Dancing Casket-by Ikenna
At a concert: Onyemaechi, who goes by the stage name Lady Chi has returned from her visit to Nigeria and has finally been honest about her sexuality with her mother after finding out that her grandmother may have been attracted to her best friend Ngozi who went to an all girls boarding school with her. The energy of her rap starts hype and transition’s part way to be a bit more serious. She starts off sitting on the casket that has been on stage for most of the play.
LADY CHI (Rapping to the Beat of J Cole – Middle Child)
Who do you see? When you look at me, I’m ridin’ here on the beat. Makin all this money Like my Mama taught me I be gettin’ paid Spread me thin like marmalade I spread my legs only for a girl who got shit to say Unless I’m feelin’ cute Put this song here on a loop I fuckin up these bars Cause a bitch got shit to do While them haters hate You’re the fish and I’m the bate When I murder tracks Put these bitches cut up in a crate. I gotta work fast The struggle is real My family is watchin’ I’m racin my way Straight up to the top Bitch I am not stoppin’ Been writing poetry since I was 2 Dreamin of futures without feelin blue Chasing the knowledge and speakin the truth If you don’t like, I ain’t talkin to you I open my heart I give you my life I try to be good I try to do right I try to be selfless And sacrifice I try to be honest And not to lie I suppress myself
And try not to say All of the things Right up in your face Ignoring the shit That makes us so broken but that’s all over Now I have spoken Bitch! Uh, let’s get it Huh, let me tell you something Yo, Ain’t nobody got the answers We all just tryin in this world Who do you see? I’m not the woman you see The smile on my face Doesn’t mean I agree Your waters are shallow I stay in the deep You cannot prevent me From rappin my peeps We gonna take over Just you wait and see A new revolution of QPOC I’m spreading the word So passionately I’m claiming the roots My family tree Uh It’s not to late To try and escape These feelings of shame That get in my way To lift myself up To a higher space Get what I deserve A love that don’t fade A moment of pride Where I finally see All of the things That I’m meant to be God has a real plan That’s made just for me And your expectations I can exceed Look…I don’t think you really gettin’ me We all where masks in this world
I went to homeland, Nigeria And saw my first masquerade We all dancin in this crazy masquerade How long we all gonna dance for When all we can see Is that casket right in front of us You don’t feel me. I’m speaking to loud Let me whisper it…maybe you’ll understand me then Uh take a seat These words I don’t wanna repeat Ignoring the shit that’s inside you Will not provide The peace that you seek When I was young I spoke like a child Now that I’m old I like to go wild Stop all the conformity And compromise Let go of the pressure And you’ll be surprised You can be the one That changes the world You can find your glory Beyond all the words The spirit’s inside Not in bible verse If you see your light You’ll lift up the curse I wanna see us Shining so bright Within all our power We can ignite The story’s not over Just rearrange Our value is perfect And cannot change Who do you see When you’re looking right at me Well I see me The real me
(A projector plays video on white screen that shows video of a Nigerian masquerade as Lady Chi exits the stage).