Inside
DevelopMENT Lyrics

Universal as I stroll down the street
As I walk down the street, I feel connected to people all over the world.

Africas's a bolling over flowing inside of me
I feel a strong connection to Africa and its culture.

I used to sport a curl made by Jerry
I used to have a hairstyle called a Jerry curl.

A Jerry curl but as time passed it didn't last
My Jerry curl hairstyle didn't last as time went on.

after my curl I never combed my doo.
After my hairstyle changed, I stopped combing my hair.

I used to sport a cap but the naps kept shining through.
I used to wear a cap, but my hair was too thick and curly for it to stay hidden.

My sista got a brand new perm
My sister got a new hairstyle called a perm.

my boys says she looks pretty fine body real firm
My friends think my sister looks attractive with her new hairstyle and fit body.

folds at her job loves her new touch up
My sister is happy with her new hairstyle and feels confident at work.

I can tell her white boss gets a kick when she's all done up.
I can sense that my sister's white boss likes it when she looks more traditionally attractive.

My sista loves her blackness
My sister is proud of her African American identity.

but the US. says that her perm is her attractiveness.
The United States places value on African Americans conforming to traditional beauty standards, rather than embracing their natural hair texture.

But Africa keeps coming stronger-we found out it ain't a perm it's a temporary
Despite the pressure to conform, African American culture and hairstyles inspired by Africa continue to gain strength and popularity.

Don't heve sash to go to the music school no money for the guitar or the violin or the tuba
I don't have the financial resources to attend music school or buy expensive instruments.

my moms had a record player and the 45's
My mother owned a record player and a collection of 45 RPM records.

I put the needle on the record and I kicked it crazy live
I played the records and mixed and scratched them in a creative and exciting way.

scratching it up catching the breaks
I used techniques like scratching and catching breaks in the music to make new sounds and rhythms.

spirits within me had me do what it takes
I was inspired by spiritual principles to work hard and do whatever it takes to succeed as a musician.

Grammy's I win & one again like my Egyptian kin
I won Grammy Awards like my fellow African Americans and also like the ancient Egyptians, who were part of Africa.

it's Africa within makin' something outta nothing!
I drew inspiration from African culture and my own creativity to make something special out of very little.

Africa's inside me taking back her child she's giving me my pride and setting me free.
My connection to Africa gives me a sense of pride and freedom in my identity.

What's that land across those waters?
I am curious about the land on the other side of the ocean.

what's that spirit makin'love to my daughter
I am intrigued by the spiritual traditions that are influencing my daughter.

telling her not to eat he mama's ham hocks
The spiritual influence is encouraging my daughter to eat foods that are not traditional in our family.

allowing her the choice to twist her hair & make it lock.
The spiritual influence is also encouraging my daughter to embrace traditional African American hairstyles like braids and locks.

yo I don't like it, I just don't like it.
I am uncomfortable with the changes that are happening in my daughter's life through spiritual influence.

Papa may say buy my soul is a boilin'
Even though I am uncomfortable, I still feel a strong emotional response to the spiritual influence on my daughter.

and sooner or later Africa's glory and toil will teach an old dog new tricks
I believe that African culture will eventually help me learn new things and grow as a person, even if it is uncomfortable at first.

Why and the world can't everybody recognize that Africa's in everybody?
I believe that everyone has African cultural influences in their lives, whether they realize it or not.

we all ask why can't we be sista's and brothers but first we gotta accept who is our mother
We long for unity and brotherhood, but first we must accept that we all have African heritage and ancestry.

Rather embracer of the jungle or ghetto melanin dwells but could stop growth and developments Arrested for nothing Gumbo's within' soulful H20 men be droppin'
We should embrace diverse African cultural influences, whether from the jungle or urban environments. When we do that, we can grow and develop as people. Despite challenges and setbacks, we can succeed (like making gumbo and dropping flavors in music).

Happenin's like Homosapians Hustlins within' to exist as afro USA...men
People of African descent are working hard and hustling to survive and thrive in the United States, despite challenges and inequalities.

residing in Fulani was once Christian.
Even within the diverse African diaspora, we can all find connections through shared heritage and history.

Start fishin' like FOS and found origin!
By exploring and embracing African cultural heritage, we can find a greater sense of identity and purpose in life.

Africa's inside me Taking back her child She's giving me my pride And setting me free.
My connection to Africa and its culture gives me a sense of pride and freedom, even as I navigate the challenges of my daily life.