Given the past year’s tense and ominous political climate, it’s no wonder that rappers are expressing their concerns and their views through song. In his new album called Everybody, rapper Logic addresses his concerns with the Conservative party. In his track entitled “America,” Logic makes some strong statements about the current President and former President George W. Bush following Hurricane Katrina’s wake in 2005. However, Logic also draws attention to the fact that fellow rapper (and one of Logic’s role models) Kanye West met with Donald Trump at Trump Tower. While Logic’s verse in “America” expresses strong opposition against Donald Trump and other Conservative Republican candidates, I must stop and commend Kanye West.
Rap has a history of expressing social and political oppression. It is powerful and earth-shaking. It has ended conflicts, and it has sparked debate. While Kanye West is an outspoken member of the rap industry, he seems to do more than some of his other distressed comrades. Kanye met with Donald Trump not long after the election, and while no one truly knows what went on inside of closed doors, it appears that Kanye West was attempting to bridge the gap and get the conversation starting on the issue of equality and just rights for ALL. So many rappers use their own experiences or experiences that they have witnessed for material within their art. But how can the music translate into action for the greatest good?
Other rappers, including YG and Eminem, have voiced their opinions on the current President. YG and Nipsey Hussle released the song “FDT,” which is dedicated to Donald Trump. The opening line before their music video reads: “As young people with an interest in the future of America…we have to exercise our intelligence and choose who leads us into it wisely…2016 will be a turning point in this country’s history… the question is… in which direction will we go?” Eminem’s feature on Big Sean’s new album expresses his hatred towards Donald Trump: “Trump’s a b**** I’ll make his whole brand go under.” Eminem’s strong influence in the rap community cannot go unnoticed, but rather than completely turning people against one another, how could he use his influence as a stepping stone towards equality rather than further division? While I understand their distress over the current leader, when will society move to bridge the gap of inequality as suggested by the opening lines of YG’s music video? When does action go beyond spray painting private property and start a movement that will change the state of our nation? The title track from Logic’s album, “Everybody,” calls attention to the disparity between members of society divided by race. The hook of the song says: “Everybody people, everybody bleed, everybody need something, everybody love, everybody know, how it go.” While everybody may know how it goes, where does the change come from? How can we translate these strong words into action, change, reformation? I am worried about the state of the nation currently, and I fear that if words are simply thrown around loosely, nothing will be accomplished.
