“What Is Your Name?” is a profound and reflective anthem exploring identity, heritage, and the lingering legacy of slavery. The song confronts the erasure of African ancestry in Black Americans, emphasizing the spiritual and cultural significance of reclaiming one’s true name as a connection to homeland, history, and selfhood.
The hook frames the central theme, repeatedly asking, “What is your real name, not your master name?” It highlights how names imposed during slavery symbolized ownership and disconnection from African roots, contrasting them with ancestral names that ground identity and belonging.
In Verse 1, the song traces the historical displacement of Africans through forced labor and exploitation, describing how trade masked the violence of slavery. It also critiques the ignorance of those disconnected from their roots, emphasizing the call of the motherland and the lost awareness of one’s true heritage.
Verse 2 delves into the brutality of the transatlantic slave trade — chains, erasure of lineage, and theft of identity. The lyrics underscore how African Americans were stripped of their names and culture, leaving lasting scars that echo through generations.
The bridge is a spiritual plea, urging listeners to reconnect with their ancestry and listen to the call of their “mother,” symbolizing Africa. It emphasizes the power of reclaiming heritage as an act of empowerment and spiritual restoration.
The outro closes the narrative with a haunting reminder that identity is not merely a label but a connection to history, culture, and soul: “What is your real name?”
Overall, “What Is Your Name?” is a haunting, culturally rich, and deeply conscious track that challenges listeners to confront historical amnesia, reclaim ancestral identity, and stand upright in the truth of their origins.