Released: April 15, 1995
Featuring: MC Lyte Salt-N-Pepa Yo-Yo Meshell Ndegéocello Nefertiti Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes Queen Latifah
Songwriter: Queen Latifah Patra Meshell Ndegéocello Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes Yo-Yo MC Lyte Salt-N-Pepa
Producer: Diamond D Dallas Austin
Now this is time for free your mind and your soul
Yo, half the story has never been told
Ladies, you got to demand what you want
And what we want is respect, right?
Yo, listen up on the track here so I can feel if it rides
Freedom everytime for the sisters
Check this, watch this
[Verse 1: Queen Latifah]
Now here we go now...
Listen, if, um, pum pum ruled, I'd be the ruler like Slick Rick
Get with this quick witted Adidas wearing chick
Papa got a brand new bag, Mama got a brand new Jag
A gold tag, I ain't no old hag
I represent not only in the kitchen and the bedroom
But also in the boardroom so give me more room
Deny my opportunity, you in jeopardy
Yo yo, set me free, don't hinder me, let me be
[Verse 2: Yo-Yo]
I'm fightin' for freedom, I got the heat in case you need
I'm a straight soldier, ain't nobody told ya?
Hold up on them lies, I know your games and your plans
Do whatever you can to oppress The Man
But when it's time to drop the bomb bring the funkiness on
You say you never met a sister so strong, you're wrong
Now how can we be free?
It takes you and it takes me to live together in harmony
And peace and love and all of the above
Sisters comin' together representing one love
No disrespect, but we gotta get it together
No matter what's the weather, sisters gotta stick together
And sisters be strong, don't let 'em steer you wrong, hold on
Cause sisters got it goin' on, yeah
[Hook: Patra]
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
And half the story has never been told
[Verse 3: Left Eye]
Whoever said these are the things that you can do
And the things you ain't supposed to?
So am I further when I think I'm getting closer?
That's when I tend to think of Rosa
How Rosa took a seat to make a stand
But now, in standing, we've gotten more demanding
They never thought of planning
That a wish for us to sit would be a dose of
This fucking rollercoaster
Whether tradition or religion, why you question my decision?
Why you spend up all your time trying to get into my mind?
Why everybody and they mama
Gots to add to all my drama, mad drama
Hell if I'm gonna keep my dominating, feministic
Hell-creating CrazySexyCool, Black ass
In the palms of your player-hater's stance
My only chance of being free is to fly within me
And it's illegal to kill a fuckin' eagle
A bird is never more important than my people
I guess we didn't need him so I took away his freedom
[Hook: Patra]
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
And half the story has never been told
[Verse 4: MC Lyte]
My spiritual awareness leads me to believe
That you're doubting the sisters to come with the peace
We've been together since Jah created water
The African border, celebration is in order
Pop the cork and give champagne to the stork
That brought the Lyte to my Mama in New York
African I come again and again
You kick me down, I get back up
I'm comin back in multiples of 10
[Verse 5: Nefertiti]
You know where I come from
Slung from the belly of the beast
Used to speak African tongue
So I showed her, next one rolled her
Slung the devil over my shoulder
I'm gettin' over 'cuz I'm bolder than the next
I'm enlightening because I speak the real truth from the text
Who's next to flex with this S-I-S-T-E-R?
The sun, the moon, the crescent, the star
Well let's see how open you are
[Hook: Patra]
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
But right a-now you've got to let them know
[Break: Me'Shell NdegéOcello]
Come and take a walk with me
Closer walk with thee, see what only I can see
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen
So it's back to the womb of everlasting life and truth
Let the heaven of a sister embrace you
And praise some other gods
Come into the light, let it shine, Blackness is fine
The Blackness of your skin, the Blackness of your mind
[Verse 6: Salt-N-Pepa]
I am who I am and that's who I be
And I don't give a damn if your eyes can't see
If you can't see what I can see
That you're blind, baby, by a woman who's Black
So back up, back up 'cause it's on
I'm-a tell ya strong what's wrong
With the world that we're living on
It ain't who ya know, it ain't what ya drive
(Sample from the original Joi recording playing in background : Give me all my)
It's about how you feel about yourself on the inside
When your self-esteem is low
And they call you a ho, then you think you's a ho
But that ain't what the Lord God made you to be
I need you to see you're Black and you're free
[Hook: Patra]
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
And half the story has never been told
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
And half the story has never been told
Free your mind and your soul
Don't let no guys come take control
Because you're young gonna get played the roll
And half your sex life never been told