This page is referenced by:

• 1 2016-01-16T11:50:35-08:00 Roots & Hip Hop 48 structured_gallery 2016-04-27T20:45:04-07:00 What do Big Daddy Kane, A Tribe Called Quest, 2 Pac, Missy Elliot, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar have in common?  They and dozens of other rappers have lyrics that reference Alex Haley's Roots.  From Philadelphia's Lady B in 1979 to Atlanta's Future in the 2010s, hip hop artists keep returning to Roots with the expectation that their audiences will understand, or be encouraged to learn about, the reference.  Most recently, Kendrick Lamar's "King Kunta" turned LeVar Burton's character into royalty, while making both explicit references to the television series (“Everybody wanna cut the legs off him, Kunta”), and more subtle gestures towards the nourishing power of African-American history, culture, and traditions (Everybody wanna cut the legs off him / When you got the yams... (What's the yams?)).
  
  Here is a chronological list of hip hop songs that reference Kunta Kinite, Roots, and/or Alex Haley.  Thank you to Adam Bradley for sparking the idea for this page and to my research assistant Alexus Stewart for helping to compile this list.  Clicking on the song title will take you to the song lyrics at genius.com, while clicking on the "Video" link will take you to YouTube.  Please e-mail me at matthew.delmont[at]asu.edu if there are songs I have overlooked.  Please note that several of these songs have explicit lyrics.
  
  Lady B, “To The Beat Y’all” (1979)
  Said I've got more rhymes in the back of my mind
  Than Alex Haley's got cousins
  To the mack, to the mack
  To the front, to the back
  
  Marley Marl ft Big Daddy Kane, Craig G, Daddy Shane, “The Symphony Part II” (1988)
  Prepare for shoot bear, I'm knocking boots daily
  Fruits, I rip 'em out of their roots like Alex Haley
  Here I come straight to the mouth
  I'm kicking it slick
  
  Big Daddy Kane ft Gamilah Shabazz, “Who Am I” (1990)
  No freedom to vote, not even to make a decision
  I saw my peoples, sold raped and took out
  The rest of that stuff that Alex Haley talks about
  They said I'm not from Asia I'm from Africa
  And all the blacks there now are just scavengers
  
  Kool G. Rap ft. Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie & DJ Polo, “Erase Racism” (1990)
  In the days of slavery
  Some got to run away and many got done away
  Inferiority is what some men say
  But that shit played out with Kunta Kinte
  
  A Tribe Called Quest, "What?" (1991)
  What's Rasheed without Tonya, Tamika?
  What's Oran Juice and Doug E. Doug without Shaniqua?
  Not a not a not a, not a damn thing
  What's Duke Ellington without that swing?
  What's Alex Haley if it doesn't have roots?
  What's a weekend if you ain't knockin boots?
  What's a black nation, without black unity?
  What is a child who doesn't know puberty?
  
  Ice Cube, “No Vaseline” (1991)
  Now they got The Villain with a purse and high-heels
  So don't believe what Ren say
  Cause he's going out like Kunte Kinte
  But I got a whip for ya, Toby
  
  Sir Mix-a-Lot, “The Jack Back” (1991)
  It ain't done til the punk stops breathin;
  Watch Kunta Kinte get even!
  It goes like that when a brother stays strapped
  
  Wu-Tang Clan, “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’” (1993)
  [Ol' Dirty Bastard] Grab the microphone put strength to the bone
  DUH DUH DUH...enter the Wu-Tang zone
  Sure enough when I rock that stuff
  Huff? Puff? I'm gonna catch your bluff tuff
  Rough, kicking rhymes like Jim Kelly
  Or Alex Haley I'm a Mi-..Beetle Bailey rhymes
  Coming raw style, hardcore
  
  Coolio, “Hand On My Nutsac” (1993)
  My name ain't Alex Haley but I still got roots
  I bang bang bang to the air now ya dead
  
  Common, “Orange Pinneaple Juice” (1994)
  Steppin to me, with them dirty feets you'll get defeated
  Like Kunta Kinte, I'm kin to the Lynn crew
  My great, great, grandpap done been through
  So much it's in my hemoglobin to be a ill nigga
  
