A dream, a nightmare, a musical. Ten years in the making, welcome to the stormy inner world of one optimistic Black teen coming of age in America.
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WATCH THE SHORT FILM
Using interviews captured over a decade, enough. is a hip hop film that explores Nathan Nzanga's journey from quirky kid born to Congolese immigrants, to an idealistic teen artist, to a frustrated young man struggling to overcome pain and cynicism. Set against a backdrop of American culture war, the film uses dream logic to sift through Nate's most conflicted feelings about race, policing and grace in a broken world.
AS SEEN IN
“Nzanga is in full voice in the film, not gasping for air.”
“My inspiration comes from genuine conversations and taking in what the world has to offer. Reflection is important.”
“It's pretty amazing to watch someone grow up over the course of a short film, reminiscent of Boyhood.”
![“Adds [an] artistic perspective to the social justice movement.”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f41af7b968eab79163b07a0/1616710329308-4OHLMH2DOMLWQ0ZERV9K/Msn.png)
“Adds [an] artistic perspective to the social justice movement.”
“A painful plea”
“Frustration builds when you feel like a crazy person.”
MADE IN COMMUNITY
Shot at the height of a pandemic, enough. was an extraordinary grassroots effort by Nzanga's fellow young artists at the Prodigy Camp in a mission to amplify his voice when the country needs it most. Attracting dozens of volunteers including Eminem director, Caleb Slain, and the gofundme backing of over 100 supporters, the Gen Z community pulled together to shoot this ambitious story in only two days during Seattle's protests, pioneering robust on-set safety protocols to ensure every person stayed COVID free.
Against all odds, this community-made film became and Oscar-qualified short. Join our gofundme to support the film’s promo campaign and more.
BACKSTORY
Out of the specific comes the universal, and such is the case with Nathan Nzanga’s story as a first generation Congolese-American.
During one of his annually filmed interviews for The 5000 Days Project, he expressed his desire to "spread light to the world" through his singing and rapping. He soon earned a full scholarship to the prestigious Prodigy Camp. This is where 16-year old Nathan wrote Truce— an intensely vulnerable, story-driven anthem about police brutality from both sides of the issue. The song gathered two million hits and launched Nathan’s musical journey as a “suburban storyteller with a whole lot of love to give.”
Fast forward to 2020. While recording in Chicago, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Nzanga was compelled to write a sequel. The new song, Enough, is like a lightning bolt to the heart — the evolution of Truce's cry for love into a righteous pain over collective apathy and inaction.
ART INSPIRING ART:
Multi-award winning artist and celebrated Hollywood movie poster illustrator Akiko Stehrenberger unveiled a custom painting inspired by enough that was recently on auction. All proceeds supported the film project.
Soon you’ll be able to purchase more enough- inspired art including poster prints designer John Calvert and more.
THE MUSIC:
2-in-1 w/ more in the bag
The film leads the charge for Nzanga's upcoming ACCOUNTABILIBUDDY album, scheduled to drop following the film. It also highlights Nzanga's growth over four years, from a young rapper to true a hip-hop artist. Serving as a duel music video, it features his 2016 hit Truce (co-produced by Nathan Yaccino and Royce David) along with new single Enough. Both songs are part of the upcoming album which will feature a dozen new tracks from Nzanga and friends.
Truce Lyrics
Need a bit of love
Need a little trust
Need some love
Lotta love right now
There's been pain from the start
Lotta pain in my heart
Need to change but I don't know how
R.I.P. to Nathan, sadly he was taken by an officer
Who got the word that something had been taken
By a darker male the only way that they depict him
Came up to Nate to accusate ‘cuz he fit a description
"No, no sir, I got my receipt right here"
Reached in his pocket, "That's a gun!" Cops let six shots flare
Down goes Nate, wrong place at the wrong time
Whole thing on tape but the cop never did time
R.I.P. Officer Mason it's so sad that he was taken
His family loved him known to do his job amazing
'til a nigga who was fed up grabbed his nine and started waiting to shoot at first sign of a badge, and a man who was caucasian
Damn, when did we get like this
Seems like everyday we add few more names to the list
The innocent don't stay alive
The children are desensitized
And to be honest I'm scared I'm the next one that they'll hit
I need a bit of love
Need a little trust
Need some love
Lotta love right now
There's been pain from the start
Lotta pain in my heart
Need to change but I don't know how
Seems like every little difference is a dividend
Whether the person that they love, who they praise or their skin
I know I'm different, but they say we're all one in the same
But why my difference come with all of this pain
