KWANZAA 50
Music & Lyrics written by Fanon Hill/ Published by Candlestick Freedom Publishing (ASCAP)

Intro:
Umoja, Umoja,
Kujichagulia,Ujima,
Ujaama
Nia,
Kuumba
Imani, Hey!

Verse 1:
In Angola, there lives a mighty river
The river Kwanzaa, flows just like our culture
Through our veins, in daytime and nighttime
Kwanzaa nourishes us in this time

From East Cleveland to Bahia
Where we dwell, we exhale Af-ri-ka
From the Gullah Islands to Grenada
The seven principles live, ASANTE Kwanzaa

CHORUS:
It’s smooth, so smooth
It’s smooth, so smooth
It’s smooth, so smooth,
It’s smooth, so smooth

Verse 2:
Like shea butter, on Ebony skin (ebony skin)
Our love for Kwanzaa shines outside in (outside in)
Yet I hear, doubters back chattin’
Tellin’ lies and brainwashin’

High John The Conqueror is mighty and coming (coming)
With John Henry, so ya better get runnin’ (runnin’)
Yes, Sophia Word is gonna come stalkin’
And Gullah Jack’s truth, you better be harkin’

Chorus:
It’s smooth ,so smooth
It’s smooth, so smooth
It’s smooth, so smooth,
It’s smooth, so smooth

Verse 3:
Now Movements come and movements go
50 years later, Kwanzaa’s still got its flow
If you didn’t check it before, baby
(Hmm), now you know

Protected by Kwanzaa continually
We stand here so poignantly
In possession of positive identity
Nguzo Saba serves tenaciously

Bridge:
Whose rock centers u (centers you)
Whose wind lifts you (lifts you)
Whose river cleanses you (cleanses you)
The river Kwanzaa, river Kwanzaa, river Kwanzaa

Whose remedy cools you (cools you)
Whose offering holds you (holds you)
Whose harvest restores you (restores you)
Kwanzaa 50, Kwanzaa 50, It’s Kwanzaa

[guitar solo with vocals]

Outro:
Heeeeey, Oh oh
It feels so good, It feels so good to have our own
From Angola to East Cleveland, I said now, From Baltimore to Canada
From here to there, from there to here.
Kwanzaa sunshine is soulful everywhere
We don’t need your approval to be no, the River Kwanzaa gave birth to me
Yaa Marquita, Paul Hill Jr., Baba Afi, Mama Alima
They gave me the culture that freed me
Liberation begins with culture
Culture frees me, culture frees me

(Breakdown with vocal chants, percussion and drums)