Ode to Ignorance
Remi Lyrics

I come from the land down under, I'm Australian
I identify as Australian and I come from a place with a diverse range of people, including those of Sudanese and Israeli backgrounds.

And this has got the ignorant acting a little Hilter-ish saying that any immigrant should be detained'ed
Unfortunately, some ignorant people are advocating for the detention of immigrants, which is reminiscent of the views held by Hitler during his reign.

Cause ho we've got skills, man, they want us in cages
Some people are intimidated by the skills and abilities of immigrants, and so they want to restrict their freedoms by imprisoning them.

They're scared, they see beige skin and think we're Hussein skins
People's fears often cause them to unfairly stereotype those with beige skin, likening them to Hussein, a former dictator of Iraq.

If they're found in the ground like him, then who's saying shit?
If people with beige skin are killed like Hussein was, who will speak up against the hate and violence that caused their deaths?

Rather than Saddam, Remi's straight John Blaz'n
Rather than resorting to violence and hatred like Saddam, I choose to speak out against bigotry and racism like a talented rapper.

Leaving casualties from Canberra my birth place
I've experienced the negative effects of racism even in my hometown of Canberra.

To Nigeria's sand that my Daddy was raised in
My dad was raised in Nigeria, where he also experienced racism and discrimination.

I'm fucking racist propaganda in its face lips
I'm standing up to and fighting against racist propaganda and hate speech.

So Tell McGuire cram it before I go ape shit
McGuire should stop spreading his harmful and ignorant views before I become enraged and lose my temper.

Though I guess it's not his bad
Although McGuire is spreading harmful views, I recognize that his mindset is likely the result of his upbringing and environment.

That mindset is old, probably got it from his dad, copy and pasted
The mindset of discrimination and racism is not a new one, and is often passed down through generations without thought or reflection.

And just reiterated what ignorant racists
McGuire is simply repeating the views of ignorant and prejudiced people before him.

Have thought since my mother's ancestors invaded
Racism and discrimination against immigrants is a longstanding issue that spans generations, perhaps even dating back to when my ancestors first arrived in this land.

Fuck foreigners. Those Africans aren't worth shit
There are those who hold the view that foreigners, particularly Africans, are worthless and not deserving of respect or dignity.

Fuck the origins. Aboriginals aren't worth shit
Similarly, there are those who hold views that Aboriginal people are inferior and not deserving of basic human rights and respect.

Fuck foreigners. Indian, Islander, Arabic, Asian if you're not male and caucasian you ain't shit
There is a pervasive view that if you are not male and Caucasian, then you are not worthy of respect or equality in society.

I give them something stupid raw
Through my music and lyrics, I give people a truthful and honest representation of the issues and struggles that I and others like me face.

No condoms when I give them food for thought
I don't hold back or sugarcoat the truth in my music, instead choosing to provide people with a raw and unfiltered perspective on issues related to racism and discrimination.

Tell'em I'm extra extra
Let people know that my music is impactful and meaningful, and that they should take notice of the messages conveyed through my lyrics.

Brought the big issue with me
I bring with me complex and difficult issues related to social justice and equality, and I refuse to shy away from addressing them through my music.

I've got a real big issue with it
I am passionate about addressing these issues and believe that they should be a priority for society as a whole.

Sushi, sushi raw
Like raw sushi, my music is honest and uncooked, providing listeners with an unfiltered and truthful representation of the issues I care about.

A la carte food for thought
My music is like a carefully crafted meal, with each lyric providing a nuanced and thought-provoking perspective on difficult issues.

My white friends say I'm overreacting
Unfortunately, some of my white friends fail to see the gravity of the issues I'm addressing and dismiss my concerns as overreactions.

Like Japan's power plants when earth cracked it
Just like the nuclear plants in Japan, the toxicity of racism and discrimination has severe and long-lasting effects on individuals and society as a whole.

I tell them I wanna send tsunamis
I want to create a wave of change that washes away harmful and discriminatory views and actions.

Waves of change obviously
These waves of change are not a far-off possibility or pipe dream, but a necessary and obvious goal for society to strive towards.

