territory.

more tracks from the album

Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (An Opera)

From the album

Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (An Opera) (1971)

Melvin Van Peebles popular songs

The Man Tries Running His Usual Game But Sweetback’s Jones Is So Strong He Wastes The Hounds (Yeah! Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles

Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (An Opera)