Anthony Joseph is a poet, novelist, academic and musician. He was born in T… Read Full Bio ↴Anthony Joseph is a poet, novelist, academic and musician. He was born in Trinidad, moving to the UK in 1989. He is the author of three collections of poetry and a novel, The African Origins of UFOs.

In 2004 Joseph was selected by renaissance one, Decibel and the Arts Council of England as one of fifty Black and Asian writers who have made major contributions to contemporary British literature, appearing in the historic Great Day photo. In 2005 he was selected as the British Council’s first Poet in residence at California State University, Los Angeles.

Joseph lectures in creative writing at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is a AHRC scholar and doctoral candidate at Goldsmiths College.

As a musician he has released three critically acclaimed albums with his band the Spasm band; all released to coincide with book publications. His debut album with the band, Leggo de Lion was released in 2007, and featured lyrics taken from his novel The African Origins of UFOs. Bird Head Son followed in 2009, with lyrics from the Bird Head Son collection. The band’s third album Rubber Orchestras was released in 2011, alongside a new collection of poems with the same title.

Joseph has also collaborated with several artists including Archie Shepp, Joseph Bowie, Laurent Garnier, Othello Molineaux, Malcolm Catto, Mop Mop, Robert Aaron, Roger Raspail, Keziah Jones and Jerry Dammers of the Specials as part of the Spatial AKA Orchestra.

Kezi
Anthony Joseph Lyrics

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Kezi is a woman have nine children an'she seven months pregnant with twins .
Police come in, they knock down the door while Kezi did gone to bathe.
And they find five children aged six months to eight in a wood shack that dilapidated and they charge poor Kezi with abandonment and give her: six months in jail.
And the people say "your honour have mercy please, the woman have nine mouth to feed".
But the people have no power "less they burn down a church and seize the power that they need.
And it have some who say that Kezi did bound to go down in the royal jail.
How you will have nine children and still want to make two more?
When you poor no arse and you cyar feed them,

What you making baby for?
What you making baby for?
You eh see how water passing where you squatting by the wharf, my Lord.
When rain fall is mud and jackass rat that eating out your baby mouth.
But you sit down on the courthouse steps and you cry and holding your head in your hand.
If was me a give you six months more and take them children away.
But the people have no power, so they plead and moan but the judge won't throw out the case.
Ms Hady and her two daughters one Sunday they walking, they coming up the highway and a big van jump and cut them right down only blood like marrow in the ground.
And the people call out for the justice and they down the government road cause the people have a right to break down the cage if they voices will not be heard.
Then murder in the hills up above the city
Gun pop look a youthman dead
Gun pop look a youthman dead...
A stray bullet pass and enter one house and shoot mother Mavis dead.
Now, Mavis was a woman that mind children, she feed them, she give them a home.
So the people call out for gun control but cocaine don't have no soul.
And the government still playing ego tricks and they want resistance to dead.
Is so things does go in a money city when some people can't touch the gold but even shanty town have satellite tv and the police making patrol.
But some police corrupt, they kidnap and steal they really don't give one fuck.
But the people have the power to burn down the town but they don't know the power that they got so, they get drag

Lord, tell me why it have so much things wrongs with this beautiful country.
Tell me why it have so much thing going wrong in the beautiful island...

Overall Meaning

The song Kezi by Anthony Joseph tells the story of a woman who has nine children and is seven months pregnant with twins. While she was bathing, the police come and knock down her door to find five of her children living in a dilapidated shack and charge her with abandonment. Kezi is sentenced to six months in jail which sparks outrage from the people who can't believe the decision. They plead with the judge for mercy, but the powerlessness of the people is evident as they cannot turn the tide.

The song highlights the issues faced by the poor in society who struggle to make ends meet and end up raising more children than they can afford. It underscores the need for justice and fair trials for all, regardless of their social status. Kezi is a representation of the countless mothers who struggle to raise their children in impoverished circumstances, but their efforts often go unnoticed or unwanted. The song highlights the frustration and hopelessness that people feel when they have no power to change their situation and the need to rise up for justice and action.

