America

(K'NAAN)

uh huh uh huh uh huh

oh this takes me home,

it makes me think about sitting outside of my old home when I was younger and singing something like

[Chorus I (with translation)]

gabar yaroo subhaano [Young beautiful girl]

maro shabeelo hirato [wearing tiger-patterned]

maro qafiifa huwato [light, thin clothing]

maga’aaga ii sheeg [Tell me your name]

magaeygu waa sharaf [she says: My name is Sharaf]

sharaf haaji weeyan [Sharaf Haaji, it is]

aqalada hariirta [Those beautiful houses]

dhina baan ka jooga [I live beside]

alla ya u sheega [Somebody please tell them]

tinta u shanleeya [give them a clue]

nahoy zamzamey [of you, Zamzam]

sabaah nuurey [who shines like the morning light]

adoo kin kin iyo [like the scales]

kaluun badaneey [of a colorful fish]

adoo hajka jira [while you were gone on Hajj]

xasuus badaneey [had many memories]

sahiibtaa asho ashaq baa dilay [Your friend, Aisha died of love]

ugu dambeyntiina [at long last (I realized)]

aniyo geeluba [both I and the camels]

wa u banaanbahnay [need love]

[Chorus II - x2 (with translation)]

wanagii orodnee [Remember us fleeing]

nabad barinee [searching for peace?]

mareykan waa laga soo waayay [3x] [In America, none was found]

There are certain things fresh, and certain things mesh,

I got my own sound, I don't sound like the rest,

And even my attire and my choice of dress,

And not long ago I don't spoke English

The point is police pull me over a lot

They wonder what type of rap sheet I got.

And sometimes I take a young girl out to eat,

And hold the door open, oh you're so sweet,

Of course my affection's super illustrated

And I like to give don't reciprocate it

Unless you could give me someone innovated

And let's cook it up we don't refrigerate it

But back to the country of the educated

Where people get robbed and they celebrate it,

[Chorus II x2]

(MOS DEF)

Maraken,

my country 'tis of thee

sweet land for robberies

dos smokin SUV's

red meat and army greens

fat and frills

thrills and spills

eat and sleep

hump and kill

shop 'til you drop

work 'til you dead

get all you can

then get in the wear (?)

outta my face

on your knees

sleep in the mansion

shut out the streets

make that cake

woop that trick

lick my swagger

suck my sick

get high get low get sticky get rich

get yo' own show get down get quick

you slow you blow you broke get fixed

terror dome, home swag home

terror dome, home swag home

home swag home

home swag home

[Repeat Chorus II x2]

(CHALI 2NA)

There are some things pure while certain things blur

Dilute it with the lie and you believe when it occur

Falsified information got my people in the stir

We have to be in search of something equal to the cure

Straight out the door, I come to give you more

Lay the law keep it raw, when I speak it from the core

Get underneath your skin like I scratched you with a claw

Conflicted with the rich 'cause I kick it with the poor

I laugh in the face of adversity

Sound clashed with the bass 'cause it's natural to me

But if you pay attention to the past you will see

Not long ago you black they'd hang your ass from a tree

Certain things change, while some stay the same

Some are recluse, others are lovers of the game

I'm trying to walk the lane,the siratul mustaqim [Arabic for "the straight path"]

Instead of doing things that keep you covered in the flame.

[Repeat Chorus II x2]

Nanananana that **** was cool in English, but let me get that Somali verse.

[Chorus I]