Akala's lengthy hip-hop poem is somber and clear-eyed in its disappointment with race-relations, global politics, and contemporary culture. And yet it retains both hopefulness and an action-plan. "The only way you can change anything," he slams, "is to look in the mirror and find no enemy."

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  • Linda Obie

    It speaks the truth of an oppressed country that deals with the reality to uprise and speak the truth

  • Cynthia

    REAL!

  • Gloria

    Beautiful message!

  • Jami2d

    This is a dose of the truth may hurt! Change will happen if we can "look in the mirror and find no enemy" Love yourself and do right and someday others may follow your lead. Keep your head up and I will be passing this video and beautiful message on to my son who is away at college to share with whomever will listen and maybe even some that don't think they want to listen. Kudos you you and your great band!

  • Robyn

    Incredible! So honest. So real. Sad yet inspiring & hopeful. Reflects the truth that so many people still lack self love & fear that they're unworthy of love. Fuck that! Your past does NOT have to equal your future. Love yourself, love others, set yourself free to be all you were meant to be. FIND NO ENEMY. Say YES to peace!

  • BReal

    Akala, you are a genuine artist. Find No Enemy starts with your beginnings, blends into generations of wisdom and ends with Love Yourself and you'll find no enemy. A message of peace that begins within and spreads to the world. Thank you for sharing your gift... your insight is incredibly inspiring and profound.

  • T.G.O.D

    He's good but so is wiz khalifa

  • Julian

    This is where hip hop should be at.Making a difference.It is also a bonus that I can understand what he is talking about unlike rappers who just spew rubbish

  • alicia

    you have my <3

  • David

    Be brave enough to look in the mirror and truthfully acknowledge

  • Kim

    Akala, Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. Thank you for provoking thought, inspiring change. Thank you for the history lesson for some in music. Thank you for speaking truth...speaking life. God bless and keep you. Stay creative, stay inspired, be encouraged and keep sharing your gift. Peace and love-KF

  • joanna

    wow...im 44..and this is what i think of is real HIP HOP.....thought provoking, deep, amd meaningful...please keep up the good work on your music, and lyrical content....

  • Patricia

    Akala you are a beautiful, insightful soul. Thanks for sharing your music with the world. I am going to send this to as many people as I can. What you have sung must be heard and I ask everyone who sees this video and hears you and feels the same to pass it on! Keep on doing what you do. You are AWESOME!

  • Brady

    We are all just one! Respect our self, respect each other!

  • Meridian

    What inspired me? This incredible young man who has the wisdom of the ages, who speaks with heart, and appeals to the masses through music and rhythm. I am filled with hope for our future through Akala's eyes. Thank you.

  • cathrin b

    a completely engaging word-act of responsible compassion, intellect and depth-- I'm really glad I listened to this today. thank you, Akala, for showin' up.

  • Susan

    Such wisdom and heart from a beautiful young man. Thank you.

  • Nancy

    I so needed this today.......Many people will not hear this because they see hip hop as a negative when this is positive if you listen to the words............

  • Randie

    Beautiful!

  • Franklin

    "Just what we needed!" Bravo!

  • janis Horwedel

    The Truth

  • Reina

    Hear Hear!

  • Shirley

    Thank you for putting this out there, you did it very beautiful. THANK YOU ! NICE !

  • steve

    I like how he tapped into the tired of it all.. tired....tired of it..my idea, my word, for me these past years has been "enough" not occupy, but "enough".."I have had enough", .."enough is enough", ..."I have enough", ..."I am enough",... "enough is enough"....that's right..for me Steve Wildesmith...oh my my...Oh and I love the riff the guiter is riding alll the way along and especially at the end :)

  • freejay

    he has hit on some key reasons why the world isn't humming just yet: 1 - egos - is having more power/status/money than others really happiness? 2 - the concept of nationality (the boxes) are used for more harm than good often 3 - empathy: neuropsychologists have found that when we think or say cruel, judgemental or negative things about others, there is a part of our brain that cannot distinguish whether it's directed at others or ourselves, and we experience it as if its directed at ourselves.. so when you're not so happy, check those thoughts

  • Bhoutik

    @Lalita, you can find the lyrics to the song here: http://www.songlyrics.com/akala/find-no-enemy-lyrics/

  • Libby and Len Traubman

    Akala's so right. "Relations" beyond "enemies" must include the mirror -- seeing within, best done together like the 200 young Africans in the 2012 film, DIALOGUE IN NIGERIA: Muslims & Christians Creating Their Future -- http://traubman.igc.org/vidnigeria.htm

  • chris

    Great message! Thank you for your creativity and style!

  • FREEHOUSE

    Unity is Life Unity is Love ONE {People Many colors!!!!

  • Nadia

    No more pain, peace, love, respect, unity.

  • Lalita

    What inspired you about this video? Beyond age, beyond color, beyond creed, beyond differences... This is the first Hip-hop piece I listened to in it's entirety...and then again to get the words I had missed. Incredible. Please post the words for us older people to get easily. Whenever I look for an enemy, I find it hidden as an error thought within me!peace and blessings to all.

  • jules

    Amazing.

  • Prakruti

    We are all children of one father.. Akala my brother we will all understand that one day...

  • Alma Todd

    love each other

  • Alma Todd

    we need to care for each other no matter what clore

  • Page 1

  • Akala spits out the lyrics at relentless pace in this piece. Take the time to read and contemplate the words.
  • For Akala, hip-hop is situated within a proud spoken-word-art lineage. Watch and learn from his brilliant TedX talk, "Hip-Hop & Shakespeare".
  • "Look in the mirror and find no enemy"... and take that spirit of positivity out into the world and make it a better place, one small act of service at a time.

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