[Mos Def]

Against the canvas of the night

Appears a curious celestial phenomena

called Black Star, but what is it?



[Talib Kweli]

Black people unite and let's all get down

We got to have what? We got to have that love



[Mos Def]

What is the Black Star?

Is it the cat with the black shades, the black car?

Is it shinin from very far, to where you are?

It is commonplace and different

Intimate and distant

Fresher than an infant



[Talib Kweli]

Black, my family thick, like they're striped molasses

Star, on the rise, in the eyes of the masses

Black is the color of my true love's hair

Star's are bright, shining, hot balls of air



[Mos Def]

Black like my baby girl's stare

Black like the veil that the muslimina wear

Black like the planet that they fear, why they scared?

Black like the slave ship that later brought us here

Black like the cheeks that are roadways for tears

that leave black faces well traveled with years

Black like assassin crosshairs

Blacker than my granddaddy armchair

He never really got no time to chill there

Cause this life is warfare, warfare



[Talib Kweli]

Deep on the front lines, and blacks is all there

Black like the perception of who, on welfare

Black like faces at the bottom of the well

I've been there before

To bring the light and heat it up like