The Boy Who Played the Harp

[Verse] Yeah I sometimes wonder, "What would I do in a next generation?" In 1940, if I was enlisted to fight for the nation Or in 1960, if I had to fight for the rights of my people And laid down my life on the line so my grandkids could live a life that's peaceful Would I be on that? Would I be frontline? That's what I'm thinkin' If I was alive in the 1912 on the Titanic and it was sinkin' Who am I savin'? Am I fightin' women and children, or am I waitin'? I wonder, "What would I do in a next generation?" Battle of Karbala, if they captured me for the sake of my father Would I stand on my honour like Hussein did it, and tell thеm to make me martyr Would I really gеt smarter? Forgive my oppressor or stick to the creed? If I got locked inside like Nelson Mandela, but never was freed I see a white man dance to rumba, ain't study Patrice Lumumba But get on the stage and sing like Zumba Like, ja-ja-ja-ja, sumba Fuck it, I wonder, "What would I do in a next generation?" Would I fight for justice? Is it the reason my mum named me David? How can you be king? How can you be king? Don't speak for the people Them man try draw me out and compare like me and these niggas are equal I'm a Black man and this bozo sayin' my music socially conscious While the mandem troll the responses, this world's gone totally bonkers I sometimes wonder, "What would I do in a next generation?" But I'm knowin' the answer, 'cause what am I doin' in this generation? Afraid to speak cah I don't wanna risk it my occupation We got kids under occupation, my parents, they wouldn't get that The people that died for our freedom spoke on justice, couldn't accept that I talk by the money on all my accounts, so why don't I speak on the West Bank? Remember growin' up prejudice, the damage 7-7 did Extremist and terrorist, I was afraid of the Taliban Can't speak out on illegal settlers, now I'm afraid of a shadow-ban What would I do in a next generation? Critiquin' African leaders for sellin' our country's natural resources to the West for peanuts If they don't hear, they'll feel us I question what I'm alive for Now can you say you're alive if you ain't got somethin' you're willin' to die for? What am I willin' to die for? What am I doin' in this generation? I get in my head sometimes, I feel like I'm in despair That feelin' of total powerlessness, I get that sinkin' feelin' That good ain't defeatin' evil I put that pain on vinyl, but feel like that shit ain't movin' the needle Retweetin' people, raisin' awareness, in all fairness Ain't gonna bring Chris back to his parents But there's no other option, it's a process Gotta stand and protest cah they want man silenced Cah they want man dead or they want man hopeless In the next generation, I spoke with my ancestors in the night and I showed them They spoke with tears in their eyes for the brothers they lost and said it was progress "How can it be progress?" I asked him, confused, disgusted They said, "David, just so you can fight this, you know how much sufferin' touched us? And you got a chance, we come from a time and a place where you couldn't get justice Had to find peace in the fact that we all answer to the one what we trust in And in our generation, we did do peaceful protest, just like you Burnt buildings, just like you, did boycotts, just like you Sat in a hostel powerless, did feel powerless just like you And I know that it may sound strange, but we made some change and we're just like you I know that you question your character, I know that you suffer in silence I know that it don't feel right when you go to the club in Victoria Island 'Cause how can you dance in the club? There's a hundred people beggin' outside it I know the sins of your father, I know that you're desperate to fight them So step in your purpose, speak for your people, share all your secrets Expose your emotions, you might not see, but there's people that need it Never demand it, and if God can grant it, manifest it and receive it Your name is David, and that covenant sacred, you gotta promise you'll keep it" Deep it, let man talk on the ting, but I bleed it Man wanna speak on the scene, but I seen it Tried in the fire by Ghetts, I'm anointed Kano passed me the torch, I received it God told me I'm the one, I believed it Shout Hollowman 'cause he helped me achieve it I'm the youngest of my brothers, father eased the burden on our mothers Give these niggas money, see their colors Don't mix me with them, I'm not the one Grind and miss the summer, when it comes, I'm Abraham, I sacrifice the sun Where I'm from they sacrifice their son Hold up, I ain't finished, I ain't dumb My ancestors, my ancestors told me that my life is prophecy And it's not just me, it's a whole generation of people gradually makin' change There ain't a greater task Shift that, make a name, make a star They don't know what they're facin' when they ask With the will of David in my heart The story of the boy who played the harp