The Boy Who Played the Harp

Yeah

I some time's wonder "What would I do in a next generation?"

In 1940, if I was enlisted to fight for the nation

Or in 1960, the fire 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' woman 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 them to make me martyr

Would I really get 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

**** 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 some time's 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 on the occupation

My parents they wouldn't get that

The people that died for out 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 some times, I feel like I'm in dispair

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

Burn 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

They story of the boy who played the harp