George The Poet - Can I Have A Word? lyrics

I am my brother's keeper Cos hate is deep but love is deeper Everything we've been through is a crying shame but We're living proof Stephen didn't die in vain. We Run our own businesses and go to university, Ra- Shid makes his decisions, most of you have heard of me be- Cause I've expressed some views that weren't unheard. That's got Nothing to do with the fact I use a certain word. Many Of us live in a world where bigger dreams suffer I was given a world where "n******g" means "brother" and That felt good so I kept this recognition but Someone else wants to use it for evil and You're telling me to accept his definition? But mine's as natural as flight to a bird and since When did anyone own the right to a word? We're All standing on the verge of a great schism it's a Word that creates division, relates to prison but in- Stead of embracing its brotherly connotations You want me to preserve it in racism? I Can't expect you to have the same response as me so I Guess I need to use it more responsibly. Cos If You don't like it that's cool it's your opinion. But That doesn't make me foolish or a minion When we're talking fact you have to draw the line otherwise You're saying your belief matters more than mine Words change meaning all the time, from one extreme to the Other, sometimes it ain't even borderline. Like Why is it rude to use the word "spastic"? It Started as a name for a medical condition, now it's "Rude". And why is that a credible position? This Isn't making no sense. I had no say in the de- Cision-making process, maybe I'll stick to the Definition from which it originates in protest People started using it offensively then eventual- Ly the rest of them could see the abuse in it potentially cos Meaning depends on context Granted it's still slightly complex. But Don't minimise me to some brainless follower with his Mouth wide open looking dim. It's Easy to over-simplify the issue when you're standing on the Outside scoping looking in. The World I'm living in is not at all delusion if you Take what I'm saying to its logical conclusion In 30 years this word we hear's gonna con- Note brotherhood, it's not about other-hood. In Fact it reminds me how much I love the hood! See: as slang it's bringing out the pa**ion. & we Know what slang does -- it goes in & out of fashion. This Version allows it to go in & out potentially Derogatorily that word's been around for centuries & we finally got it to simmer down eventually Isn't it up to us to reconsider how it's meant to be? It's not right to throw it in your face & I wouldn't expect you to condone it in your space but it's Up to a new type of use to fix this. Or should Christians stop wearing crucifixes? If we Redefine something that was made to persecute How does that make us any worse than you? You Can't make me feel what you feel by force but it Might be hard to hear me when you're on a high horse. I look After my people, I work hard for my people cos that's Closer to my heart than the Hollister bird. It's Unrealistic and counterproductive for You to insist that we abolish the word If you heard me out and you still ain't convinced either Way you made the right choice, fam, you listened But racists will always be racist () and I Ain't tryna give them any more ammunition Everyone told me "George leave it alone" but I Gotta push this one to sink right through. You Might think I only use the word cos I'm stupid but Maybe I'm smart enough not to think like you Sentiment over semantics