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living while black​.​.​.

by Kokayi

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1.
Dawnings 03:47
2.
SAGINAW 03:04
The talisman swung Hung from neck lose fibers Gathered like the lather at the barber Slid four fivers no drama Out on the porch Here come the pawg on her morning Jog pass the crew you know how we Do salutations No feline expressions no whistles these lessons We learned When emmits wheel turned and the gin Without tonic spin love sick sonnets Good morning Purse clutcher When I see you no bonding Ayyyy This is what you doing all day Seen it when she come around singing all the way Told em nah Johnny call the law Seen em pulling up yo in Saginaw Y'all don't really know I done seen the law before Seen it all day now Got em out in Saginaw I done seen em call the law You know what they here for You is locked up Locked up in this house They gon get you they gon Pull you out Hear me Hollered at the wrong one They gon shut your mouth Leave you like strange fruit Mamma at the house Up in Saginaw Scenic snap the picture I done seen Em plotting in the kitchen Best laid plans dreams and they eggplant wishes Y'all now how it go its a daily edition wishing for a swirly new addition No Bobby no Ronnie no mike Cut your eye turn em down Exit stage right Bingo it's Mandingo District red and blue lights Now they palms get to itching it's On the money that you fitting the description Ayyy This is what you doing all day Seen it when she come around singing all the way Told em nah Johnny call the law Seen em pulling up yo in Saginaw Y'all don't really know I done seen the law before Seen it all day now Got em out in Saginaw I done seen em call the law You know what they here for You is locked up Backseat of this car They gon get you they gon Pull you out Hear me Turned down the wrong one They gon shut your mouth Leave you like strange fruit Mamma at the house Up in Saginaw
3.
T.I.M.E. 03:22
TIME Spring day Nice breeze rolled j Mint tea hangin out my window my window mima xari W/a Bichon Fris inside You shoot Me the evil eye While I’m hanging out my window Hanging out my window 9.1.1. called overseer he assaulted My dog Hangin out my window out my window Cuffs Draws Slippers on Sirens going Cuz I was hanging out my window out my window 35 feds All ran Inside Downtown baby Said I gotta long ride for hanging out my window My window Asking me why It gotta be this way I told them young I wasn't having it today
4.
Looking 03:20
Look I took the deuce to the tre Uptown bound All in the fray Coletrane was the sound Naima your demeanor Was jih like strange Clutching your clutch I have a hunch that you Stuck Shook ones I'm wreaking havok Just by holding my lunch Please my eyes roll up While I'm suck in my teef But love stay out my mouth If you it feeling so peach All in my crease steamiest Pressed setting I swear that is thee All eyes is on me More pac in the streets Is it this flavor that you savor or This heat that you need Am I your thneed baby please Watching the swans as they sing The object of your desire cuz you up in my tea you Looking at me I'm looking at you You looking without looking Cuz you do not see But you keep (keep on) Looking at me And I keep looking at you While you looking And keep looking But Yo In the store for a bite Maybe Some vegan delights kombucha And a loofa And some sugar and spice But in my aisle you appear In the next one you there Try to ignore it but Before it gets to way too Weird Why you off the follow This ain't IG I ain't borrow No tuck and patti Hunters tryin n snare me Duppys trying to snuff me Barely I bear these dubs Up in my had Hibernating with the bands You Sherlock Holmes or sumpn Cop out you need some coffee and some dunkin Donuts no trucks You ain't yancey So slow up Soldier and nah test me All eyes is on me More pac in the streets Is it this flavor that you savor or This heat that you need Am I your thneed baby please Watching these birds as they sing The object of your desire swear that you fire cuz you up in my tea Cuz you keep looking at me I'm looking at you You looking without looking but you Looking at me Jesus let it be Move along people it ain't nothing to see but you study the ruddy buddy You just keep looking at me
5.
I slept deep Awakened straight out my dreams Deferred birds whirred Who worried boy not I be Plots I see but they can't take my free No lazy eyes wide open son and that's my three I'm snatching edges of the porcine crew no crips but they wear all blue No cap they place one aim pon you No stamps cuz they gazey be all fu Worse than a virus written on papyrus Constituted alliance to make us weird fruit but they can't have it I kept it cross these zooted plains I swept it neath overseers blood soaked reins I kept light bottled tight in my veins So I leapt in it made love in it Prayed three times a day In the sun with it Cut a step in it To my own detriment Even as we live with a fuccboi President but let's no set no precedence Cuz I'm a renew like it Say in the testaments Invested in pressing in Prayers through pestilence Propagated in my daily That's resonance Burning infernos internal Eternal reflectionS Hit Yasiin cuz that is definite MOS Young now you know we just magic So tragic Our light is so frightening to those in the dark That they seek on a constant to To monitor our actions these factions seek to Smother our sparks To choke out or lights So much so they try to make it look like it's a suicide caught on the camera Keep making excuses Objects appear criminal But the facts appear useless If you only obeyed Swallowed my pride tucked my joy ran and hide But naw y'all gon get this shine joy overflow like hydrants Grammas lemonade in the summertime Mad that my sauce in saucier than yours even though you stole ingredients and tried to sabotage mine We keep smiling no shuck no jiving Just living beyond these lines And we can't hide and we've decided That no matter how blinding That we can't stop shining So grab your spf for this excellence We outchea moving pass the desperate this melanin Don't crack we prestidigitate Voila muhfukka we gon be great Either jump on the wagon or stay back late we eating and creating Michelin starred plates So nah I ont owe you a thing It's above me now This love we vow For self gon keep us straight
6.
NI%$A PLEASE 05:08

about

living while black, an ep examining black life, joy, ptsd, genetic memory, and the unending necessity to exist as the other.

credits

released February 28, 2020

all songs written and produced by Kokayi for PHO13 MYUZIK.
mix and mastered at Mon Maison DC
art direction: URS MEDIA
photo: Jati Lindsay

Dawning contains a quote from James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni's conversation from SOUL! & Jason Reynolds' conversation at CreativeMornings DC.

NI%$A PLEASE contains portions of a conversation between my father and I.

Many thanks to Seshat, Phina, and Dahvi for loaning me out to the world and gifting me their time. My brother and sisters for their incessant support and to everyone that has ever purchased any art from me. I sincerely thank you.

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about

Kokayi D.C.

Preeminent Improvisational vocalist. 2023 Guggenheim Fellow. Grammy nominated artist, producer, author of You Are Ketchup and other fly music tales.

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