“I’m a Fighter” is a song that I wrote in the summer of 2020 written in part as a tribute to the late actor Chadwick Boseman. The song is about working through lack of inspiration, and hardships and pushing forward. The fight that I’m referring to in this song is more so an internal battle with self.
The song is also about being prepared for our own demise which is certainly inevitable at some point. Many of us have lost a loved one and have seen other lives lost during this pandemic which has heightened my own awareness of this reality.
I’m a Fighter has a gritty feel to it and at the same time an energy that says don’t lay down, get up! “Get Up” is what I initially called the instrumental back when I made it in 2017 and last year during the pandemic the words came to me while I was driving, “I’m a Fighter, Any Mountain We Climbing Higher, Through the Darkness We Shining Brighter, and I Keep Coming back like Michael Myers.”
From there I wrote my first verse over the course of about 2 months sometimes while going for a walk in my neighborhood, driving in my car or sitting down in my studio space at home. Then Chadwick Boseman died in late August and like most of the world I was shocked. Like Kobe Bryant’s death it was hard to believe. Soon after his death I thought about using my 2nd verse to share some words in tribute to his life.
I was really moved by the final text message that Boseman wrote to the producer of Black Panther saying “People deserve abundant life, special moments. They’ve been through hell battling disease. If we were able to ease their suffering and bring joy for a moment, and hopefully moments has he goes through the bags, then we made a difference in his life.” Boseman was referring to his efforts to do a kind act for a child living with a medical condition from the Make a Wish Foundation. After reading these words I incorporated them into my verse and saw a connection between this idea of benefitting people with special moments and what is called a “continuous charity” in the tradition of Islam. A continuous charity is a type of charity that continuous to be of benefit to people beyond the contributor’s death. Could it be that special moments that poets, actors, painters and other artists leave us with beyond their death could be an act of onging charity? I’ll leave that to God to decide but I personally feel like as an artist that is something I can attempt to do with my art. Strive to leave people with special moments.
I’M A FIGHTER LYRICS by Abdullah Powell
CHORUS
Cause I’m a Fighter
Any mountain we climbing higher
Through the darkness we shining brighter
And I keep coming back like Michael Myers
VERSE
Been producing for years now I’m a writer
What I write be honest man I ain’t no lieR
Like I have days when I hardly feel inspired
But I got a long while before I can retire
So I have to find ways to ignite my fire
Then erupt through the pressure like a geyser
Targeting my own weakness like a sniper
So I can move forward rotation like tires
Now the pianos playing perfect timing
Even the roughest terrain you gotta keep climbing
At ya lowest point dig deep keep mining
After hardship comes ease look for the silver lining
Some People going through hell yet they still smiling
Taking all types of loses but they ain’t wining
So who am I to lay down gotta stay rising
Until the Lord calls me back ima keep fighting
CHORUS 2X
VERSE 2
Some of us fighting battles that you’ll never know,
Like Chadwick Boseman fighting through chemo,
Maybe he didn’t want to burden nobody else,
So he kept it quiet like the black panther moving with stealth,
A modern example of a true fighter,
In his death he’s even more respected and admired,
He said people deserve abundant life and special moments,
To ease their suffering these are his words that I’m quoting,
May God reward him for these noble intentions
And may his last recorded words be remembered and mentioned
In Islam this type of deed is called a continuous charity,
Sadaqah Jariyah in Arabic to give you clarity,
Stephen Covey said begin with the end in mind,
Put first things first always prioritize your time,
Cause every breath that you take is one that’s closer
To your death stay prepared for when it’s your time soldier
CHORUS
abdullah powell 