  2 Pac, ”My Own Style” (1996)
  I been rocking mics since Sergio Valenti
  Down for my people just like Kunta Kinte
  
  Fugees ft. John Forte & Omega, “Family Business” (1996)
  I think of old ghosts that ain't even here
  Like Alex Haley, take notes on this biography
  My family tree consists of street refugees
  A ghetto land where we talk slang
  Stolen cars bang like my chitty bang-bang sh-bang
  For the heads, we ain't sellin' cocaine today
  So refrain and let my family reign, okay
  
  O.G.C, “No Fear” (1996)
  But I'm on probation
  For knocking wack MC's out daily
  Plus I fly heads like comets from Alex Haley
  Now tell me, won't this fucking verse right here
  Turn a wack rappers day into his worst nightmare
  
  Busta Rhymes, “Rhymes Galore” (1997)
  Yo, yo yo, mayday mayday, mayday mayday
  Walk barefoot on niggas like Kunta Kinte
  (So, what you say?) What is you doin you walkin this way
  
  Ghostface Killah ft The Dramatics, “In the Rain (Wise)” (2000)
  We taught you how to get game, from sayin' "peace god"
  Islamic translates Allah's tounge, spit the language art
  Alex Haley thoughts, identical twin
  My A-Alike gasmate, the hay grows
  
  E-40, “Clown Wit It” (2000)
  They funky like Kunta Kinte own thang
  On my bike I'm ridin the fuckin rap game on the handle bars
  
  Too $hort, “U Stank” (2001)
  You see my pockets stay full, yours stay empty
  You say I look Kunta Kinte
  Blue black ain't shit jack, I'm blacker than that
  
  Soulja Slim, “My Jacket” (2001)
  I get through like a scalp blade and Kunta Kinte your left leg
  I play surgeon and I'll be splurging in Denalis, Navis, and big bourbons
  
  Missy Elliot, “Work It” (2002)
  Girls, girls, get that cash
  If it's 9 to 5 or shaking your ass
  Ain't no shame, ladies do your thing
  Just make sure you ahead of the game
  Just cause I got a lot of fame super
  Prince couldn't get me change my name papa
  Kunta Kinte a slave again, no sir
  Picture black Sam, oh yes a massa
  
  Kanye West ft Jay Z & J. Ivy, “Never Let Me Down” (2004)
  I'm not a miracle, I'm a heaven sent instrument
  My rhythmatic regiment navigates melodic notes
  For your soul and your mental
  That's why I'm instrumental, vibrations is what I'm into
  Yeah I need my loot by rent day
  But that ain't what gives me the heart of Kunta Kinte
  I'm trying to get us "us free" like Cinque
  
  MF Grimm, “Go Back” (2004)
  Brother and sisters are dying
  Forty acres and a mule
  Land was promised
  Forty lashes whipped so cruel
  Kunta Kinte is astonished
  For so long we slaved this earth
  But when time to get what's deserved
  You didn't read the fine print
  
  The Coup ft Black Thought & Talib Kweli, “My Favorite Mutiny” (2006)
  And read "put down the bottle and come get the gun"
  Let's get off the chain like Kunta Kinte with a MAC-10
  They want us gone like a dollar in a crack den
  
  Akon, “Shakedown” (2006)
  Dippin' European linen with the v-net
  Diamond studded vvs
  No less
  Kunta kinte bracelet
  Lit up the whole set
  
  MF Grimm, “Earth” (2007)
  I’m the original, researching like Alex Haley
  All's well in Hell, listen GM Grimm's fairy tale
  Get slick rewrite, script turn horror flick
  But murder scene for the police, we gonna edit it
  
  Lil Wayne, “Whip It” (2008)
  Okay new day new yay
  Then I whip it like Kunta Kinte
  I'm talking sugar talking dough like a beignet
  
  Lil Wayne Ft. Kidd Kidd, Mack Maine & Nicki Minaj “Thinking To Myself (Her Eyes)” (2009)
  No wraps on ma back, rah, whatcha name?
  I yell kunta rah kunta kinte
  With one foot off I still try to escape but who can I run to like escape
  
  Common ft Pharrell Williams, “Announcement” (2009)
  Freestyle paid off so Lincoln paid me
  Now we can push more whips than slavery
  Alex Haley of this rap shit, my roots is deep
  You heard the bitch in you, yeah I know what's beef
  
