Askari

[Chorus]
A-S-K-A-R-I
They lust papes, we play nice
Soldiers in the empire
Violence plaguing our time
Wanna go home in a little
Bit of chrome by my middle
Patrolling a riddle
For, my enemy

[Verse 1]
Feelings don't mean nothing
From what I've seen in theatres of destruction
But these scenes aren't scripted
Nah, it was a con, that's why we were conscripted
If war's a theatre, we're the actors
Directed by colonial captors
They took control of where my fam lives
Forced us to chuck our own language in favour of theirs
What kind of slavery's heir is this hell we're in?
I'm seeing people bleeding, broken
Don't have a reason but for freedom we're hoping
But it's not for us, 'cos after this war we will still be stuck
Our lives in exchange for another buck
Collecting their spoils when the blood has stopped

[Chorus]
A-S-K-A-R-I
They lust papes, we play nice
Soldiers in the empire
Violence plaguing our time
Wanna go home in a little
Bit of chrome by my middle
Patrolling a riddle
For, my enemy

[Verse 2]
We were called upon
Pawns from across waters
Battalions transported on
Shores to be slaughtered from
Landmines and the first tanks, planes and automatic guns
Our bodies left out when the battle's done
No honour in the way we were abandoned
No slumber, up for days, while the ranking
Officer can't be seen like a phantom
This was his country's fight
Unaware if his country's right
Agency taken away by his country's might
One day we'll see the light, fam, it must be nice
From Eritrea to Ireland
India, Jamaica to Thailand
Finland, Brazil and Azerbaijan
Our fight will cease and we'll be rising
One day, yeah

[Chorus]
A-S-K-A-R-I
They lust papes, we play nice
Soldiers in the empire
Violence plaguing our time
Wanna go home in a little
Bit of chrome by my middle
Patrolling a riddle
For, my enemy

[Verse 3]
Fela says Zombie
Fellas are zombies
Fela says Zombie, fellas are zombies
Fela says Zombie
Fellas are zombies
British Army ain't just man in Abercrombie
No monuments to the colonies in Fondi
Viceroy, we ain't nice boys, you're wrong, b
Strongly advise against being a zombie

[Chorus]
A-S-K-A-R-I
They lust papes, we play nice
Soldiers in the empire
Violence plaguing our time
Wanna go home in a little
Bit of chrome by my middle
Patrolling a riddle
For, my enemy

[Chorus]
A-S-K-A-R-I
They lust papes, we play nice
Soldiers in the empire
Violence plaguing our time
Wanna go home in a little
Bit of chrome by my middle
Patrolling a riddle
For, my enemy

[Outro]
Hamid Idris Awate was an Askari
My great grandfather's were Askari