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Top Songs By Janet Jackson
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Janet Jackson
Background Vocals
Average White Band
Sampled Artist
Chuck D
Rap
Kool & The Gang
Sampled Artist
Stevie Wonder
Sampled Artist
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Janet Jackson
Songwriter
Terry Lewis
Songwriter
Carlton Ridenhour
Songwriter
Claydes Smith
Songwriter
Dennis Ronald Thomas
Songwriter
Gene Redd
Songwriter
George Brown
Songwriter
James Harris
Songwriter
Ricky Westfield
Songwriter
Robert Bell
Songwriter
Robert Spike Mickens
Songwriter
Ronald Bell
Songwriter
Stevie Wonder
Songwriter
W. Sparrow
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Janet Jackson
Producer
Jimmy Jam
Producer
Terry Lewis
Producer
Dave Rideau
Mixing Engineer
Steve Hodge
Mixing Engineer
Lyrics
It ain't nothin' but an us thing
And it's time for us to step it up and respect
That level of sisterhood that's been holdin' up our neighborhood
And if it wasn't for our mothers there would be no brothers
And if it wasn't for our sisters there would be no misters
So it ain't nothing but an us thing
She's strong and that's a fact
Not it's time for us to take up the slack
Step it up, step it up time to go to work
History hidden from me
To hide my identity
So i'd never feel
I am somebody
You've gouged my eyes
I see more clearly
You've tried to rub me of my humanity
My spirit you tried to break
My soul you tried to take
There's no need to be afraid
"cause i won't do unto you now
Chorus:
Amen
All that we've been through
Our time has come to rejoice
A new agenda's due
Amen
It's time to know the truth
Our time has come to rejoice
A new agenda's due
Because of my gender
I've heard "no" too many times
Because of my race
I've heard "no" to many times
But with every "no" i grow in strength
That is why
African american women
I stand tall with pride
You want to know what it takes
To rid yourself of me now
There's nothing you can do
Accept me for who i am now
Repeat chorus
Time to step it up, step it up
Better check yourself
I got vexed to protect what we got
Left her alone
Lookin' for your own
Here it is i know what i'm sayin'
But the klan ain't playin' at the range
Gotta step it up us to a discuss a must
It ain't nothin' but an us thing
Rewind back to the time
Where the color of our mother
Had 'em call it a crime
Brother what in the world?
And the world says where in the black man
Support the women and the children
Time to step it up, step it up, it's play off time
And the rhyme go to check, so check yourself
Repeat chorus
Writer(s): Gene C. Redd, Richard Allen Westfield, Terry Steven Lewis, James Samuel Harris Iii, Stevie Wonder, Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, George Melvin Brown, Claydes Eugene Smith, Dennis Thomas, Woodrow Sparrow, Robert Earl Bell, Janet Jackson, Robert Spike Mickens, Ronald N. Bell
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