Line by Line Meaning

Kezi is a woman have nine children an'she seven months pregnant with twins .
Kezi is a mother who has nine children already and is currently seven months pregnant with twins.

Police come in, they knock down the door while Kezi did gone to bathe.
The police forcefully enter Kezi's home while she was taking a bath.

And they find five children aged six months to eight in a wood shack that dilapidated and they charge poor Kezi with abandonment and give her: six months in jail.
The police find five of Kezi's children living in poor conditions in a dilapidated wood shack, and charge her with child abandonment, sentencing her to six months in jail.

And the people say "your honour have mercy please, the woman have nine mouth to feed".
The people ask for mercy from the judge, highlighting the fact that Kezi has nine children to take care of.

But the people have no power "less they burn down a church and seize the power that they need.
The people feel powerless and the only way they believe they can make a change is through violent means.

And it have some who say that Kezi did bound to go down in the royal jail.
There are some who believe that Kezi was always destined to face time in jail.

How you will have nine children and still want to make two more? When you poor no arse and you cyar feed them, What you making baby for?
The singer questions Kezi's decision to have more children when she is already struggling to take care of the ones she has due to financial constraints.

You eh see how water passing where you squatting by the wharf, my Lord. When rain fall is mud and jackass rat that eating out your baby mouth.
The artist describes the unsanitary conditions that Kezi and her children are forced to live in, where water passes through their home during rainy days and jackass rats are eating out of the baby's mouth.

But you sit down on the courthouse steps and you cry and holding your head in your hand.
Despite her situation, Kezi is overwhelmed with emotion and cries on the steps of the courthouse.

If was me a give you six months more and take them children away.
The artist believes that if they were the judge, they would give Kezi an additional six months in jail and take away her children.

But the people have no power, so they plead and moan but the judge won't throw out the case.
The people do not have enough power to influence the judge's decision, despite their pleas.

Ms Hady and her two daughters one Sunday they walking, they coming up the highway and a big van jump and cut them right down only blood like marrow in the ground.
Ms. Hady and her two daughters were walking on the highway when they were hit by a van, resulting in their deaths and blood covering the ground.

And the people call out for the justice and they down the government road cause the people have a right to break down the cage if they voices will not be heard.
The people demand justice for the untimely deaths of Ms. Hady and her children and feel they have a right to use their voices to protest if the government does not listen.

Then murder in the hills up above the city Gun pop look a youthman dead Gun pop look a youthman dead...
Gun violence results in the death of a young man in the hills above the city.

A stray bullet pass and enter one house and shoot mother Mavis dead. Now, Mavis was a woman that mind children, she feed them, she give them a home.
An innocent woman, Mavis, is fatally shot inside her home by a stray bullet. Mavis was known for caring for children and providing a home for them.

So the people call out for gun control but cocaine don't have no soul.
The people demand gun control measures, but drug addiction is still a major issue in the community and contributes to violent incidents.

And the government still playing ego tricks and they want resistance to dead.
The government is more concerned with maintaining their power than addressing the needs and concerns of the people, leading some to call for resistance.

Is so things does go in a money city when some people can't touch the gold but even shanty town have satellite tv and the police making patrol.
In a city where wealth disparity is high, even those living in poverty have access to modern technology and the police continue to patrol the area.

But some police corrupt, they kidnap and steal they really don't give one fuck.
There are corrupt police officers who abuse their power and do not care about the well-being of the people they are supposed to protect.

But the people have the power to burn down the town but they don't know the power that they got so, they get drag
The people do have the power to create change, but their lack of knowledge regarding their own power leads them to inaction.

Lord, tell me why it have so much things wrongs with this beautiful country. Tell me why it have so much thing going wrong in the beautiful island...
The artist questions why there are so many issues and injustices in a country and island that is otherwise beautiful.

Writer(s): Anthony Joseph, Meshell Ndegeocello

Contributed by Liliana Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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