She taught Ella and Billie Holliday how to sing.
She made Miles Davis cool and taught Duke how to swing.
She gave Malcolm his X and made Martin a king.
Without her Michael Jordan wouldn’t have six rings!

Will you marry my daughter?

She gave Nat Turner his fire and gave birth to Denmark Vesey.
She taught her children how to survive in the aftermath of Plessy.
She put the soul in James Brown and taught every rhyme to Jesse.
Without her we wouldn’t know how to enjoy a blessing.

Will you marry my daughter?

She has raised Senators and nursed Presidents.
From her Josephine Baker inherited her elegance.
With some folk’s lunch money she can buy groceries and pay the rent.
She’s never been broken although she’s been bent.

Will you marry my daughter?

She gave real meaning to, “In God we trust.”
She’s the one who wouldn’t give up her seat on the bus.
She went to church every Sunday and would never cuss.
She picked up the pieces and held the family together after every bust.

Will you marry my daughter?

She taught Angela Davis how to sport that ‘Fro.
She gave the ability to run that ball to Bo.
She taught Tupac how to spit and taught Biggie how to flo.
Without her we would have never survived Jim Crow.

Will you marry my daughter?

She brought every brother in this joint into this life.
She equipped her children to survive America’s hardship and strife.
She herself survived the rapes sometimes at the point of the knife,
...and now she’s not good enough to be your wife?

Will you marry my daughter?