Released: September 29, 1998

Songwriter: J. Rawls Talib Kweli Yasiin Bey

Producer: J. Rawls

[Sample: Chameleon Street]
Smooth: You got that good hair too
William Douglas Street: You like what?
Smooth: I like girls with that light complexion on them
Street: You're a moron
Smooth: I can't help it
Street: What? Being a moron
Smooth: Yeah that too
Street: You're the first one out there with a dashiki talking that crap
Smooth: I'm a victim -
Street: "Good hair." Nigga you so brainwashed
Smooth: I'm a victim brother
Street: You're a 'victim'
Smooth: I'm a victim of 400 years of conditioning
Street: Shut up
Smooth: The Man has programmed my conditioning
Street: Mhm
Smooth: Even my conditioning has been conditioned

[Intro: Talib Kweli & Mos Def]
But most of yall brothers
Came from your mothers
Looking all sweet (Black Star keep shining)
And be like yo, let me ask you somethin
I wanna know, I wanna know who you are

[Chorus: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
Brown skin lady, hey hey
Yes
Where you goin'
This goes to the brown skin ladies yo
Brown skin lady
Indigenous women of the planet Earth
What you doin?
Givin' birth to the brown skin ladies first
Brown skin lady
For what it's worth, from me to you
How do you feel?
From me to you, watchin' you

[Bridge: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Yes, I like the way you move
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Please, won't you do that dance

[Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
And everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
Everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
There she is

[Verse 1: Talib Kweli]
Fresher than Tony Rebel's vegetables at African street festivals
Where incredible women is, plentiful
Over the years I met a few, none of them compare to you
Preparing you to make fruit bearable, somethin terrible, let's see:
You fruitful, beautiful, smart, lovable, huggable
Doable like art, suitable to be part
Of my life, Coppertone owe you copyright infringement, pay
You been this tan since way back in the day
It's like I'm standin there you know appreciatin God's design
And then you showed up, it's like you read my mind
DAMN SHE'S FINE, I think I add the R-E, in front of that
And see if she D, to get, with a cat like me

[Bridge: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Yes, I like the way you move
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Please, won't you do that dance

[Refrain: Mos Def]
And everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
Everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
There she is

[Verse 2: Mos Def]
Ooooh! Damn baby girl, look at you!
Comin on the block lookin fresh and brand new
Ooooh! Headwrap cover your hairdo
Pretty feet peekin through open-toed shoe
Ooooh! No limit to what I would do
Make love to you like long interview
Whooh! Is she for real, me like you
Good look champion, win the title
True, many man try invite you
Shot down lyric each time they cyph' you
Jewel, what man, ya get born inside zoo?
Feet they walk way and just let she pass through
Ooooh! Can't be a next one like you
Famous like tapes made by DJ Clue
I tighten up my game as I approach you
Yo check her she the nectar the bee get close to

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 3: Talib Kweli]
I don't get many compliments, but I am confident
Used to have a complex about, gettin too complex
You got me, willin to try, looked me in the eye
My head is still in the sky, since you walked on by
I'm feelin high, got my imagination flickerin like hot flames
It's how it seems, you make me wanna ride the Coltrane to A Love Supreme
My brown lady, creates environments, for
Happy brown babies, I know it sounds crazy
But your skin's the inspiration for cocoa butter
You provoke a brother we should get to know one another
I discover when I bring you through my people say TRUE
All I can say, Is all praise due I thank you God for a beauty like you

[Chorus: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
Brown skin lady, hey hey
Yes
Where you goin'
This goes to the brown skin ladies yo
Brown skin lady
Indigenous women of the planet Earth
What you doin?
Givin' birth to the brown skin ladies first
Brown skin lady
For what it's worth, from me to you
How do you feel?
From me to you, watchin' you

[Bridge: Mos Def & Talib Kweli]
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Yes, I like the way you move
I like the way you walk, when you walk on by
I like the, I like the, I like the, I like the way you walk
I like the way you move, when you do that dance
Please, won't you do that dance

[Refrain: Mos Def]
And everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
Everybody on the avenue I know, when they see her say
There she is

[Outro: Mos Def]
She's a brown skinned lady
Such a brown skinned lady
She's a brown skinned lady
She's a brown skinned lady
She's a brown skinned lady
She's a brown skinned lady

[Outro: Talib Kweli]
Baby, what you mean you don't think you look good?
You know what some people put themselves through
To look just like you?
Dark stocking, high heels, lipstick, alla that
You know what?
Without makeup you're beautiful
Whatcha you need to paint the next face for
We're not dealin with the European standard of beauty tonight
Turn off the TV, put the magazine away
In the mirror tell me what you see
See the evidence of divine presence
Women in the, Caribbean, they got the, golden sun
I know women on the continent got it
Nigeria and Ghana, you know they got it
Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique
And Botswana, to let it speak
How 'bout Latinas, Colombianas
Cubanas, Dominicanas, Tahinians
Of course the Brooklyn women walk that walk
And the Bronx women walk that walk
Honies from Queens walk that walk
NYC, ATL, LA, Cincinnati, the Bay Area
Got the cocoa butter brown skinned ladies doing their thing in
London and Paris, cocoa butter brown sk...

Black Star

Black Star consists of Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli and they arose from the underground movement of the late 1990s. They released one self-titled album. Though the record achieved little commercial success, they (and other members of the Native Tongues Posse) helped shape underground alternative rap and helped bring it further into the mainstream eye. Both have gone on to greater commercial and critical success in separate solo careers.

Black Star’s emergence into the hip-hop scene came at a crucial point in music history. Following the deaths of both Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, hip-hop was consumed in a world of chaos. Black Star attempted to bring reconciliation in the wake of these violent deaths.

In a talk with Rap Genius' SameOldShawn, Talib Kweli explains the influence Yasiin Bey had on him as a young hip-hop artist.