Curious - I don't know an extraordinary amount in terms of historical knowledge, so for those were saying this song contains inaccuracies, care to elaborate? The "taught Greeks and Romans" line is the only thing I can spot out without doing my research, because uh, the Roman Empire ended way before Timbuktu existed and was doing all the good stuff it was. Even the Byzantine Empire, which he may very well have meant, was pretty much Christian, so I don't think they were anywhere near Timbuktu either.
Aside from that, I still love Nas, and this is a pretty great commercially-friendly song. At least he makes an effort to spread knowledge, and the inspirational bits come with good intentions. Just don't kick the wrong knowledge, Mr. Jones, because that's no good.
"It was empires in Africa called Kush
Timbuktu, where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans"
"It was empires in Africa called Kush
Timbuktu, where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans"
True, there was a Kingdom called Kush, and one called Timbuktu, however, Kush was not a center of learning, Timbuktu was, and Timbuktu was settled in the 10th century AD, long after Greeks and Romans and their respective empires had dimmed.
True, there was a Kingdom called Kush, and one called Timbuktu, however, Kush was not a center of learning, Timbuktu was, and Timbuktu was settled in the 10th century AD, long after Greeks and Romans and their respective empires had dimmed.
"Gold was converted to money it all changed
Money then became empowerment for Europeans"
"Gold was converted to money it all changed
Money then became empowerment for Europeans"
So, this part is confusing, if he means to say that no one had gold before...
So, this part is confusing, if he means to say that no one had gold before visiting Timbuktu, he's simply wrong. If he means to say that exaggerated stories of the wealth of Africa and Timbuktu spurred European interests in the continent, he is right.
"The Persian military invaded
They heard about the gold, the teachings, and everything sacred
Africa was almost robbed naked"
No, actually, the Persian military invaded long before, around the time of Darius, conquered Egypt (not for very long though, as I recall), and obviously, well before Timbuktu. As for robbing Africa naked, even if you redefine Africa to mean "Egypt" he is still wrong. The Persians did not rob Egypt naked since a poor conquered country would mean more support from the Persian stocks, and a poor and starving country was more likely to rebel, the Persians normally left things be.
"Slavery was money, so they began making slave ships"
Yes, this is true, but doesn't share much relation with anything else he's said so far.
"Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went
He was so shocked at the mountains with black faces
Shot up they nose to impose what basically
Still goes on today, you see?"
Seriously, is he actually saying the Alexander the Great somehow shot off the nose of the Sphinx? If Alexander had cannons, the world would be a much different place right now, haha.
So, there you go. Like I said, I like the message of pride and self-respect, but despise that Nas feels he has to revise history in order to give young black kids pride and self-respect. If you base these things on lies, I can't see anything good coming from it.
Curious - I don't know an extraordinary amount in terms of historical knowledge, so for those were saying this song contains inaccuracies, care to elaborate? The "taught Greeks and Romans" line is the only thing I can spot out without doing my research, because uh, the Roman Empire ended way before Timbuktu existed and was doing all the good stuff it was. Even the Byzantine Empire, which he may very well have meant, was pretty much Christian, so I don't think they were anywhere near Timbuktu either.
Aside from that, I still love Nas, and this is a pretty great commercially-friendly song. At least he makes an effort to spread knowledge, and the inspirational bits come with good intentions. Just don't kick the wrong knowledge, Mr. Jones, because that's no good.
"It was empires in Africa called Kush Timbuktu, where every race came to get books To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans"
"It was empires in Africa called Kush Timbuktu, where every race came to get books To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans"
True, there was a Kingdom called Kush, and one called Timbuktu, however, Kush was not a center of learning, Timbuktu was, and Timbuktu was settled in the 10th century AD, long after Greeks and Romans and their respective empires had dimmed.
True, there was a Kingdom called Kush, and one called Timbuktu, however, Kush was not a center of learning, Timbuktu was, and Timbuktu was settled in the 10th century AD, long after Greeks and Romans and their respective empires had dimmed.
"Gold was converted to money it all changed Money then became empowerment for Europeans"
"Gold was converted to money it all changed Money then became empowerment for Europeans"
So, this part is confusing, if he means to say that no one had gold before...
So, this part is confusing, if he means to say that no one had gold before visiting Timbuktu, he's simply wrong. If he means to say that exaggerated stories of the wealth of Africa and Timbuktu spurred European interests in the continent, he is right.
"The Persian military invaded They heard about the gold, the teachings, and everything sacred Africa was almost robbed naked"
No, actually, the Persian military invaded long before, around the time of Darius, conquered Egypt (not for very long though, as I recall), and obviously, well before Timbuktu. As for robbing Africa naked, even if you redefine Africa to mean "Egypt" he is still wrong. The Persians did not rob Egypt naked since a poor conquered country would mean more support from the Persian stocks, and a poor and starving country was more likely to rebel, the Persians normally left things be.
"Slavery was money, so they began making slave ships"
Yes, this is true, but doesn't share much relation with anything else he's said so far.
"Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went He was so shocked at the mountains with black faces Shot up they nose to impose what basically Still goes on today, you see?"
Seriously, is he actually saying the Alexander the Great somehow shot off the nose of the Sphinx? If Alexander had cannons, the world would be a much different place right now, haha.
So, there you go. Like I said, I like the message of pride and self-respect, but despise that Nas feels he has to revise history in order to give young black kids pride and self-respect. If you base these things on lies, I can't see anything good coming from it.