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
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 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