D'Arobaz à Zéro [English translation]

[Verse 1]

It’s not just the numbers which are Arabic, some letters are too

Without them, certain phrases would end in sign language

No race stories, no wrong supremacies

Just men looking for a bit of pride in the old roots

I’m here to tell you that “admiral” comes from the word “emir”

I’m just an Arab boy who makes his language jive like [French rapper] Némir

That the word “toubib” [medic] tends to the wounds of words

That the word “hazard” comes from the people of the parables

Do you speak “Spanglish”? I speak “Frarabic”

Like [comedy movie character] Johnny Bachir? No, like [militant writer] Frantz Fanon

In my mouth words sound good

Ghetto accents sing along to members of the Academy

[Chorus]

Nothing is lost, nothing is created, all is transformed

Nothing comes to light, nothing is secret, all is transported

From ‘at’ sign to zero

In the worldwide race I’m a lap ahead

Nothing is lost, nothing is created, all is transformed

Nothing comes to light, nothing is secret, all is transported

I’m starting from zero, my starting block in the hood

We stand apart from the rest

[Verse 2]

You want to know who the bosses are in 2013?

My sisters in the North, my brothers in the East

From the [Muslim academy] Lycée Averroès

Don’t mess with us, we’re coming back to life

You keep us out? We shatter the pass rate

Even in Maths France can’t count us in

Even after centuries of an Oriental presence, we can’t get convicted

[French military victor] Charles Martel halted the men but not their words

They can kick us out of their schools, they won’t halt our kids

College ambiance, we lance the halal champagne bottle

LSA [Knowledge Is A Weapon] T-shirt, no chain or shambalah

Don’t get worked up about the university benches or the victimization

Look for the blessings of Allah behind a veil or a French twist under a bandana

[Chorus]

[Outro]

From A to Z I cultivate self-worth

Knowledge is a weapon, I’ve made it my own dress code

From the North to the South I make myself believe

That the doors of glory aren’t impassable

To all the youngsters who aren’t up on their history

When you know where you come from, you know where you’re going to

To all the brothers whose hopes have run aground

That which doesn’t kill you, will make you stronger

From ‘at’ sign to zero

• Artist:Médine
• Album:Protest Song