Africa Dream
Talib Kweli · Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek: Train of Thought [2000]
If you can talk you can sing
If you can walk you can dance
That's an old proverb from Zimbabwe
You know what I mean
If you can talk you can sing
If you can walk you can dance
Yeah, and the trumpet is blown
Yeah, alright, C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Alright, Wooh!
(Talking)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh, one more time
Yo, anybody can tell you how it is
What we putting down right here is how it is and how it could be
Reflection Eternal for real
And with that-
These cats is no match
Plus they lack a certain knack for rapping
Chasing but they never catch the wagon
Like rerunning what's hap'ning
Since back when
They had potty issues and snotty tissues, we been rockin'
Think you poppin' next year nobody will miss you
My thoughts is too advanced for the artists on these labels
They come sweeter than sabal and softer than mashed potatoes
I tried to told you the rhymes run over emcees like Land Rovers
Took 'em back in time like Sankofa, Sankofa.
We stand over the Atlantic, looking broad like a man's shoulders
The fire is trapped in a belly, ready to pop like canned soda
We outlasting, from middle passage
Touched down in New York
Cincinnatay! Big Ohio status what you thought
Money it's classic these bastards try to treat us like cattle
So life has been a constant battle, battle
Rising above the crabs in the barrel
Way too used to living in death's shadow
We stay on point like the best arrow, arrow
We hit the target accurate
Star shit, back it up
When we hit town, y'all niggas pack it up
That's how we get down, straight smash it up
Like a whip, hydroplaning
Hydro on the brain and maintaining
Game changing into subtle shit, we remain blatant
Yo, got to tell you to your face
You get replaced in this game, by Kweli
Place the face with the name
These cats drink champagne and toast to death and pain
Like slaves on a ship talking about who got the flyest chain
(Talking)
Yo, we the reflection of our ancestors
We'd like to thank you for the building blocks you left us
Cause your spirit possessed us
Yo, you blessed us
Thank you very much (7x)
Yo, we the reflection of our ancestors
We'd like to thank you for the building blocks you left us
Cause your spirit possessed us
Yo, you blessed us
Thank you very much
God bless you (7x)
Africa Dream
Talib Kweli's 'Africa Dream' stands as a defining track from the collaborative album Train of Thought, released in 2000 alongside Hi-Tek. The song exemplifies the duo's signature blend of conscious lyricism and smooth, soulful production, characteristic of the East Coast hip-hop scene of the early 2000s. Kweli's verses deliver a reflective narrative on the complexities of identity and global connection, delivered with his signature cadence and social awareness. The recording features a melodic, atmospheric backdrop that complements the introspective tone of the lyrics, distinguishing it from the more aggressive tracks often associated with the duo's discography. As a key component of their collaborative body of work, the track remains a notable example of Kweli's ability to merge political commentary with accessible, groove-oriented music during a pivotal era in hip-hop history.