Whilst Dave wasn’t born in Africa, he is still an African artist as he’s the son of immigrant parents from Nigeria.
Santan Dave is a British rapper born in London to Nigerian parents. His first album ‘’Psychodrama’’ (2019) won the Mercury Prize, and Album of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards. He’s now one of the most well known artists from Britain.
‘’Heart Attack’’ was a song released in 2021 as part of Dave’s 2nd album ‘’We’re All Alone In This Together’’
In this song, Dave touches upon many issues, including racial, violence, and social problems. He also touches upon some issues in Africa, such as civil wars and the immigration process. It’s a very meaningful song that comes from the bottom of his heart and left me with much to reflect on.
Dave talks about civil wars, including the ongoing Somali civil war, and the consequences it has on 2 generations.
”We’re fightin’ the world, and we’re fightin’ within
Somali dad ran away from a war
Now his son’s in a war, that’s the cycle we’re in”
Dave doesn’t touch much on Nigeria in this song, however, the song ends with his mother talking about her experiences as an immigrant coming from Nigeria as a very young woman:
”I went to Hannover, they sent me back
I tried so much, we have no say it here
I was in detention camps for months at the end, I didn’t give up
I was not even twenty when I left Africa
I was determined to survive
I was determined to succeed
I didn’t have anybody, nobody was ready to help me
Even when you were born
I was on the streets for three years
I have three babies in my hand
Nobody let me in, nobody in this nation
I couldn’t pay my rent, deported gangsters carried”
The fact that she went through so much pain in her immigration process suggests that immigration from Nigeria was a necessary move for her. It also highlights the struggles and hardships someone immigrating from Africa will likely go through.
Listen to ”Heart Attack”
Spotify / Apple Music / Youtube / Soundcloud
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