Boogie Down Productions - Why Is That? Lyrics

The day begins with a grin
And a prayer to excuse my sins
I can walk anywhere I choose
'Cause everybody listens to the B.D.P. crew

We're not here for glamor or fashion
But here's the question I'm askin'
Why is it young black kids taught black?
They're only taught how to read, write and act

It's like teachin' a dog to be a cat
You don't teach white kids to be black
Why is that? Is it because we're the minority?
Well, black kids follow me

Genesis chapter eleven verse ten
Explains the genealogy of Shem
Chem was a black man in Africa
If you repeat this fact they can't laugh at ya

Genesis fourteen verse thirteen
Abraham steps on the scene
Being a descendant of Shem which is a fact
Means, Abraham too was black

Abraham born in the city of a black man
Called Nimrod, grandson of Kam
Kam had four sons, one was named Canaan
Here, let me do some explaining

Abraham was the father of Isaac
Isaac was the father of Jacob
Jacob had twelve sons for real
And these were the children of Israel

According to Genesis chapter ten
Egyptians descended from Ham
Six hundred years later my brother read up
Moses was born in Egypt

In this era black Egyptians weren't right
They enslaved black Israelites
Moses had to be of the black race
Because he spent forty years in Pharaoh's place

He passed as the Pharaoh's grandson
So he had to look just like him
Yes, my brothers and sisters take this here song
Yo, correct the wrong

The information we get today is just wack
But ask yourself, why is that?

The age of the ignorant rapper is done
Knowledge reigns supreme over nearly everyone
The stereotype must be lost
That love and peace and knowledge is soft

Do away with that and understand one fact
For love, peace must attack
And attack real strong, stronger than war
To conquer it and its law

Mental pictures, stereotypes and fake history
Reinforces mystery
And when mystery is reinforced
That only means that knowledge has been lost

When you know who you really are
Peace and knowledge shines like a star
I've only shown you a simple fact
It takes a nation of millions to hold us people back

Which is wack but we can correct that
Teach and learn what it is to be black
'Cause they're teachin' birds to be a cat
But ask yourself homeboy, why is that?