After relocating to Hamburg in 2003, Nneka has been working closely with the hip hop beatmaker DJ Farhot. As a young singer she first gained public attention in 2004 while performing as an opening act for dancehall reggae star Sean Paul at Hamburg Stadtpark. After much acclaim, Nneka released her debut EP The Uncomfortable Truth with the music label Yo Mama's Recording Company after which she performed on her first tour with Patrice, playing shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
She finished recording her first album in the autumn of 2005. Entitled Victim of Truth. Garnering rave reviews from the media, the UK's Sunday Times later declared it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album”, comparing it favourably to 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'.
In February 2008, she released her second album, No Longer at Ease. The title of the album is taken from a novel of the same name by Chinua Achebe and reflects the lyrical content of the record. Most of the songs are political, talking about the plight of the Niger Delta and the corruption in Nneka’s homeland. “No Longer at Ease” combines the political and the personal in “a winning mix of soul, hip-hop an reggae”. The lead single from it, "Heartbeat", became her first song to break into the German Top 50.
In November 2009, Nneka staged her first concert tour of the United States where she performed shows in New York City, Vienna (Washington DC), Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Furthermore she was a special guest on The Roots Jam session. Her first US release Concrete Jungle was set for 2 February 2010.
Nneka recorded her last album Soul Is Heavy in Nigeria. She also co-founded a charity foundation called the "ROPE foundation" with Genda, Ahmed Nyei from Sierra Leone. She has worked extensively in charity and arts with the foundation in Sierra Leone. Nneka has also worked with Reebok and her track "Shinning" topped global charts in 2013.
Believe System
Nneka Lyrics
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Help me to recall my worth
Oh see me as I am running these miles
Help me to remember my home
Been gone for so long
Been running too long
I've been a slave to your system
I'll be coming home, don't you stop me now
I'll be going home, you all that I know
Back to Africa to you my love
A slave to the nation
Your mental malnutrition
Stuck in a system of lies and deceit
Oh who we are and what we have become
So close to God and yet we're so far gone
Now tell me was it your fault
when we were running hustling in a distant land
I know how it feels
Mental prejudice
Mental addition
So far gone that I lost my soul
I've been a stranger
In a distance land
I'll be coming home, don't you stop me now
I'll be going home, you're all that I know
Back to Africa to you my love
I'll be coming home, I'll be coming home
Back to Africa to you my love
I'll be coming home, you're all that I know
Back to Africa to you my love
My love, my love to you Africa
All my love to you
See, been hustling in a distant land
I don't see too much
I'm free, I'll be coming home
Prepare egusi, okro, stock fish for me
'Cause I been suffering too long
The lyrics of Nneka's song "Believe System" convey a yearning for self-awareness and a desire to return to one's roots. The opening line "Help me to remember the difference, Help me to recall my worth" represents the need for guidance to recognize one's worth and potential, which might have been lost due to being in a foreign land or getting lost in the "system." The plea to "see me as I am running these miles" hints at the artist's desire to be recognized for her efforts while running the metaphorical race of life.
The line "I've been a slave to your system" speaks to the colonization and exploitation of Africa by European powers, and the artist's identification with African slaves who were taken away to work in distant lands. The lyrics "Back to Africa to you my love" represent a return to a sense of belonging, as the artist calls her beloved Africa her home. Through this, the song raises the idea of African unity, cultural identity and the influences of mental racism.
Line by Line Meaning
Help me to remember the difference
Assist me in recalling the distinction.
Help me to recall my worth
Assist me in remembering my value.
Oh see me as I am running these miles
Observe me as I am travelling long distances.
Help me to remember my home
Assist me in recalling my place of origin.
Been gone for so long
I have been away for a prolonged period of time.
Been running too long
I have been travelling excessively for too long.
I've been a slave to your system
I have been under your oppressive regime.
In a distance land
In a far-off country.
I'll be coming home, don't you stop me now
I am returning to my roots, do not hinder me.
I'll be going home, you all that I know
My hometown is all that I know.
Back to Africa to you my love
Returning to Africa, my beloved home.
A slave to the nation
Enslaved to the government.
Your mental malnutrition
Your flawed mentality.
Stuck in a system of lies and deceit
Trapped in a compromising, dishonest system.
Oh who we are and what we have become
We have lost our identity and value.
So close to God and yet we're so far gone
We are supposed to be spiritually connected, but we have disconnected.
Now tell me was it your fault
Was it your responsibility?
when we were running hustling in a distant land
When we were running and struggling in a foreign land.
I know how it feels
I understand the pain.
Mental prejudice
Discrimination based on mentality.
Mental addition
Addiction to mental stimulation.
So far gone that I lost my soul
I have drifted so far away that I have lost my essence.
I've been a stranger
I have been unaccustomed.
I'll be coming home, you're all that I know
I am returning home to my familiar surroundings.
My love, my love to you Africa
My affection and tribute to Africa.
All my love to you
My unconditional love for you.
See, been hustling in a distant land
I have been struggling to survive in a foreign land.
I don't see too much
I have limited vision.
I'm free, I'll be coming home
I am liberated and returning home.
Prepare egusi, okro, stock fish for me
Prepare traditional African dishes for my arrival.
'Cause I been suffering too long
Because I have been enduring hardships for too long.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Mads Brage Michelsen, Nneka Lucia Egbuna, Daniel Rosenthal Plon, Kristoffer Sjelberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind