Branded by society
We bear the mark of the beast
Scars on wrists from hands cuffed tight
They see my skin and apply it to the stereotype
Condemned for the mistakes we make but would it be the same if we were white?
You won't see my point unless you open your eyes
You may think all we do is complain but have you lived a day in our lives?
Regardless of the beautiful colours, the world remains black and white
Regardless of the laws pa**ed there's still apartheid
It's like we have to work twice as hard to get to the same place as the other race
I'm not racist but I can't ignore what's in my face
You may read this and think I'm insane
But picture this and tell me if I'm out of place
I was in a room full of culture
White judge, white prosecutor
White jury deciding my future
Ethnic defendants including myself
Seems like equal opportunities were left on the shelf
Nobody to relate to the way we see the world
Uni students working hard to better themselves
Instead, wrong judgment lead to wrongful convictions
God knows it was the wrong decision but I always say things happen for a reason
Maybe what I've been through could inspire a nation
What I've seen in a short space of time is just a snippet of what's been happening throughout time
There's so much wrong with society but we choose to ignore it
Youths were scrutinised after the riots
But they chose to ignore what really sparked the flames
Police retaliated by kicking down doors the very next day
At no point did the government stop to think
'What is the problem and how can we solve it?'
Instead they put youths in jail for taking bottles of volvic
Is this the world we live in?
Is this the future for our generation?
They ignore our cries but react to our actions
Then they turn around and blame us
The truth is they don't give a f*ck.
But why should they?
The fact is, we don't help each other
We argue over nothing and end up k**ing each other
So why should the world think any better of us
They portray us as savages because at times we act like animals
But there comes a time where we must stop and reflect
Is there more to life than what we have right now?
Of course!
We can make a change but we need to figure out how
Rather than blaming society for keeping us down
Lets look within ourselves and elevate
Lets make a change before its too late
Success is only a moment away and we can get it if we act right today
Our future should always be better than our past
So lets look towards creating success that can actually last
Can I leave a legacy that future generations will see? We'll see.
I gladly speak for my brothers and place their burdens on me
Because the battle is not over until we are all free
Free from prejudice and the lack of equal opportunities
I pray the day will come when we can be at peace within this broken city.