Paris Is Black

Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black So I'm black in Paris Where they think the future is yellow The Chinese know the roads But I'm like "What's yellow?" My friend used to live in the suburbs But he became "one of them" He no longer eats the same food He looks like a white And he also says the same things The police often stop me 'Cause I have dreadlocks My ID card's never enough for them Because of my skin color I often lose my temper The neighborhood guy told me "Paris is Black" Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black If I don't smile They call me "Papa" They don't know that I'm mad at everything The job applications I send out are ignored But I know I'm not the only one I'm in the city of fashion My natural hair isn't in fashion And my accent is out of fashion The men here prefer to hide me They say "It wouldn't be serious if it was in the States" But Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black The first time I went back to Africa My little brother asked me "What's Paris like?" I said "Paris is beautiful But Paris is Black" He asked me what that meant I said "You'll understand when you go there" 'Cause in Paris The taxis don't stop for us And in Paris Even the bread looks at us funny And in Paris There's the Eiffel Tower and the museums But we don't see them No We don't see them 'Cause in Paris We have work to do Paris It makes you crazy Paris It keeps you on your toes Paris It's a battleground [Chorus] Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Paris is Black Track from the album "Culture Clash"