Biggie Smalls meets Fannie Lou Hamer
Fannie Lou: Son, I heard your song on the celestial radio earlier.
Biggie: Which one?
Fannie Lou: I don’t really recall, son. I’m not a fan but it had words in it that echoed something that happened in my life.
Biggie: What words were those?
Fannie Lou: fat, black and as ugly as ever
Biggie: How does that echo your life?
Fannie Lou: Well, it’s evident that you haven’t seen a picture of me but I’m not that lil halle girl…and I don’t want to be.
Biggie: I love it when you call me big poppa
Fannie Lou: what was that, son?
Biggie: Uh…nuttin…just a lil left over from life – so tell me your story…
Fannie Lou: I was a sharecropper…
Biggie: Huh?
Fannie Lou: A sharecropper – that means I worked the earth that someone else owned and that someone, in addition to owning the land, reaped the benefit of my labor.
Biggie: Baby Baby
Biggie: Owwww…man, Pac, why you hit me for? We done settled our beef!
Pac: Her name might not be Voletta but that lady right there is your mama and a heroine of black life so you better show her some respect.
Biggie: Damn why he wanna hit me with a paper? Damn why he wanna hit me with a paper?
Fannie Lou: You ready to listen, now, son?
Biggie: Yes, Ma’am
Fannie Lou: As I said, I was a sharecropper and I got involved in the struggle for civil rights. The owner of the land I worked didn’t like that I was starting to speak for me and mine. He called the Sheriff on me. When the Sheriff came, he told that I may be struggling to vote and all of that but I was still “fat, black and ugly as ever”. Then he evicted me from the land. When I heard your song, it reminded me of that.
Biggie: Baby…Ok Ok Ok, Pac, I’m done. So, Mrs. Hamer, how did you feel about that?
Fannie Lou: Well, as I was known to say, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired but I didn’t go looking for a gun and I didn’t internalize his language or his understanding of me…I just went to church and sang my favourite song…loud and clear…
Biggie: what was your favorite song?
Fannie Lou: This Little Light of Mine
Biggie: How does that go?
Fannie Lou: (begins to sing)
This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
Ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Ev'ry where I go
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
All in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, all in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
All in my house
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
Hallelujah
I'm not going to make it shine
I'm just going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
Biggie: That was hot, Mrs. Hamer. Hey Pac, maybe we can add a beat box beat to it and send it on back down with one of the muses…Maybe Nas can work it…
© 2005 Tichaona M. Chinyelu
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