There have been some amazing F64s (big up SB.TV for the initiative and a whole lot of hard work), but the one that really got people talking was Akala’s. I honestly can’t think of an example of a rapper dropping so much knowledge in such a short space of time. And the best thing is: it’s Akala – one of the most talented and widely-respected rappers on the scene! It’s not patronising, it’s not neeky, it’s not coming from someone who’s paid to ‘teach’ a curriculum full of irrelevant bullshit designed to put kids off learning; it’s just 100% relevant, interesting ideas from a guy who’s studied a lot and lived a lot and who loves humanity.

Thankfully Akala took pity on me when I told him I was going to transcribe the lyrics, and emailed them over. Here goes.

The lyrics for Akala’s F64

Sorry kids let me apologize before I go further
Unfortunately I don’t rap about how many man I have murdered
And you may find it boring appalling and I ain’t scoring braps
From your little rat packs for just stating facts
See I lack not the ability to murder man lyrically
I just thought that killing should not be glorified, silly me
Apparently murdering man has become an aspiration
But what would happen if you reversed the situation?
Every black rapper claiming he clap a black in the face, talked about killing white people as much, would he still get embraced?
Or would you find the applauding would quickly turn to appalling and you got no career here by the next morning
I ain’t saying you should do that, it is true that would be just as dumb
I am just pointing out how absurd it has become
If a Chinese rapper were to say die ‘Chink’ die
Everybody would be like ‘What is wrong with this guy?’

But some of us have become so accustomed to just behave disgusting
We think it’s just our behaviour and it ain’t worth discussion
Or worse yet that it is cultural expression
But who owns Baretta and who owns Smith and Wesson?
Who owns the car you’re driving that you think’s defining who you are
Running from yourself you’ll find there is no hiding
So you can boast about your Prada and your Christian Dior
Still security will follow you when you’re in the store
And you can boast about your platinum chains and your diamond rings
While kids in Sierra Leone keep on losing limbs
Act like you got no brain and you ain’t got no shame and say so what I am getting dough
But you’re pawns in a game
They are laughing at the little coons
Who really think they are goons
Real goons don’t wear platinum chains they wear ties and suits
They don’t live in estates and sell flake
They invade with guns and tanks and take your whole state mate
So pardon me if I don’t find it funny
You boast about it but do you even know what is money?

See it’s hard to act dumb when you have read a couple hundred books
But still in anybody’s hood so tell me who is shook?
When you have been to Brazil and stood in favela streets next to kids holding hand grenades and M16s when you come back to London it ain’t serious
The ghetto is in our heads
We are delirious
If you lived in a real slum without food or running water
Where police drive by and kill sons and daughters
You would give your right arm just to go to school
Instead what do we do?
The killer the trigger the play the fool

I ain’t saying school is the answer, educate yourself
See it’s not the money you make, you are the wealth

I ain’t saying we ain’t got a struggle right here in Britain
But you’re taught to act inferior and play position perfectly
It’s disturbing me, the verbal murder be absurd to me
It occurred to me if you have not heard of me
It’s probably because I do not rap about Gucci and booty
Quite enough for the urban scene to fully salute me
But I don’t really care, I’m too busy writing my master thesis
It’s hard to play the stereotype when you study Egypt
Plus urban scene we’re racist to ourselves
Elevating words of hate we’re merely hating ourselves
And if you are musically broad or dare to speak intelligent
People look at you like who the hell you think you are better than
I’m better than no-one on this earth and I know I’m not
But I refuse to play small just to fit in your box

And I don’t hate none of these other rappers
In fact it’s quite the other
Look at me as your bigger wiser older brother
And as a brother should I tell you you’re in trouble
If they clap when you’re talking of killing do they really love you?
If record label bosses kids were dying, would they sell us violence
As quickly as they are ready to desensitise us?
They tell you to shit on your floor while holding all the scoops
Then throw you a bone like a dog jumping through a hoop
Don’t take it as a compliment because it is not that
If I tell you that you’re African you tell me it’s not that
But humanity is African even if not black
The truth can be painful
Sshhh better stop that
It’s so inconvenient
For those at the top that you talk too much truth and you might just get popped at

And if women are such hoes that we do not want to kiss them
What does it say about us that we want to put our dick in?
I’m done with the lies third eye open wide I see the tougher that you act the weaker you really feel inside
So all the killer the trigger and when we call ourselves niggas
And want platinum chains bigger than jigga’s
It’s just to run from the fact that we feel insecure
Get as many things as you want but you cannot restore
The core of who you are truly that will surpass beauty
That comes from knowledge of yourself and a sense of duty
So all my brothers pretending that we are thugs
Know if we are honest we just want to be loved

But we feel that we are not worthy and that we are not smart
So we act aggressive to protect our fragile little hearts
But we’ve got to deal with this pain or it will consume
That’s enough honesty now lets resume…

Turn this off go back to rappers that tell you kill
But inside of yourself you know that this is real
Akala on sbtv DOUBLETHINK May 3rd check the CD
If you want a little knowledge bigger than college
I PROMISE YOU the metaphorics that will offer you solace like…

The Great Pyramid alone 2.3 million stones
If you took them apart and placed them in a row
They would stretch 2/3 way around the earth
That is more stone that there is in every single British church (put together)
Each one cut to a degree of accuracy of 1/1000 of an inch
Well what does that mean?
In 1978 the Japanese ran an experiment to rebuild them with modern technology and failed terribly

But anyway that’s enough for today.

Follow Akala on Twitter
Download ‘Doublethink’ on iTunes
See Akala on tour this autumn