  Flo Rida, “R.O.O.T.S” (2009)
  Hey, still on my Kunta Kinte
  Somebody had to bleed just for me to get away
  My sister had to leave, I respect her staying safe
  
  The Game ft Rick Ross, “Maybach Dons” (2009)
  Run the place, take you straight back
  To Martin Luther roots
  Pistol never fail me, official Alex Haley
  Let me chill, cause my vision getting blurry
  Hailed as a boss, nailed to the cross
  Rose from the dead, that Rolls Royce cost
  
  Young Money ft. Nicki Minaj, Drake, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, “Finale” (2010)
  I'm in that cotton pickin' bent, put massa on the guts
  White on white whips, Kunta Kinte on the clutch
  You at the bottom of the pole, Totem
  
  Big Sean, “Supa Dupa” (2010)
  And I can make an insecure bitch feel super'
  Realest nigga ever - Kunta - Kinte
  Ultra - master - super – sensei
  
  Jeezy, “Rap Game” (2010)
  They like, "Young where you been?" Niggas acting like I got ghost
  Til' I came back in that black on black Phantom ghost
  Looking better the Picasso y'all should frame me
  Killing niggas Kunta Kinte y'all should hang me
  
  Meek Mill, “I’m Not A Rapper” (2010)
  I remember dog we used to be slaves
  Now we whip that white like it's Kunta Kinte
  
  Sway UK, "2nd Delivery” (2010)
  There's so many whips behind us
  I don't know if this is a slave ship or car show
  I talk a lot of shit
  I'm an asshole
  Anyway, Kunta Kinte, the O.G
  I told you mudasukas that my name's not tobi
  Put me back on my boat please, I wana see Kofi
  Annan, one hand up on the beach like oh see
  Chilling in the shades, and I ain't talkin Oakley
  
  Blu, “Fully Crack” (2012)
  This ain't about Kunta Kinta but the cunt I'm kin to
  On a wednesday I stay with a blunted mental
  
  8 Ball & MJG, “Baby Girl” (2012)
  We dip Tuesday be back in town by Wednesday
  Break a girl off that chain like Cunta Kintae
  
  YG, “Too Short” (2012)
  Young Kunta Kinte, I got chains and whips
  I'm in the bay getting paper, riding in the scraper
  
  Robb Bank$, “That Sound (Atlanta)” (2013)
  Jays on my feet
  Magnums on my meat
  Check my roots but still tip toed I know these Kunta Kinte jealous
  Fall in love but can't stand the way I had your bitch screamin
  When y'all seen me whip it
  
  Future ft Casino, Pharrell Williams & Pusha T, “Move That Dope” (2014)
  Servin' a new Maserati, in a brand new Maserati
  That's a whole lot of new money
  Snatch it, then hide it from the 12
  Movin' them squares and them bales, servin' the rawest of yayo
  Beating that china like Kunta Kinte
  
  Doe B, ”I remember (Intro)” (2014)
  We don’t know nothing else that’s how we get our rent paid
  I was working like a slave, call me Kunta Kinte
  Caught the chain in the whip and went and got my shit sprayed
  
  Kidd Kidd, “Die For” (2014)
  Which leg get Kunta Kinte, which rapper ditch imma dig today?
  N/A when it come to the name, not available when the phone ring, that's about caine
  
  Wu-Tang Clan, “Crushed Egos” (2014)
  A neighbor illustrated Alex Haley with paper
  Waves spinnin' like the Titanic, come take a float on
  Silky like King Henry VIII’s robe in late spring
  
  Young Thug, “Should I” (2014)
  Yeah your boy trending topic
  I'll go stompin' like Kunta la Kinte
  
  Sean Price, “Hot Breath” (2015)
  Cry Freedom like Kunta Kinte with one foot (Ruste)
  Type far when I write, Sean crazy
  Never catch my daughter with a white doll baby
  
  Kendrick Lamar, “King Kunta” (2015)
  Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
  Now I run the game got the whole world talkin', King Kunta
  Everybody wanna cut the legs off him, Kunta
  Black man taking no losses, oh yeah
  Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
  Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin', King Kunta
  Everybody wanna cut the legs off him
  When you got the yams... (What's the yams?)