Friends, Fans and Artists Must Meet …

“… which one are you, which one is me?” ~ Erykah Badu

I have been listening to a lot of Def Poetry lately on youtube and I am loving it. This is from Erykah Badu. Enjoy.

Friends, fans, artists must meet
Which one are you which one is me?
Friends, fans, and artist must meet
Which one are you which one are me?

FANS
God, please o please let her breath my way
If she sing my song today I can be ok
See I understand the message in the song she write
I was really happy for her when she won tonight

She a rebel for the struggle fightin’ just like me
I know she down to sing at the cookout, free
I was kinda dissappointed with the song she wrote
Went to her website wrote a long ass note

She done made a million dollars but she down to earth
She be rockin’ chuck taylors and a thrift sto’ purse
Signin’ autographs til the park was dark
I know it’s kinda hard when they luv ya art

In the magazines they be twistin’ up the facts
But her response was fair I like how she come back
She be sangin’ for the world sharin’ all her pain
When she fell up in the game she had changed

Fans, friends, artist must meet
Which one are you which one are me?

FRIENDS
Folk in the face like she ain’t da same
Still da same bitch she just changed her name
She don’t really like to hang around wit us no mo
Wasn’t nothin like that back in ’94
She be fallin’ in the spot wit a fat ass grin

Now she roll a benz she don’t need no friends
She only really made it cuz her skin is light
Don’t nobody really understand that shit she write

She done made a million dollars she can give us some
She be havin fun shit we wanna have fun
Seen her early in the morning looking bad as hell
Gon be lookin really funny when her shit don’t sell

Airport, bouta miss a flight
4 carry-ons talkin bout “pack light”
Oo please o please give da queen her tea
I only come to da show cuz I get in free

Friends, fans, artist must meet
Which one are you which one are me?
Fans, friends, and artist must meet
Which one are you?

ARTIST
Folk in ma face I’mma supastar
Niggers hang around cuz of who I are
Get alotta love cuz of wut I got
Say they happy for me, but they really not

Sell alotta records and I roll a benz
Fall up in the spot now I’m losin’ friends
All I wanna do is give da world my heart
Record label trynna make me compromise my art

Make a million dollars, make a million mo
Tax time come around still a nicca po’
I wanna say wait but I’m scared to ask
The world start spinnin’ and it’s movin’ fast

Try to stay sane it’s the price of fame
Spendin’ my life trynna numb the pain
I shake that load off and sing ma song
Liberate the mind and I go on home

~ Erykah Badu (Def Poetry) Season 2, Episode 2. Original Air Date: 28 June 2002