Afeni Lyrics
Ooh-ooh-ooh, oh-oh‚ yeah
[Chorus: 2Pac]
Now since we all came from a woman
Got our names from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women
Do we hate our women?
Now since we all
[Verse 1: Rapsody]
My brothers (My brothers)‚ I love you (I love you)
I hate to know some of you treat us like Glover (Glover)
Black card revoked‚ maybe you could use Discover (Discover)
Define yourself, do you feel the same way 'bout your mother? (Mother)
Do you overlook our beauty, but you lovin' on all the others (Others)
Hope you teach your daughters all to stay away from suckas
Like yourself if you don't love yourself
I'm so Southern (Southern)‚ I was taught to feed the soul with or without hot ovens
Here's a plate, know your hate come from a black man struggle (Struggle)
We all in the same shape, so I know I fit your puzzle (Puzzle)
Either way‚ we got your back, we only pray you'll be our muscle (Pray you'll be our muscle)
Strength in the times we all overcome with trouble
Every day we pullin' doubles for ourself and home (For ourself and home)
My mom and daddy taught me, early on, protect your own (Protect your own)
We never stopped lovin' you, so turn your love back on (Your love back on)
And I pray you feel the same way as that 2Pac song
We ain't your hoes or your bitches, trophies, or meant for pimpin'
Recognize a gift from God outweighs a birthday or a Christmas
To protect our lives, you gon' take it to the limit? (You gon' take it to the limit?)
Rib of my rib, do you still feel us in ya
Now since we all came from a woman
Got our names from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women
Do we hate our women?
Now since we all came from a woman
Got our names from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women
Do we hate our women?
[Chorus: PJ Morton]
I don't know where I would be
If you weren't here with me
If you don't hear anybody else sayin'
Please know you're appreciated ('Ated)
The way you walk, way you talk so fine (Fine)
And ooh, you got a brilliant mind (Brilliant mind)
There ain't nobody better (Better)
Each and every one of you matter to me
[Verse 2: Rapsody]
To my sisters (To my sisters), I know we on it (I know we on it)
I feel your pain, I'm a woman disappointed
They should never take what's never given to 'em 'cause they want it (Want it)
I was taught, if you love me, you would never cut the corners (Corners)
What we made in the night, we got a raise in the mornin' (Mornin')
This is sucka niggas warnin', you should never hit a woman (Woman)
We should have some things in common
Just like Common, he respect us
A law is not a lecture, how you love us it affect us (It affect us)
I ain't playin' the middle like Nadeska
It ain't complex to be emotional or affectionate
To my brothers that do, I hope my sisters don't think less of 'em (Don't think less of 'em)
2Pac gone, you know Rap had to message him
We tried to do our best for them, mother panther vibes (Panther vibes)
We need strong men, so our baby boys survive (Baby boys survive)
Love our great fathers, I know some statistics lied
But all the ones that didn't, yo, you gotta do your job
I know this life ain't easy, every one of us is flawed (Flawed)
At least love your woman, we the closest thing to God (God)
And tell her keep her head up, every day that it gets hard (Gets hard)
If you truly recognize that
Now since we all came from a woman
Got our names from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women
Do we hate our women?
Now since we all
[Bridge: PJ Morton]
I know I wouldn't be nothing (Nothing)
Without you by my side (Side)
You have always been the savior, you're the closest thing to God
So, I just want to thank you (Thank ya), for bein' so good to me
And I apologize, for not always bein' what I'm supposed to be
I just wanted to write this letter, I promise, I'm gonna do better
[Chorus: PJ Morton]
I don't know where I would be (Be)
If you weren't here with me (Me)
If you don't hear anybody else sayin'
Please know you're appreciated ('Ated)
The way you walk, way you talk so fine (Fine)
And ooh, you got a brilliant mind (Brilliant mind)
There ain't nobody better (Better)
Each and every one of you matter to me
Come here, let me untwist your hair and massage your head. Let me pick your brain. I wanna let you into this safe space I hold and keep sacred for you. I know you are kind of hurt. I kinda wish I could take the pain away from you. I seen how the Devil likes to have his way with you. I felt their hate for you. Their innate ways to fake and play with you in this life you were given, over this nightmare you are livin', pardon them for not seein' your purpose, but for what it's worth. We're in this life thing together, so can't you love me deeper than that? Like God intended you to? Can't you remember where you came from, like you ain't came from my seed of love? Your broken spirit can't always be the excuse. Thought I taught you the gravity of respect and paying dues, thought you knew. My God don't like ugly. My God said she need an apology. Needs to know you see all the beauty she created. Needs you to know wouldn't be no you if it wasn't for us. My God said, "How much harder we gotta love you?"
About
As the closing track to her album, Eve, Rapsody pens a heartfelt letter to black men and black women about how black women should be revered, drawing upon 2Pac’s words from his song, “Keep Ya Head Up” and the soulful bridges of PJ Morton to enforce the message.
Afeni Shakur, the mother of the late rapper 2Pac was an activist and part of the Black Panther Party. She passed away on May 2, 2016, at the age of 69.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Rapsody spoke on the song in an interview with NPR:
“Keep Ya Head Up' is one of my favorite songs ever, and it embodies what this whole album is about — respecting, protecting and loving black women. Men loving us, and us loving ourselves and each other. I had always told 9th I wanted to sample a piece of that song. I’ve been wanting to do that for years. Everything happens in the time that it’s supposed to happen.
I just wanted to end the album and bring all of the stories and the concepts to a whole. It’s all about what Tupac said, and it’s a conversation that has been happening again for years. I see it on Twitter all the time. Women are like, ‘Black men don’t do this or that.’ And black men are like, ‘Y'all don’t do this for us.’ It’s like disdain. I don’t think it’s necessarily one-sided. I just want to be able to speak to the men and say listen to the women. Just listen to our perspective and where we’re coming from. Even seeing videos of black women being beat up and black men [standing] around and nobody steps in and protects them. Who does that? Let’s not forget that we’re your sisters, your daughters, your mothers, your girlfriends, your wives. Protect us. We shouldn’t have to fight all on our own. Then there are [stereotypes that claim] black men don’t take care of their children, but statistically that’s a false narrative.
It’s my version of talking to the men. It’s not like I’m trying to come at your head. I want you to feel it, emotionally. I want you to feel the pain that some black women are feeling, without feeling like you’re getting beat up in the process. I wanted to find a way where you can feel it in a respectful way, to have a conversation."
