King of Mixed Tapes

In an art class she schooled me on acid jazz, that high grade funk
She painted like it was the last night on earth, sure had imagination
Couldn’t tell if it was Matisse or a midnight summer’s dream, but oh
How she stood facing the wall with all that brown paper, she stood
On a ladder, stroke by stroke, painted with colors, blue, black, yellow
Red splotches, all aglow, then she would come down from her tower
Look over what she had done, you pretty little thing, you deserve it all
You belong some where else, where girls run free, paint on their faces
Up and down stair cases, chasing French boys, smoking skinny cigars

Call me the master of mixed tapes, I put a handle on you with my voice
Spitting words, Romeo, Romeo, Black Romeo, courting European girls
She was French American, her mother was French, she spoke American
I came on like an African, not like the ghetto boys working up a sweat
I spoke her language, like I’ve been to Paris, France, who was I kidding
My ass never left New York, but I picked up on it watching French movies
So like I made her a tape, put some shit on it like a d.j., I talked smack
Made it sound really nice, like ice, tape recorded some boogie music
Latin, Japanese, African, made it like it was something special she’d keep

So she makes me a mixed tape, talks up some shit about how it made her day
Got home with a bottle and wine glasses, sat there to listen to my mixed tape
Listening to her speak, she sounded like a white girl, winy and shit, but oh
Girl had class, she was French, her mother was French, she spoke American
She started off her tape with Latino music because I started mine with Latino
It was Eddie Palmieri singing Café, Tostao y Colao, I was chilling for real
She recorded some music then said some shit in that winy white girl voice
She had class, she was French, her mother was French, she spoke American
I read her poetry so she read me poetry, ended the tape with a salute to ho’s

I wouldn’t have called ‘em ho’s but I was dating a ho, whip bone ass
She had money in a stash, met her at my mother’s fiftieth birthday party
Swore she would have loved me right there on that carpet with all the elders
Trick was she wanted my Pappa, couldn’t have him so she came after me
Took a while but one night she had me at a hotel, it had been a long time
She lived with her man, could not get rid of him, so I would come over
Saturday nights she made a spread of ham, cheese and crackers, I’d walk in
As he was leaving we talked hockey, the Rangers were doing well then
We’d eat on up, then get into her bedroom and lose it, I mean lose it all night

I had the French girl come over for dinner, I was good at making her dinner
My ho, I came over Saturday nights, made her dinner, then we balled on up
Wasn’t sure why I wanted the French girl over for dinner, I wasn’t into her
She had class, she was French, her mother was French, she spoke American
My lover was going to a party at the United Nations, she wanted me to come
But I told her I was expecting the French girl, she left us by our lonesome
I played good, didn’t do nothing funny, just danced that white ass off some
She was so happy to be there, look on her face was like joy, dancing oh yeah
My lover’s man had left for good, I brought her into his room, like what for
Sure didn’t know what for, we were smoking some cigarettes, I pull up close
She backs me the fuck back, my lady gets home and she walks into her room

So it was the night of dinner I bought some shit to cook, she sat there quiet
I make everything good, French girl walks in with flowers, smiling and shit
That day she gave me a card “I’m looking forward to a legendary night”
We sat at the table, champagne, my lover liked champagne, glass after glass,
Dinner is ready, we sitting there eating plantains, okra and plantains, but oh
She was French, never could tell, she loved it, wrapped her lips over the fork
When it was over I put on some music, she wanted to dance, I wanted to
My lover wasn’t hearing it, she walked into her bedroom, I danced with her
The French girl and I were dancing, she was so happy to be there, dancing
I walked her out came back, my lover was like you wanted to fuck her
She had class, she was French, her mother was French, she spoke American