Identity [Song]

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe
IDENTITY
By Rikki Jai

The bogey of race stares me in my face anywhere I go
Like a time bomb ticking, waiting to explode
But as an East Indian Trinbagonian, I want you know
Here's where I stand in that scenario
When I sing Hindi and I sing chutney, that's my heritage
East Indian drums echo from a land outside of my sight
But when I sing kaiso and I sing soca, that's my privilege
My blood, my sweat, my joy and my copyright

'Cause I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I'm a chutney champion, all of that is me
And I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I create my music in English and Hindi.
But I'm a freedom fighter with both my guns aglow
You see I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso
I want the world to know
I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.

Let the record show that this Trinbago, which I love so dear
It has well prepared me to go anywhere
But as I walk the earth, I does feel so hurt 'cause I'm well aware
The racist bogey still prevalent out there
In Trinidad we got such a melting pot to appreciate
'Cause we are a microcosm of the whole world
Things like tolerance, I must advance, not bias or hate
I will never see light through a crack or a pigeon hole.

'Cause I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I'm a chutney champion, all of that is me
And I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I create my music in English and Hindi.
But I'm a freedom fighter with both my guns aglow
So I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
Sparrow tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.

There a pride I feel that words can't reveal
But if you're sensitive, you will feel it flowing,
I won't have to tell
I walk off my job just to join this club, my all to give
To be an international chantuelle
I'm no hit and miss, fly by night artist, but a committed soul
Ent Ato Boldon does run the one and the two?
Likewise with my chutney and my soca guns
I'm attacking them twofold
And every laurel I win, you know I win it for you.

'Cause I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I'm a chutney champion, all of that is me
And I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I create my music in English and Hindi.
But I'm a freedom fighter with both my guns aglow
So I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
Sparrow tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.

Examine this world, there's some special souls who transcend their race
Despite eyes or hair or country of their birth
Their philosophy and humanity defies time and space
The whole planet feels their influence and their worth
Let me imitate, I must emulate, all these great examples
Of men who teach the world we are one before God
Through my chutney songs and my calypsos, let me touch my people
So my worth could be measured in gold for the road I trod.

'Cause I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I'm a chutney champion, all of that is me
And I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I create my music in English and Hindi.
But I'm a freedom fighter with both my guns aglow
So I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
Kitchy tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.

'Cause I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I'm a chutney champion, all of that is me
And I'm a Trinbagonian, I'm a born Trini
I create my music in English and Hindi.
But I'm a freedom fighter with both my guns aglow
So I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
Sparrow tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
Kitchy tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
Stalin tell me so,
He say to blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
Sundar tell me so,
He say blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
I want you know,
Ah blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
Tell the world I say,
I blazing a trail in chutney and calypso.
I want the world to know,
I go blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
All for Trinbago,
I go blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.
I want the world to know,
I go blaze a trail in chutney and calypso.....

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rikki Jai!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare