One of the UK’s most recognised Hip Hop artists, Jahaziel, has been performing on the music scene for almost a decade. Here is his song entitled In My Neighbourhood.

Verse 1

Everyday another gun gets manufactured

Another man’s blasted

Some blame gangster rappers

I ain’t trying to say gangster rap’s the problem

But it don’t solve them and it keeps on revolving

And nothing won’t change lest we change

And if you wanna see change then be changed

And rearrange your thought pattern towards action

Cos if we do nothing then nothing what’s gonna happen

As for this thing we call rapping

Time to use in it’s true power and give the youth power

Cos death and life is found in the power of the tongue

and it’s not in the barrel of a gun

I’m shocked at how has become

Every coward’s got a gun and

They’re letting shots shower in the slum

Young soldier’s bling for gun culture

They the one’s dying

Who’s flying the guns over?

Chorus

It ain’t the way that I would wish it, but it’s just the way it is…

In My Neighbourhood

It’s not the way it should be, but it’s just the way they live…

In My Neighbourhood

Verse 2

I’m waving a white flag

Trying to make somebody aware and be like

‘Dag, how did we get here?’

Cos by this time next year another young buck

Loses the chance to breathe fresh air
That’s why I make tracks trying to catch your attention

Praying that my raps don’t fall on death ears

For sure, the real cure is prevention

And we don’t need to see a mother shed tears

How many funerals do we need?

How many families grieve and crying

Their son was too young to leave them

And some claim it’s a catch 22

Either get jacked by a crew or pack a 22

And that’s exactly what many do

That’s why so many of our youth never see 22

Now what we gonna do about it

As for me I’m a stand up on the roof and shout it

I’m a tell the truth about it

Chorus

It ain’t the way that I would wish it, but it’s just the way it is…

In My Neighbourhood

It’s not the way it should be, but it’s just the way they live…

In My Neighbourhood

Verse 3

See the words that I speak are sincere

It’s death that men fear

I know that life I’ve been there

If it wasn’t for the fact God filled me

I’d probably still be

Sticking up shops and robbing jewellery

Licking shots at the judge and jury

’cause they don’t understand

Why a brother got a gun in his hand

I’m a young man confined by limited chances

In a system that’s run by political gangsters

I see their gangster tactics

They got us paying taxes like it’s a protection racquet

But still, I’m the one who gets labelled as the thug they hate

For distributing them drugs they make

Man, I thought that it was much too late

I’ve gone too far

But God’s love was just too great

I drew faith from the bible pages

And truth loosed my mind out of iron cages

Listen…

Chorus

It ain’t the way that I would wish it, but it’s just the way it is…

In My Neighbourhood

It ain’t the way it should be, but it’s just the way they live…

In My Neighbourhood

Speaking:

It’s time for us to fight back with Peace man

Fight back man, by the Grace

And Let me hear you say

Silence the violence

Increase the peace

Silence the violence

Increase the peace

Silence the violence

Increase the peace

One life, one love

One life, one love

Her first CD has been widely featured in movies and TV shows.

Listen here

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This hunger wants sweetness
This ache, an ache for love
You’re everything that I want
And maybe that’s
What I’m afraid of
So when I lose my way
Please call me home I pray

(Chorus)
And fill me up
Fill me up
Fill me up
With your love
With your love

If I listen closely
You sing my soul’s lullaby
I cannot be without you
No more than earth the sky
And when I dream of this
Put your wish on my lips

You can read the words to the song below.

