George the Poet - Can I Have A Word?

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 "nigger" 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 passion. & 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