[male
vocals]
[INTRO – Spoken, deep and emotional] Hey!!!
Blakkciti
music...
Ashiaman
fita
line
records....
Where
the
morning
comes
with
a
struggle
and
the
night
comes
with
another
question… “
Tomorrow,
what
are
we
going
to
eat?”
Hmm…
This
one
is
for
every
poor
soul
trying
to
make
it
out…
[VERSE 1 – ASHAIMAN STORY] I
was
born
where
the
concrete
roads
know
my
name,
Ashaiman
raised
me
through
the
sunshine
and
the
rain.
Small
room,
one
mattress,
five
people
inside,
Mama
cooking
little
food,
telling
us, “
We
go
survive.”
Rent
man
knocking, “
Your
money,
where
e
dey?”
Mama
look
at
me,
but
she
got
nothing
to
say.
Electricity
finish,
water
sometimes
gone,
Still
Daddy
tell
the
children, “
Keep
your
faith
strong.”
I
remember
going
school
with
an
empty
stomach,
Teacher
asking
questions,
but
my
mind
dey
worry.
How
I
go
think
about
books
and
examination
when
my
little
sister
dey
ask, “
Brother,
food
dey?”
Me
nni
sika,
na
me
nni
obi
a
ɔbɛboa
me,
I
carry
my
family's
pain
like
a
burden
on
my
shoulder.
[PRE-CHORUS] Ashaiman
taught
me
how
to
survive,
Ashaiman
taught
me
how
to
keep
my
dream
alive.
Ewe: “
Mawu,
kplɔ
mí,
mègaɖe
asi
o.”
God,
lead
us,
we
won't
give
up.
[CHORUS] I
am
not
rich,
I
come
from
Ashaiman,
Where
poor
man
dey
struggle
just
to
make
a
living.
Me
nni
sika,
na
me
wɔ
anidaso,
My
is
empty,
but
my
heart
still
has
hope.
I
am
not
rich,
don't
look
down
on
me,
You
don't
know
the
pain
that
Ashaiman
gave
me.
Yɛbɛyɛ
yiye,
me
nua,
da
bi,
One
day,
my
brother,
we
will
be
alright.
[VERSE 2] Morning
trotro
full,
everybody
rushing,
Everybody
got
a
problem
nobody
is
discussing.
One
man
chasing
work,
another
looking
for
money,
Another
going
home
because
the
job
never
come.
Mama
sells
small
things
just
to
pay
the
bills,
Sometimes
she
comes
home
with
tears
she
cannot
conceal.
She
says, “
My
son,
don't
worry,
God
dey,”
But
I
can
see
the
pain
hiding
behind
what
she
say.
I
watched
my
friends
leave
school
for
survival,
Dreams
getting
smaller
because
hunger
became
vital.
One
wanted
to
be
a
doctor,
one
wanted
to
fly,
But
poverty
looked
them
straight
in
the
face
and
said, “
Try.”
Fante: “
M’
abrabɔ
yɛ
den,
na
me
koma
da
so
ara.”
My
life
is
hard,
but
my
heart
still
beats.
[VERSE 3 – DEEPER STORY] Ashaiman
nights,
I
know
that
silence,
When
Mama
counts
coins
with
tears
in
her
eyes.
She
divides
the
little
food
into
many
plates,
Pretending
she
already
ate
before
it
gets
late.
I
asked
myself, “
Why
my
family?”
Why
some
people
get
everything
so
easily?
But
I
learned
that
pain
can
build
a
man,
And
even
broken
dreams
can
rise
again.
I
don't
hate
the
rich,
I
just
want
a
chance,
A
little
opportunity
to
change
my
circumstance.
Don't
give
me
pity,
give
me
opportunity,
Let
me
work,
let
me
build,
let
me
change
my
family.
[BRIDGE – Emotional] If
you
see
me
smiling,
don't
think
life
is
easy.
If
you
see
me
dancing,
don't
think
I
have
no
worries.
Sometimes
music
is
the
only
place
where
a
poor
man's
heart
can
breathe.
Ewe: “
Ne
Mawu
le
nye
ŋu,
nyemavɔ̃
o…”
If
God
is
with
me,
I
will
not
be
afraid.
Twi: “
Me
Nyame,
gye
me
nsa,
na
mma
me
nhwe
ase.”
My
God,
hold
my
hand
and
don't
let
me
fall.
[FINAL CHORUS – BIG ROOTS REGGAE] I
am
not
rich,
I
come
from
Ashaiman,
But
I
carry
a
dream
bigger
than
my
suffering.
Me
nni
sika,
na
me
wɔ
anidaso,
I
have
no
money,
but
I
still
have
hope.
I
am
not
rich,
but
don't
call
me
nobody,
There
is
a
future
inside
this
poverty.
Yɛbɛyɛ
yiye,
yɛbɛyɛ
yiye,
One
day,
one
day,
we
will
be
alright.
I
am
not
rich…
Ashaiman
is
my
story.
I
am
not
rich…
But
poverty
won't
be
my
destiny.
[OUTRO – Soft, haunting] From
Ashaiman…
From
the
single
room…
From
the
empty
plate…
From
Mama's
tears…
I
am
still
here.
Me
nni
sika…
But
I
have
a
dream.
Mawu,
kplɔ
me…
Lead
me,
God…
One
day…
When
I
make
it…
I
will
come
back
for
the
ones
who
are
still
waiting
in
Ashaiman.
Blakkciti
Music…
I
am
not
rich…
but
I
am
not
finished.
Always
remember
blakkciti
am
out!!!!!!!!!!!!!