Father Eyes

Gomeroi rapper Kobie Dee teamed up with Māori musician Stan Walker to create his latest track Father’s Eyes.

Celebrating the strength of Indigenous fathers, Father’s Eyes highlights the resilience of families striving to break cycles and challenge stereotypes by raising their children to be proud and strong in their cultural identity.

Filmed on unceded Bidjigal Land, the clip incorporates home videos and Super 8 footage, alluding to past experiences and revealing candid moments of everyday, family life.

"The seeds we planted have gotta sprout.”

— Kobie Dee

LYRICS

Keep thinking shit gon' get better
Had to make it through the rain 'cause life don’t stop for the weather
Had to change my life around 'cause I forgot my endeavours
If I ain’t do this for my daughter, what the fuck would I tell her?
I kiss her hair when she asleep
And think about the times when I was down and I was weak
When she was just a newborn I was out here in these streets
I was consuming anything that made me feel like I was free
I was hurting, I was empty, I was dead inside
Couldn’t count how many days I made her mother cry
We was young and full of problems we ain’t put aside
Dealing with some trauma, we forgot that she was on the ride
I finally understand this was the same for my mum and my dad
I was 21 but they was even younger than that
Mum was 16 and pregnant when she finally had
Her first born and my father would finally become a dad
Unaware of what it takes cause he was only a kid
I couldn’t blame him for the things that he eventually did
As I get older I can see through all the cracks that he slipped
And it's a shame but it is what it is
And I'ma keep on singin'

If you can see it through my eyes
Then you can see how hard I tried, yeah
Feels like its round and round we go
And it wont stop 'til I say so
So come take a look inside
These father's eyes

I’ve seen the world through my father's eyes
And through the lies
It took a lot of time to realise
Everybody got their struggles in this game of life
I did the same shit so really who am I to criticise?
I changed my life and went a different route
I found the strength through my daughter and finally made it out
So many parents never find the strength to make it out
We’re focused on the ourselves
But the seeds we planted have gotta sprout
So if you're fortunate to make a life
Then you owe it to that kid to really raise 'em right
'Cause they ain’t asked to be born and shouldn’t have to fight
These battles that we fought ourselves
Through each and every night
It’s up to us to break these cycles now
I learnt that shit from my mother, you always made us proud
Made sure we never went without
A father to my daughter, that’s my mothers love without a doubt

If you can see it through my eyes
Then you can see how hard I tried, yeah
Feel like it's round and round we go
And it wont stop 'til I say so
So come and take a look inside
These father's eyes
These father's eyes
Yeah
These father's eyes