II. Identity

This song highlights the importance of knowing our identity and where we come from. In lieu of that, this song is for the most part an audio history, talking about various aspects of how life was a couple generations ago. Information was aggregated through the conversations from people who were alive during that time or who were well studied through being surrounded by people who shared stories from that time.

Sonically, the vocal sample being used reminds me of an old black choir. It brings feelings of negro spiritual world to me. During the B section of the chord progression, the chords used more lend themselves to Jazz, In a sense the sonics are mostly paying homage to the past, while also collaborating with more present day sounds and idioms like Trap & RnB.

I N T R O
So much respect to the elders, the foundation
They don put this thang together, amalgamation
Thank you for the sacrifices, and all the patience
Know it’s been a long road to liberation

So much respect to the elders, the foundation
They don put this thang together, amalgamation
Thank you for the sacrifices, and all the patience
Know it’s been a long road to liberation to liberation

C H O R U S
How can we grow if we don’t even know
Where we come from, where do we come from?
How can we move if we don’t spread the news bout
Where we come from, where do we come from?

If we gon grow issa must that we know
Where we come from where do we come from?
If we gon fly then we must recognize
Where we come from where do we come from?

V E R S E 1
Well how long ago?
Bout a half a century after they had made a Broad Ripple
Great Migration brought somebodies lookin for a pot of gold
In the form of self determination where’s Chicago tho?
Bump that, we gon stay and we gon call this home
What’s audible? Neighbors as they passing by connection felt so honorable
We were segregated but the placement never faded hope that anything was possible
Everything was walkable connected like some dominoes

That was both the east side and the west side where’s the disconnect?
Really didn’t move east of Illinois due to city mess
Same thing on the east side, got to college never further west
Racism gon always play a part in lack of true access
It’s cool we gon build our own use our magic make it happen
Look at what we made cuz (cousin), big shout out to Crispus Attucks
Depended on the Brain Trust,
Genius runs all through our veins so whiteness couldn’t fade us
Excuse me if I’m shameless but

C H O R U S
How can we grow if we don’t even know
Where we come from, where do we come from?
How can we move if we don’t spread the news bout
Where we come from, where do we come from?

If we gon grow issa must that we know
Where we come from, where do we come from?
If we gon fly then we must recognize
Where we come from, where do we come from?

V E R S E 2
Mostly stayed within a certain radius and that was that
The parks was like our stadiums it brought us out our bubble’s grasp
Douglass had the swimming pool, Dust Bowl out in Lockefield,
And if you got to feelin cool aye pull up to Indy Ave
Went out there for music shows,
Went out there to laugh and chill and visit favorite dollar stores
Had the Midwest poppin its so crazy how the story goes
Disinvestment super drained that growing pretty pot of gold
Check this out they pulled up and they said

Domain was eminent
Took our land and kicked us out I’ll tell you bout that privilege
When you don’t feel the negatives but coppin all the benefits
I’m talking bout the trail of tears and highways moving residents
Talking bout displacement and how that affects the disconnect
Within a fractured story that was oozing with black businesses
I look at all these images and wonder where the feelin went
The pain goes deep, the struggle’s real,
But never fear the consequence of knowing where the problem is cuz

C H O R U S
How can we grow if we don’t even know
Where we come from, where do we come from?
How can we move if we don’t spread the news bout
Where we come from, where do we come from?

If we gon grow issa must that we know
Where we come from, where do we come from?
If we gon fly then we must recognize
Where we come from, where do we come from?

V E R S E 3
Aye look, we gon build us our own
I know very good and well the power legacy holds
Talking bout the Flanner Houses and The Originals
And how that moves us to place of knowing how this thang goes
Know you gotta be bold,
But if you too bold they tell you that you too Black
And tell you that you just don’t know
When you’ve known your whole life
Don’t ever don’t doubt that your inheritance built through night,
Through the pain and the strife

So much respect to the elders, the foundation
They don put this thing together, amalgamation
Thank you for the sacrifices and all the patience
Know it’s been a long road to liberation

So much respect to the elders, the foundation
They don put this thing together, amalgamation
Thank you for the sacrifices and all the patience
Know it’s been a long road to liberation to liberation

O U T R O
Promise you won’t forget me
Promise you’ll sing about me
(So much respect to the elders, the foundation, they don put this thing together, amalgamation)
Promise you (Thank you for the sacrifices and all the patience)
Promise you (Know it’s been a long road to liberation)

Yeah Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

(1-2-3-4-5 tell me how you get free)