This week on London Real, we have the English, rapper, poet and journalist, Akala.

Hate by the pound surrounds my reflection.

I do this for my own protection. If I didn't go to Pan-African Saturday school, if I didn't grow up in the

Empire, if I didn't listen to Wu Teng forever, or read the autobiography of Malcolm X

when I was nine, would I be the person I am today? Probably not.

One too many man that could have been doctors end up spending the whole life

hip-hop was my life it was something I lived I loved interacting with it I wrote lyrics every

day I was in battles because to me all they do is breed conflict first time I saw

someone get stabbed I was 12 and it was a little poke

it was a meat cleaver in the back of the guy's head.

I had other teachers that felt that a person from my racial, cultural, economic

background and certainly from my socioeconomic background should not have been top of the class.

These were guys who were doing well in the street, but they'd spent so much of their life in and out of prison,

etc.

They were like, you don't want to be like us.

You know, you're clever.

In fact, if you drop out of school, we're going to give you a hiding

Yeah, they say you are British and that lovely patriotism they feed you, but in reality you have more in common with immigrants doing with your leaders.

The music is good enough, if the visual is good enough, if your online interaction is decent you can keep your

integrity and have a career.

If we're honest true strength is the strength to be honest.

Ultimately any power structure in the world wants to stay powerful.

...