See in school I used to wonder why
On the register Toby’s first name started with Alua
Or why Nathan’s name read out as Kofi every time he logged into the computer
And even though we friends
I wanna know how the hell did Oliwa Benga become
Ben ya see
Africans seem to get more creative the more ashamed they get and
That thing where people took it as a compliment when someone said “you don’t look African”
Well that never made no sense see I, love being an African in Britain
Guest visits, family we follow tradition listen
This is my culture
We save up to buy land and
Present things with our right hand
We’re taught to respect our ladies as we do our mothers
Our cousins as we do our brothers
I, hope my little sister never feels she has to use her middle name cause it sounds more English
Or feels she has to ignore her heritage to get a job and
Ticks British
See sometimes the pride comes from knowing what your name means and where it came from
You probably won’t see your name on a keychain or a song and
Microsoft might tell you you got your name wrong
But that red underline does not mean you’ve been undermined create history with the name you were given
And your story will be the one they write
See whether your name is
Quaekoo or Adik
To my African brothers stop pretending you have a name that’s English listen
I know they cussed you in lesson
But find out what your name means before you dismiss it then defend it
Cause your name is more than what they call you by
Every legacy needs a legend
I’m, proud of my name even if they are done with it
Cause there’s others getting killed for the colour that comes with it
I am, not going to sit here and lie see after this poem I’m gonna stop cussing name
Cause this is culture
We used to get at each other’s name in the village but
If any of the outsiders got involved, lord knows they’ll get it
I’ll defend my name to the finish listen I’ve heard it all I’m
Not going to sit here and pretend like I weren’t cussing names in school
Or, in the canteen telling man his name sounds like the drop it like it’s hot beat
No more telling man their name’s looking like when you’re laughing on twitter and you press the whole keypad
Or telling man their name needs an extra page on the passport I’m
Trying to be a better man
And definitely no more telling man their name sound like it was produced by Timbaland alright cool
That was the last one
See if you get my name wrong I won’t turn and flip but you better learn it quick cause there’s no English alternative
There’s no, “can I call you this?”
From a youth I’ve been a king at this cussing game
Not cause I’m rude, more because I had to I know my name has a heritage and meaning behind it I’m proud
So, forget what they called you in lesson
Whether it’s Quaekoo or Lekin
Tapiwa or Eben
Be proud of where your name came from
My African name
True