Tired of all of this pain
Time to put this to rest
If we're all one in the same
I think it's time to accept
They always talking bout' the future is near
Nah man, man the future is here
How the Hell are we still living in fear
It's like we fear them, cuz' they fear us
And we'll hate them, and they'll hurt us
And we'll hurt us, and we'll hurt them
Then the fear, the hate, the hurt, it starts all over again
Here's a bit of love
Here's a little trust
Here's some love
Lotta love right now
Can't take the pain in my heart
Need some change in my heart
Gonna change and it starts right now
If there's hate, there's no way that we'll grow
And hate is just the fear of what we don't know
If we get to know each other as brothers, see what we've missed
Then I'll be empathetic simply for the fact you exist
I'll give love
Empathy because you exist
I'll give love
Regardless of what the circumstance is
I'll give love
No more living in fear
I'm giving love for as long as I'm here
Cause if there's hate
There's no way that we'll grow
And hate is just the fear of what we don't know
If we get to know each other as brothers, see what we've missed
Then I'll be empathetic simply for the fact you exist
I'll give love
Empathy because you exist
I'll give love
Regardless of what the circumstance is
I'll give love
I'm done living in fear
I'm giving love for as long as I'm here
And I say
Give a bit of love
Give a little love
Give some love
Gotta love right now
No more pain in my heart
We're the same in my heart
Start the chain of the change right now
Enough Lyrics
Maybe I’m not loud enough
You don’t seem to care enough
Maybe I’m not loud enough
I may have to tear shit up
Looking for mutual respect
But you kept your foot on my neck
You getting paid to protect
Who gon’ protect me from you?
Who put they life on the line?
You don’t seem to care about mine
I wasn’t resisting arrest you restricting my breath
What you ‘spect me to do?
They done took another brotha
Kept the killer undercover
Acting up you gon’ back him up
Ain’t accountable ‘cuz he one of us
Look at us like we’re dangerous
Black on black crime not the same to us
Institutionalized, now you blaming us
Said shame on us, stop getting stuck, wait
Not all cops bad, not all cops good
Wait, all cops bad if one cop’s bad
And the rest say (shh)
I was stretching out a hand
I was looking for a truce
But you ain’t holding up your end of the bargain
So what you expect me to do?
Can’t love me if you don’t know me
Can’t know me if you don’t hear me
Dr. Martin, beg your pardon
They ain’t holding up the bargain
They gon’ see us as a target
So we tearing up your targets
Didn’t here me when I’m marching
Will you hear me as a martyr?
If I die for the cause, wait
Will me hashtag work?
I was running like Ahmaud
I was running in the rain
If they gon’ try me
I’m going out fighting
Mr. Malcolm what’s the outcome?
Will we see a sunny day?
Ain’t sitting out hiding
I’m going out riding
I got a whole lot of empathy
But if you continue to step on me
May not be acting so peacefully
So question, do you want a piece of me?
What you expecting to see?
Won’t let you get away easily
No justice no peace
So we headed to the streets
Maybe I’m not loud enough
You don’t seem to care enough
Maybe I’m not loud enough
I may have to tear shit up
Can’t love me if you don’t know me
Can’t know me if you don’t hear me
Looking for answers I went for a walk
Seen a couple of cops and said let’s have a talk
Hands in the air, I ain’t trying to threaten
Ya’ll got a moment, ‘cuz I got a question
”Whole lot of chaos so what’s the solution?”
One cop replied “Well it sure isn’t looting”
Instant rebuttal “What should I be doing?”
”Peacefully protesting,” “Where’s the improvement?”
Cops are like “Listen bro, we see the videos
Over-aggressors should be held accountable”
I reply “Will they though?”
Cops are like “I don’t know
I’m not the judge, I am just the patrol
Only position that I can control is the
Way that I choose to patrol
I seen the shooting, it wasn’t my doing
You see my badge and you get to assuming
I’m at these riots I fear for my life
Hoping I make it to daughter and wife
Ya’ll wanna kill me because my badge
Under my uniform, I’m still a dad”
I see a genuine look in his eye
Truly believe what he’s doing is right
”But how do you feel when you’re put to the task
Of covering masses of people with gas?
If I were to kill you, I’d get twenty five
If you were to kill me would you see a trial?
If ya’ll ain’t policing the ones on you side
The system ain’t built for the people like mine
Don’t want me protesting, don’t want me progressing
I will be civilized when I have civil rights
Milk for the mace, mask for the gas
My final solution the only conclusion is the revolution”
Maybe I’m not loud enough
You don’t seem to care enough
Maybe I’m not loud enough
I may have to tear shit up
Revolution shouldn’t be confusing
You want peace from me, show me empathy
Why aren’t you hearing me?
I’m a human being
Can’t love me if you don’t know me
Can’t know me if you don’t hear me
“Maybe I’m not loud enough.”
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