Sunshine trying to dry up these crying eyes

Trying to ruin my rainy day

And outside it’s a picture perfect blue sky

Mother nature’s singing in

The world’s in perfect harmony but

Chorus

I don’t wanna sing that song

And I don’t wanna hear those words

I just wanna carry on and cry for all I’m worth

I don’t feel alright

All I wanna do is hurt tonight

I could find a melody to help me move on

But I don’t wanna sing that song

I could smile

Could probably turn it on a dime

But I’d rather heal in my own time

And I could

Pull some vinyl

Spin myself a happy groove

I know that perfect tune but

It feels a little to soon

Repeat Chorus

I just need to clear my head

And make peace with this pain

Before I move on and let it go

Then I’ll get out of bed

Come out from behind these shades

Might even turn on my radio

Right now …

Repeat chorus

Don’t want the sunshine

Don’t want the blue skies

Lyrics:

I’ve got too much on my plate

Don’t have no time to be a decent lover

I hope it isn’t too late

Searching for the time that has gone so fast

The time that I thought would last My ever present past

I’ve got too much on my mind

I think of everything to be discovered

I hope there’s something to find

Searching for the timethat has gone so fast

The time that I thought would last

My ever present past

The things I think I did I did, I did, I did

The things I think I did When I was a kid

I couldn’t understand a word that they were saying

But still I hung around and took it all in

I wouldn’t join in with the games that they were playing

It went by, it went by, in a flash

It flew by, it flew by, in a flash

There’s far too much on my plate

Don’t have no time to be a decent lover

I hope it’s never too late

Searching for the time that has gone so fast

The time that I thought would last

My ever present past

The things I think I did I did, I did, I did

The things I think I did When I was a kid When I was a kid

Words

I’ve got too much on my plate: I have too much to do
Don’t have no time: I don’t have any time. (It is not correct to say “Don’t have no time” in English conversation.)
I hung around: I spent time with a person (or at a place).
I took it all in: I observed.
in a flash: very quickly.

Listen here

Verse 1
Like Kunta Kinte, I’m an African man, I’m black and proud
I’m golden brown, my nose is round!
See where I come from
It’s a beautiful struggle
To make ends meet, but you wouldn’t know
Coz my people glow
But don’t be mistaken,
What we’re saying is not about skin,
It’s what’s within that’s the real thing
So keep your head up no matter your background

You’re gonna break through
‘Coz, if God’s with you there’s nothing you can’t do!
You’re gonna make it!

Chorus
I’m gonna make it somehow
Just watch me now
Can’t hold me down

Verse 2
All my ghetto children,
If you’re listening, chase your dreams
Even if it seems too hard to achieve
Struggles will come your way,
You need to rise above them all
The journeys may seem long but the prize is worth it all
Don’t be discouraged I’m a living witness
Mountains can move
And faith can do what money can’t do
‘Coz God is watching, from a distance
You’ve caught His eye

Just walk with pride,
Hold your head up high

Please press the Play button to listen to it. You will need the Windows Media Player to hear it. Be patient. It may take a few seconds for the music to play.

You had to learn the hard way
What everybody kno
Y’know I hate to be the one
To say I told you so
You took the hard way
the hard way

The hardest way to go

Don’t forget I said it
Please take this tip from me
‘Cause I see where you’re headed
And that way lies misery
You took the hard way
the hard way
If only you could see.

Life could be so easy
And trouble was never too hard to find
It’ll find you in time
Life could be so easy
It don’t hafta be a losing game
Any fool will tell you the same

Advice is hard to swallow
From anybody else
But mine won’t ring so hollow
‘Cause I been there myself
I took the hard way
the hard way
So I wish you well.

Joy

You are the reason I have everything to live for
In the morning when I rise I lift my voice to you
I look to you Lord I lift my eyes
I give my day to you
Lord I thank you for who you are and all you’ve done for me
And you make me more than happy
What I have is everlasting

Hook

You give me joy, joy, joy unspeakable
Joy, joy, joy down in my soul

Some people don’t understand this new life change in me
They remember the former times and the girl I used to be
But who the Son sets free is oh so free indeed
And it makes me more than happy

Hook

You are the reason I have everything to live to for
And my heart is open, ready to receive so much more
And it makes me more than happy
What I have is everlasting

Hook

Joy unspeakable, full of glory, remarkable
Lord I thank you for my life, it’s so incredible
And I want you to know that it’s critical
Jesus is the best thing, He makes my heart sing

Written and Produced by Antonio Neal and Niyoki
Copyright and Publishing 2008