Sorry kids let me apologize before I go further Unfortunately I don't rap about how many man I have murdered And you may find it boring appalling and I ain't scoring braps From your little rat packs for just stating facts See I lack not the ability to murder man lyrically I just thought that killing should not be glorified, silly me Apparently murdering man has become an aspiration But what would happen if you reversed the situation? Every black rapper claiming he clap a black in the face, talked about killing white people as much, would he still get embraced? Or would you find the applauding would quickly turn to appalling and you got no career here by the next morning I ain't saying you should do that, it is true that would be just as dumb I am just pointing out how absurd it has become If a Chinese rapper were to say die 'Chink' die Everybody would be like 'What is wrong with this guy? '
But some of us have become so accustomed to just behave disgusting We think it's just our behaviour and it ain't worth discussion Or worse yet that it is cultural expression But who owns Baretta and who owns Smith and Wesson? Who owns the car you're driving that you think's defining who you are Running from yourself you'll find there is no hiding So you can boast about your Prada and your Christian Dior Still security will follow you when you're in the store And you can boast about your platinum chains and your diamond rings While kids in Sierra Leone keep on losing limbs Act like you got no brain and you ain't got no shame and say so what I am getting dough But you're pawns in a game They are laughing at the little coons Who really think they are goons Real goons don't wear platinum chains they wear ties and suits They don't live in estates and sell flake They invade with guns and tanks and take your whole state mate So pardon me if I don't find it funny You boast about it but do you even know what is money?
See it's hard to act dumb when you have read a couple hundred books But still in anybody's hood so tell me who is shook? When you have been to Brazil and stood in favela streets next to kids holding hand grenades and M16s when you come back to London it ain't serious The ghetto is in our heads We are delirious If you lived in a real slum without food or running water Where police drive by and kill sons and daughters You would give your right arm just to go to school Instead what do we do? The killer the trigger the play the fool
I ain't saying school is the answer, educate yourself See it's not the money you make, you are the wealth
I ain't saying we ain't got a struggle right here in Britain But you're taught to act inferior and play position perfectly It's disturbing me, the verbal murder be absurd to me It occurred to me if you have not heard of me It's probably because I do not rap about Gucci and booty Quite enough for the urban scene to fully salute me But I don't really care, I'm too busy writing my master thesis It's hard to play the stereotype when you study Egypt Plus urban scene we're racist to ourselves Elevating words of hate we're merely hating ourselves And if you are musically broad or dare to speak intelligent People look at you like who the hell you think you are better than I'm better than no-one on this earth and I know I'm not But I refuse to play small just to fit in your box
And I don't hate none of these other rappers In fact it's quite the other Look at me as your bigger wiser older brother And as a brother should I tell you you're in trouble If they clap when you're talking of killing do they really love you? If record label bosses kids were dying, would they sell us violence As quickly as they are ready to desensitise us? They tell you