Need to swell in to action
It's time for individuals and society as a whole to swell and take action towards eradicating discrimination and achieving true equality.

So I'm starting 'em up
Through my music and activism, I am starting and catalyzing conversations and actions towards achieving social justice.

Turn on the TV
Many of the issues related to racism and discrimination are reflected in the media, making it important to stay informed and engaged with current events.

Nah fuck it
At the same time, it's also important to recognize and push back against the harmful and superficial representations of people of color often presented through the media.

Turn it off
Sometimes the best way to address harmful stereotypes and discrimination is by disconnecting from the harmful media that perpetuates them.

It's time warped like Michael Fox
The issue of racism and discrimination has been around for so long that it feels like society is stuck in a time warp, unable to move into a more equal and inclusive future.

But it's not back to the futures
Unlike the movie Back to the Future, where the singer is able to go back in time and change the future, in real life, we can't change the past, but we can work towards a better future.

It's back to when blacks were in nooses
In fact, the current state of racism and discrimination in society feels like a regression back to more violent and hostile times, such as the era of lynchings and hate crimes against Black people.

The media makes it so we look like aliens
The media often portrays people of color as foreign or ‘other,’ creating an us vs. them mentality in society.

I mean when's the last time you saw a black guy on Neighbours
Even in media where diversity should be the norm, such as in popular Australian show Neighbours, people of color are underrepresented and invisible.

And when the newspapers say migrants are taking over all of us, fear's the drug
Media outlets often play on people's fears of migrants, portraying them as a threat to society as a whole, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and discrimination.

Our dealer's the Herald Sun
The media outlet responsible for much of this fearmongering and harmful representations is the Herald Sun, which acts as the drug dealer for the fear that grips society.

Even if you can ignore all of the facts then
Even for those who choose to ignore or downplay the discrimination and racism experienced by people of color, there is still a reality to be faced and addressed.

You can't eliminate my experience
No matter how much someone may try to deny or ignore it, my lived experience of racism and discrimination cannot be erased or erased.

Of being made inferior
One of the central effects of racism and discrimination is the feeling of being made inferior and unworthy, simply because of the color of one's skin.

Or my dad's cause of his accent
Another form of discrimination is ostracism or harassment due to having an accent, especially for immigrants or those with parents from different parts of the world.

I fucking hated seeing him get knocked back when
It was incredibly difficult for me to watch my father face rejection or discrimination due to his accent or skin color.

Ever he went for jobs, just because of his black skin
My dad, along with many other people of color, has been denied job opportunities or treated unfairly simply because of the color of his skin.

They said he's over qualified
Often, people of color who are denied job opportunities are given vague reasons, such as being overqualified, that belie the real reason for the rejection.

I said he's over colour-fied
The true reason for his rejection was not due to his qualifications, but rather due to his race or skin color.

They said I pulled the race card out of the pack man
When I called out the discrimination or racism that my father faced, some people accused me of playing the race card, instead of acknowledging the reality of the situation.

You think I wanna play that shit?
I don't revel in or enjoy experiencing racism or discrimination, but it's a reality that I and many other people of color have to face every day.

This isn't an arcade
Addressing issues of racism and discrimination isn't a game or a competition, it's a serious and important issue that deserves attention and action.

This isn't a game
Rather than playing games or making light of the issue, we must address racism and discrimination as the serious and harmful issues that they are.

This shit is degrading
The effects of racism and discrimination on individuals and society are degrading and harmful, and we must work to eliminate them.

Can't take that shit
I refuse to accept or tolerate racism or discrimination, and I will use my platform and my voice to fight against it.

I fucking hate that shit
Racism and discrimination make me angry and frustrated, and I refuse to let these negative feelings go unaddressed.

We've gotta cremate it
Rather than ignoring or downplaying racism and discrimination, we must actively work to destroy and eliminate them from society.

But they keep fanning the flames with
Unfortunately, there are those who continue to perpetuate and spread racism and discrimination, fanning the flames of hate and intolerance.