Music from Victony's song "Soweto"
I taught this wonderful book in 12th grade English class.
LYRICS:
Trevor Noah ‘bout to show ya what his life is,
Stayin’ alive in this apartheid crisis,
Hustlin’ in the hood, through the streets of Soweto,
The white man designing and then building black ghettos.
When others might perish, Trevor called upon laughter,
Even if right after, he might face disaster.
Slippin through identities to find human connection,
Called him the chameleon and he caught the attention.
Trevor recognized apartheid in every section,
Bring division, send the people in different directions.
You want to move higher? Gotta stomp on all you know,
Forget your people, kill your culture, time to let it go.
Identified with Black, but then treated as white,
Living as a color, never fully feelin’ right.
Exasperated daily by absurdities of livin’,
But thriving in the circumstances that his life was given.
CHORUS:
What’s it like to be Born a Crime,
Stand on shaky ground all the time, but
Don’t matter ‘cause it’s mama’s love that
Let this strong kid rise above.
We know Trevor drew life from his mother,
Even when death arrived ready to smother.
We talkin’ sacrifice, mama for a child,
Praying for his mind, even when times are wild.
Patricia, I can wish ya happiness and all the best,
But I know that you’d reiterate it’s all ‘cause you’ve been blessed
All the praying all the churches must’ve done something for Trevor,
‘Cause he grew into a man who’s makin’ millions being clever.
Situations, sad situations,
Racism built as a country’s foundation.
Gotta dismantle and destroy, we are able,
By bringin’ music on electronic turntables.
Trevor’s hustles leave a reader fascinated
DJ’in the street, even gettin’ educated:
Fast Trevor runnin’ to the front of the tuck shop,
Cheatin’ death and devastation at the minibus stop.
CHORUS:
What’s it like to be Born a Crime,
Stand on shaky ground all the time, but
Don’t matter ‘cause it’s mama’s love that
Let this strong kid rise above.
I felt the tension when he mentioned all the hatred,
Apartheid poisons everything I find sacred,
Trevor was seekin’ hope, maybe he could make it,
And if that’s true, then, maybe we could make it
Trevor, you did good, and we appreciate ya,
Wish I could meet you in person just to congratulate ya.
On every page it felt like you were running out of time,
But you made it through despite the fact that you were born a crime.