Mwa
Let me paint a little picture . Come on let me take you to a river
Niger. Soft “g” like the “J” in pajama
Below the Sahel, we are in the Savanna
Okay this is where we'll start
With the Blacksmithing Iron Smelting people called the Nok.
Not spear chuckers, Nope they had daggers, plows, and swords.
Efficient tools led to surplus grains stored
Less time farming more time to make Weaving and sculptures
That they could trade Up and down the Niger it's like an interstate
So they joined villages to protect themselves from raids.
Squad up, raiders don't want drama.
This unity eventually led to the kingdom Ghana
Who controls the trade of gold From the mines of Wangara
With the meat preserving salt From the Sahara town Taghaza
Kings regulated trade of gold by owning all gold harder
Than the gold dust which was used like their dollar
Soldiers hired to protect and to expand the border
Governors ran the cities, Monarch hired scholars
To collect a tax On every single thing in kingdom bartered
Court was held every day to maintain the order
cn organized kingdom Of officials, traders, gold and warriors
Does this sound like the cfrica that you have heard of?
Medieval West cfrica: Ghana, Mali, Songhai
The truth is coming at ya Everything you thought is wrong right.
cll you heard was dirt poor people in huts
They built castles and had more gold than King Tut
Medieval West cfrica: Ghana, Mali, Songhai
The truth is coming at ya. Everything you thought is wrong right? /
cll you heard was Slaves and doing voodoo
They built colleges and libraries in Timbuktu
Okay, Lets talk about Mali
1240 Kumbi was taken by the Mande
Who controls the trade of gold Ghana's rule is declining,
Thanks to Umayyad Mali's religion - Islamic
I'm Mali's famous king Mansa Musa
I Made sure every soul in my land stayed true to
The teachings of the Prophet,
So Islamic knowledge Required
cnd taught to all people by tutors.
Mansa Musa so devout I took the Hajj, but not alone
I brought along a caravan
Of servants, Camels, that's not all
I got to Egypt with my crew July of 1324
I stole the show, I had in tow,
30,000 pounds of gold
People were in awe they saw,
This regal man as Black as Coal /
Jaws dropped to the floor When
Mansa Musa starts to throw Gold to the people
I didn't make it rain I made it snow
Did you know about this Dope Mali king on his throne?
Did you know about
Did you know about this Mali King on his throne
Gold to the people I didn't make it rain I made it snow
I didn't make it rain
I made it Snow!