Black Stacey; Saul Williams

I'm what you call a "shower performer." I entertain entire Broadway musicals in my bathtub. It's a fucking production--lights, props, curtain call and all. But tonight, instead of my usual line up of whimsical, feel-good, all-the-world-is-candy-and-rainbows line up, I found myself humming along to Black Stacey. Maybe it's all the man-talk lately, but I've definitely been gravitating towards this song for the past couple of days.

I'm a huge fan of Saul Williams. If you haven't seen any of his other work, I highly recommend doing a quick youtube search. I DARE you not to love this man. (Note: It's very difficult, if not entirely impossible)

Lots of ideas regarding masculinity, black-male identity. Best of all, it's a call to action.


(Lyrics)

I used to hump my pillow at night
The type of silent prayer to make myself prepare for the light
Me and my cousin Duce would rank the girls between one and ten
And the highest number got to be my pillow's pretend
Now I apologize to every high ranker
But you taught me how to dream and so I also thank you
I never had the courage to approach you at school
We joked around a lot and I know you thought I dressed cool
But I was just covering up
All the insecurities that came bubbling up
My complexion had me stuck in an emotional rut,
like the time you Flavor Flav'd me and you played me
"Yo Chuck,
They say you're too black, man."
I think I'm too black
Mom, do you think I'm too black? I think I'm too black
I think I'm too black,
I think I'm too black, black, black, black, black

Black Stacey
They called me Black Stacey
I never got to be myself 'cause to myself I always was
Black Stacey
In polka dots and paisley,
A double goose and Bally shoes,
You thought it wouldn't phase me
I was Black Stacey
The preacher's son from Haiti
Who rhymed a lot and always got
The dance steps at the party
I was Black Stacey
You thought it wouldn't faze me, but it did
'Cause I was just a kid

I used to use bleaching creme
'Til Madame CJ Walker walked into my dreams
I dreamt of being white and complimented by you,
But the only shiny black thing that you liked was my shoes
Now, I apologize for bottling up
All the little things you said that warped my head and my gut
Even though I always told you not to brag
About the fact that your great grand mother was raped by her
Slave master

Yeah, I became militant too
So it was clear on every level I was blacker than you
I turned you on to Malcolm X and Assata Shakur
Iin the three quarter elephant goose with the fur
I had the high top fade
Wwith the steps on the side
I had the two finger ring, rag top on the ride
I had the sheep skin, name belt, Lee suit,
Kangol, acid wash, Roscoe's chicken and waffle.

Black Stacey
They called me Black Stacey
I never got to be myself 'cause to myself I always was
Black Stacey
In polka dots and paisley,
A double goose and Bally shoes,
You thought it wouldn't phase me
I was Black Stacey
The preacher's son from Haiti
Who rhymed a lot and always got
The dance steps at the party
I was Black Stacey
You thought it wouldn't faze me, but it did
'Cause I was just a kid


Stick up, ha ha ha stick up
Stick up, ha ha ha stick up
They say I'm too black
They say I'm too black

Hold up, y'all
Here we go

Now here's a little message for you
All you balla playas got some insecurities too
That you could cover up, bling it up
Cash in and ching ching it up
Hope no one will bring it up
Lock it down and string it up

Or you can share your essence with us
'Cause everything about you couldn't be rugged and ruff
And even though you tote a glock and you're hot on the streets
If you dare to share your heart, we'll nod our heads to its beat
And you should do that, if nothing else, to prove that
A player like you could keep it honest and true
Don't mean to call your bluff but
mothafucka that's what I do
You got platinum chain then, son,
I'm probably talking to you
And you can call your gang, your posse and the rest of your crew
And while you're at it, get them addicts and the indigent, too
I plan to have a whole army by the time that I'm through
To load their guns with songs they haven't sung, like,

Black Stacey
They called me Black Stacey
I never got to be myself 'cause to myself I always was
Black Stacey
In polka dots and paisley,
A double goose and Bally shoes,
You thought it wouldn't phase me
I was Black Stacey
The preacher's son from Haiti
Who rhymed a lot and always got
The dance steps at the party
I was Black Stacey
You thought it wouldn't faze me, but it did
'Cause I was just a kid

Black Stacey
They called me Black Stacey
I never got to be myself 'cause to myself I always was
Black Stacey
They call me Black Stacey
Ah, Black Stacey
Ooh, Black Stacey
Ooh, Black Stacey
Move Black Stacey
Shake Black Stacey
Make Black Stacey
Cry, cry
No, not I.