Madiba Lyrics - Rakim

[Mandela's Speech] 

We commit ourselves to the construction of a complete 

Just and lasting peace 

[Verse 1] 

On July 18th, 1918 

Divine faith brings what life needs, a great king 

That tried to make peace, fight beasts and make means 

Prior to their needs might lay the great things 

[?] brands maker, troublemaker 

But later on he reform his life to something major 

In a time where no one knew the meaning of lovin' neighbor 

Born to take the world by storm like Mother Nature 

Nelson was the name given 

By a school teacher by the age seven 

Cause of racism and his African name 

I guess it stayed with him, not just the alias, the pain 

And soon the man emerged in tune with planet Earth 

He made a move to Johannesburg under the dark sky 

He realized being free would cost him his life due to the Apartheid 

[Hook] 

It's a long road to freedom, let's take a long walk 

It's a long road to freedom, let's take a long walk 

[Verse 2] 

Trapped in a system that'll mistreat 'em and mislead 'em 

He know it's a long walk to freedom 

He went to the best college as he got his Bachelor's to studied law 

Hungry for knowledge, he studied more 

By his mid-twenties he joined the ANC 

Years later chief of the NDC, Africa's MVP 

[?] to expose the vocal soldier 

Every where he go he hear Shosholoza 

He gaining power, there's a lot of 'em 

So now the government is watching 'em, plotting on stopping 'em 

So they put him under observation 

So the oppresors outlawed his operations 

Knowing the power that be it's biased 

Instead of street riots he tried to teach 'em to be righteous 

But the chief of violence went underground 

And formed the [?] way to peace fighters 

[Hook] 

[Verse 3] 

I guess he got enough of it 

He got an army to specialize in guerrilla warfare 

To stop the self-orientated authorities, wanted before trouble here 

They charged him with conspiracy to overthrow the government 

I guess defending it would legitimize the case 

Being locked without proof would ever size the hate 

They thought they'd kill him by giving him life 

This only made him bigger than life 

Every moment more noble, the movement more loyal 

Then the news went global, the storm is more royal 

The world couldn't wait to see him on his release 

He gave 27 years of freedom for his beliefs 

Finally free to complete the prophecy 

He won the peace prize, beat Apartheid to see democracy 

Some say heaven sent, yeah, that's evident 

South Africa's first black president 

Salute, pay homage and pay your respects 

Cause he fought doe human rights 'til the day of his death 

Nelson Mandela, rest in peace 

But may your legacy live forever and ever 

[Hook]