I didn't submit this in the marking thread, I don't need it marked (would never do this for an assessment task), but pretty much I wrote this rap for Creating and Presenting (just to mess with my English teacher, really) and decided to post it for your enjoyment
The text being studied for this unit is "Skin" xoxoxo
Verse 1
Kickin’ it in an apartheid government,
Attempted conformity, shaping my soul,
But you can’t fit a square peg
Into a round hole.
So around the edges I’m being bitten
And bent, splitting a cent as my Identity
Is written and told,
Since I was six years old!
“Brenden you’re white! Brenden you’re white!”
Nah man. I’m not white, I’m damaged.
No plight here man, I’m bandaged.
I didn’t ‘fit’ man, I managed.
As a coloured boy in a white man’s world
The Population Registration Act,
It smothered and curled
My edges. Til’ my trunks, round as trees’
I used to be right, but now; 360 degrees.
Maybe I’m tackling this from the wrong angle...
Chorus
All my life I’ve been trying to change
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been in the wrong lane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life, man, they drove me insane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
So as baas taps the counter, I’ll just remember
You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole,
No you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
Verse 2
So I’m adolescent age now,
Not a kid anymore,
Not tryna fit in now,
I’d rather drop dead on the floor,
It’s time now to settle the score,
Meddle some more,
With this shape.
I’m a hero with no cape,
Standing up to my father,
“Never give up”,
Baas, there’s nothing I’d rather
Do, than drink from the
White man’s cup
Kaffir, tell ‘em wassup.
Mmh. Now I’m gettin’ riled.
Sick of classifications: filed
Sick of skin colour, white black or
Mild? Edges being sanded,
Corners being filed,
Pressure and pressure,
It’s all being piled
Til’ I can’t take it anymore!
These cafe smiles, so fake,
I don’t fit in these, white waters,
Round as a lake,
I just have to escape:
The window!
I go for it – I fit, square!
Here I belong,
Freedom’s within range
All my life I’ve been trying to change
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been in the wrong lane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life, man, they drove me insane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
So as baas taps the counter, I’ll just remember
You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole,
No you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
Verse 3
Adulthood, but it’s too little, too late
Two kids, too much on my plate
A single dad with one lass and
One lad, now I’m forever writing rhymes
To my dead Dad.
And no matter how bad you treated me
I never stopped on needing you
That saying that you told us three
Yeah, it saw me through and through
But I just can’t blend Dad,
I stayed a parallelogram,
My heart won’t mend, Dad,
I stayed a hellish-working-man,
Now I’m stuck labouring,
In a sped-end job,
Unethically labelling,
The white baas Bob,
A bigot, a prick, a racist fucking bitch!
Just strap me to a chair, and flip the fucking switch!
I’m done with this; I hate it here!
Only media mics and newspapers, lending an ear!
Where’s the typewriter now, Dad?!
I’m all dead and buried!!
An ostracised life, how can it be cherished?!
I’m in a hole now Dad and it’s not round!
Written on my gravestone “Square” will be crowned!
God damn this life! And everybody in it
Racists rife, with one unstoppable limit.
But I’ve got news for you pricks,
You had me upside down,
I’m not a square, I’m a diamond,
You white-faced clowns
It’s just a real big pity, that you couldn’t fit it,
But I guess equality just isn’t with it.
It’s okay, I’m not here any more
6 feet under in my interpellated cage
It’s okay, can’t break any laws
Forever residing with my companion Rage
All my life I’ve been trying to change
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been in the wrong lane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life, man, they drove me insane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
So as baas taps the counter, I’ll just remember
You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole,
No you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
Verse 4
In the land of love,
There are no shades from above,
Minds pure as doves,
No big baas shoves.
Up here, the holes are well-greased,
I’ve now released, shaded bodies were for temp-lease
To my children, I’m sorry,
I just didn’t belong,
Though I know you’ll never hear it,
I wrote you this song,
It’s hard to imagine, what I’ve been through,
But I’ve done everything I can, to protect you two.
Society was just too holey, I couldn’t get in it
But from the Holy-Divine, you’re not meant to spin it
You won’t fit either, but I hope there’s no need,
Now that Mandala has planted the seed.
Maybe squares are circle and coexist,
Without circles putting squares into the abyss.
Just be careful ‘cause they’ll swallow you whole,
It’s just lucky that square pegs don’t fit into
Their round hole.
And if I could say one thing;
Then know who you are,
‘Cause a Kaffir can’t sing
Til’ he look to the stars.
It’ll be a long road,
But just stick on it
You belong with each other -
Just being honest.
So as I sign out now,
Children, I hope you know,
When staring at the sun,
Never give up until you see snow
All my life I’ve been trying to change
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been in the wrong lane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life, man, they drove me insane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
So as baas taps the counter, I’ll just remember
You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole,
No you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been trying to change
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life I’ve been in the wrong lane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
All my life, man, they drove me insane
But you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
So as baas taps the counter, I’ll just remember
You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole,
No you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole
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