"I'm reminded, I'm still a second-class citizen." And "They tell me to go home but I come from here / I can see it in their eyes they don't want me here" are sentiments that reflect daily struggles against racism. They're also part of the first verses of L-Fresh The Lion's latest single Get Mine.
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Known for his powerful lyricism, the Sikh hip-hop artist who hails from south-west Sydney says his music speaks the raw truth about issues that plague Australia's ethnic and religious minorities.
"That first verse sets it up," explains L-Fresh. "I'm speaking to an idea of a hierarchical Australia. This idea that you grow up here feeling, knowing in your heart that you were born here. But you're made to feel like a visitor in your own home because there are other people who feel like they're more entitled to it than you.
"You have to seek their approval or permission. And that's what I want to speak to, the experience has been something that I have grown up with and I'm not the only one."
As a teenager, the artist first fell in love with the soulful hip-hop of the '90s citing Tupac's Changes and Nas' Nas Is Like as two powerful songs that ignited a passion to delve more into the genre. This, combined with growing up in Sydney's multicultural heartland, means that L-Fresh has created a unique sound.
"There are so many diverse people and types of styles coming out of south-west Sydney. I just took all that on board to the point where I think it always resonates within my music wherever I end up going."
This is not the first time L-Fresh has tackled xenophobia. His first studio album, One, packed with thought-provoking lyricism aimed at punching through stereotypes in Australian society, has cemented his place in the country's hip-hop scene. One took out the Best Hip Hop Album 2014 at the Australian Independent Records Music Awards and The Age/Music Victoria Awards.
Get Mine is the first release of L-Fresh's as yet unfinished second album, due to be released in 2016. The single mixes Desi-style tunes and vocals by Parvyn Kaur Singh with L-Fresh's unique hip-hop style.
"What this song about? It's about smiling in the face of hardship because you know who you are and exactly where you belong, you don't need anyone's else's permission."
In creating the video accompanying the single, L-Fresh says he wanted to create something that was going to reflect Australia's struggle with racism. "I wanted to highlight the language of politicians and how that fuels the public culture which then perpetuates racism in Australia."
The clip features L-Fresh close-up emulating political speeches made by our leaders. He stands in front of a lectern, taking centre stage with eight Australian flags clearly visible behind him – a reference to the flag's overuse by politicians. It's carefully crafted to include reference to the latest political players this country has witnessed, blended with footage from the Cronulla riots and anti-Islamic protests.
"I wanted to create something that was going to speak to contemporary politics," L-Fresh says. "I wanted to let politicians know they're not immune from the debate and discussions around racism.
"It's not an issue for us as people on the ground, it's a discussion I feel needs to begin at the top and involve those in positions of power."
L-Fresh, who has experienced racism first-hand, considers it a trickle-down effect that starts with those in power. However, he highlights that racism doesn't exist in isolation: "There are historical and political factors that we need to take into consideration and we need to ensure politicians are involved in how we use language and how it then comes across in media and so on and so forth."
"Given a level playing field, I'd make it rain out here" and "I'm thankful my own kids'll be raised here / they'll build a dynasty with what I made here" prove the song is just as much an anthem for rising up in the face of adversity, as it is a spotlight on racial or religious prejudice.
L-Fresh says: "The idea of, this is yours and what is yours is mine. We're told what we can and can't have – it's again that idea of hierarchy.
"By the end of Get Mine, in the third verse the sentiment is: 'You know what, I know deep in my heart, that me and people like me we don't have to prove ourselves to anybody. We are just as equal as the next person and that our ideas are just as valuable. We don't need anyone's permission for our own existence."
L-FRESH THE LION
When: Saturday, November 7, 8pm.
Where: Transit Bar, Civic.
Tickets: $15.30 + bf from oztix.com.au. 18+
