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.
Focus
Nneka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Money, banks, foundation and discoveries
Mischievious and self centered development strategies
Uneffective enough not to affect the physics and the spirits of mankind
In short and infact where do we go from here when we lack love in our hearts
When we lack an open heart and lie to ourselves and the one that truly loves, that we love
Truly we don't really give a fuck
Another day has passed my conscience is hunting me one small form
The flesh has overcome the spirit, eyes opened but shot, sight blurred
Can't see the road because I am scarred of the lights
I gotta go on, I gotta move on, we gotta go on, we gotta move on
Cause if you don't search for the truth your soul will definitely remain undone
Maintain your focus
The misery is all around you
The misery, the envy
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
Maintain your mind, see
Is it the drugs? Is it the men? Is it the money? Is it the fame?
Do not need all this to find myself
Have met my shadow a thousand times
I know how it feels to be untrue to oneself
See would you hold back the things that urged you to speak your mind?
Living in the bondage, in if clauses for the rest of your life
You want to lie in systems custody, your soul strip for free
Living in the bondage, in if clauses for the rest of your life
You want to lie in system custody, your soul strip for free
Will you sell your soul for free?
Maintain your focus
The misery is all around you
The jealousy, the envy
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
Maintain your mind
Maintain your focus
The poverty is all around you
The misery and envy
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
Temptations of this world
You see the demons coming out of you
They reveal themselves to you and yes you can see your truth
Oh no no, got to maintain your mind
In this world of pain
In this world of sin
In this world of hate
Maintain your focus
The misery is all around you
The misery
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
Maintain your mind, see
Maintain your focus
The misery is all around you
The misery and envy
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
Maintain your mind, see
The lyrics of "Focus" by Nneka highlight the prevailing societal issues and how they affect individuals. The first stanza talks about the government politics, system policies, and development strategies that are driven by money, banks, foundations, and discoveries. All these processes have rendered humanity ineffective, and as a result, people lack love in their hearts. They lie to themselves and to others who genuinely love them that they love them back while deep down, they don't care. The second stanza is a reflection of the internal struggles faced by individuals. The persona is torn between the flesh and the spirit, and the temptations of the world are too hard to resist. The persona urges the audience to maintain their focus and not let the world tempt them. It is essential to keep the mind intact and focus on the truth.
The recurring theme in this song is the need to maintain focus and not let external factors distract individuals from the path they should take. Nneka is particular about the impact of society, government policies, and development strategies that affect humans negatively. She also highlights the desires, such as money, fame, drugs, and men, that tend to sidetrack individuals from their primary purpose in life. The song encourages individuals to embrace their true selves and reject societal norms and expectations that strip them of their soul and individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Government politics, system policies
The ways in which those in power govern and make decisions about how society runs.
Money, banks, foundation and discoveries
The financial systems and foundations that are in place, as well as the discoveries that shape our world.
Mischievous and self-centered development strategies
Development strategies that are harmful and selfish in nature.
Uneffective enough not to affect the physics and the spirits of mankind
These strategies are not effective enough to change the physical world or the human spirit.
In short and in fact where do we go from here when we lack love in our hearts
If we don't have love in our hearts, where do we go from here? This poses a fundamental question about humanity's future.
When we lack an open heart and lie to ourselves and the one that truly loves, that we love
If we are not honest with ourselves or the ones we love about how we truly feel, our lack of openness will have serious consequences.
Truly we don't really give a fuck
We are apathetic and indifferent to the world around us.
Another day has passed my conscience is hunting me one small form
The artist is grappling with feelings of guilt or regret about their actions.
E to face this next temptation that is coming up now
They are preparing to face the next temptation or challenge that will come their way.
The flesh has overcome the spirit, eyes opened but shot, sight blurred
Their physical desires or impulses have taken control, making it difficult to see clearly or understand things fully.
Can't see the road because I am scarred of the lights
They are afraid of the bright lights of the world, which prevent them from seeing the path they should take.
I gotta go on, I gotta move on, we gotta go on, we gotta move on
They must keep moving forward despite the challenges they face, and encourage others to do the same.
Cause if you don't search for the truth your soul will definitely remain undone
Without seeking the truth, their soul will remain incomplete or unfinished.
Maintain your focus
Keep your attention on what's important, and don't get distracted.
The misery is all around you
The world is full of suffering and hardship.
The envy
People are envious and jealous of others.
It is hard staying away from the temptations of the world
It's difficult to resist the allure of worldly pleasures.
Maintain your mind, see
Don't let your mind wander or be corrupted by the world. Stay focused on the truth.
Is it the drugs? Is it the men? Is it the money? Is it the fame?
The singer is questioning what it is that causes people to lose their way and become corrupted.
Do not need all this to find myself
They don't need external things like drugs, men, money, or fame to discover who they truly are.
Have met my shadow a thousand times
They have come face to face with their dark side, or the parts of themselves that they do not like.
I know how it feels to be untrue to oneself
They know what it's like to act in a way that goes against their true beliefs or values.
See would you hold back the things that urged you to speak your mind?
They are encouraging others to be honest and open about what they truly feel or think.
Living in the bondage, in if clauses for the rest of your life
They describe living in chains, held back by conditional or hypothetical situations.
You want to lie in system custody, your soul strip for free
They describe the dangers of getting caught up in the system and losing one's soul in the process.
Will you sell your soul for free?
They are asking whether it's worth it to give up one's integrity or soul for nothing in return.
The poverty is all around you
Poverty and lack are prevalent in the world.
The jealousy
People are envious and resentful of others' success or happiness.
The misery and envy
The world is full of suffering and people are consumed by jealousy and negativity.
Temptations of this world
The singer refers to the allure of worldly pleasures that can lead people astray.
You see the demons coming out of you
The singer is describing how people's inner demons can manifest and be seen in their actions or behavior.
They reveal themselves to you and yes you can see your truth
They describe how people's true selves or inner demons are revealed through their actions.
In this world of pain
They highlight the prevalence of pain and suffering in the world.
In this world of sin
They acknowledge the existence of wrongdoing or immoral behavior in the world.
In this world of hate
They acknowledge the existence of hatred and negativity in the world.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nneka Lucia Egbuna, Farhad Samadzada, Pinheiro Da Silva
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind