Dialectical Journal #6 (re.

songs in BLM)
For this journal entry, your task is to provide a summary of three works, some observations and
(2 or 3) questions. (Please feel free to use the following table or something approximating it.)

Work Summary Observations & Questions

Song #1 Observations
Black Rage by Lauryn Hill Black Rage is a song sung by ● Part of the body that reads
Lauryn Hill that was released “Old time bureaucracy
in 2014 shortly after a fatal drugging the youth…
shooting took place in compromise and distortion,
Ferguson, Missouri. It was sacrifice, sacrifice who makes
dedicated to the people that this fortune?”. This seems to be
fought for racial equality in like a recurring conduct
Ferguson. As the title suggests, practiced by those in power,
black rage is a song that specifically the police. There is
provides reasoning behind a term called entrapment which
black people’s anger and is when a law enforcement
frustration stemmed from agent induces a person to
decades. Black rage can be commit the “crime” that the
found on two-thirds of a person would have otherwise
person. It has risen from the been unlikely or unwilling to
raping, beatings and lynching, commit. In the lyrics above, we
from unequal economic are told about the youth being
opportunities, unequal living “drugged” and based on the
standards, forced submission, lyrics that follow, it implies
physical and mental trauma, that black people compromise
self-loathing, self-doubting, the themselves into an agreement
existence of a veil, the inability with the bureaucrats for some
to be ones true self rather form of “promise of a better
survive with twoness, the life” and take the blame for the
threats against freedom, the crimes they did not commit in
shrewd and cunning mind the hopes of a fruitful future
games, old time bureaucracy, after their release. But at the
racial profiling, racial end of the day, the sacrifices
segregation and much more go in vain and the fortune is
inflicted on black people by made by the white men.
white supremacists since the Comparing the lyrics to those
dawn of time. All these issues of chains that say, “I am no
that we still face today. prison commodity, not just a
body you throw in a cell
For any reason, just to bother
me, just for your quota…” a
parallel reference can me made
where the police do entrap
 black people for taking the
blame and complete their quota
as their “fortune”. A show in
the 90’s called “Family
Matters” depicted a similar
scenario where the son of black
police officer was racially
profiled and pulled over and
the cops tried to manipulate
him into “admitting his crime”.
This is why today police wear
body cams yet somehow; they
still manage to escape the
consequences of their actions.

● Though the song seems to

only be a list of reasons for the
frustrations and anger of black
people, I think that it also plays
a role in pressurizing the
government system to call for
change. There have been many
songs for social change but the
lyrics to this song not only feel
deeper and relate strongly to
the emotions of black people,
but also, expose the foul plays
of the system as a whole.
Because when horrid acts of
cruelty become so normalized,
the fear that once was turns
into rage and then, the
bureaucratic government gets
on edge.
Song #2 Observations
Chains by Usher Ft. Nas &Bibi Chains is song sung by Usher, ● The song begins with “Imma
Bourelly Nas and Bibi Bourelly. It was get mine, you should get yours
released in 2015 with its too”. This line itself speaks a
powerful lyrics. The purpose of thousand words. As though the
the song was to advocate for “chains” are what defines them
social injustice i.e. “breaking and if they cannot come to face
the chains” of social injustice. the harsh realities associated
The song describes the heart- with the chain now, they
breaking realities of the lives eventually will and by then, it
of black people then and now. will only be worse. However,
How frequent and recurring the the “chains” may have been
fear of survival. But this must used for a symbolic purpose as
stop, for now, black people a sign of protest. Ahead in the
“give no fucks” and the chains song, one verse reads, “Light it
that have bound them for on fire, I’ve had enough” as
decades will be burnt to ashes. well as, “You put the shame on
The lyrics go on to say how us, now shame on us…” So
white supremacists act like perhaps the initial purchase of
they’ll initiate the change and the chains was meant for the
support black lives only to aim of lighting it on fire as a
throw them back into their means to an end, the end of
chains by instilling fear, social injustice. And now they
shaming them, and labelling have been ‘rightfully shamed’
them with terms that have
turned derogatory due to the ● Prior to the beginning of the
bias and bigotry associated second body of the song that
with them. Moving on, the argues that black people
song says that Black people go engage in the same activities as
to American schools and white people, we are asked to
churches too, yet their very “take a moment of silence”. I
sight incites the white men to think this song is very
shoot without any form of prior allegorical to begin with, but
communication. And now the the double entendre here was
time of acknowledgment of very intriguing to me. Not only
these issues has come. For that, does the singer ask us to take a
the singer will follow the moment of silence from the
footsteps of all the former obvious hip-hop loud chorus
black men (Sugar Ray but maybe also to gather our
Robinson, Washington and thoughts and honor those who
DuBois) who have lived and have died in this battle for
died in this battle for change equality.
and shout as loud as the
Senators, Presidents, and ● The chorus towards the end
Congressmen need to finally of the song that reads, “You act
listen. He demands the end of like the change (The land of
this racial bigotry where the opportunity), Tryna throw me
police apprehend black people in chains (The land of Unity),
without evidence or valid Don't act like you saving us
reason just to fill their monthly (Brotherhood, trust),
quota. The singer claims that It's still the same (America),
the Revolution is coming. The Man don't act like I made it up,
song also released an
interactive video experience You blaming us (You know),
called “Don’t Look Away” Let's keep it one hundred.” All
where the system would use those sentences in parenthesis
facial recognition as the video are what America is depicted
played all the horrific events to be… the morals and values
 black people face. If the user it is ‘supposedly’ founded on
looks away from the screen, a and yet, the same morals and
pop-up appears asking the user values are constantly fractured.
not to look away. Relating it to Black rage by
Lauryn Hill, she mentions the
old time bureaucracy that drugs
the youth and labelling black
people as mad when they
complain while whites are the
ones who “poison the water” in
the first place. Similarly, the
lyrics to Chains also talks
about the concept of the ‘blame
game’ where black people are
blamed for spreading
misinformation regarding the
injustices they suffer. It’s like
what we see in a movie where
the serial killer reassures the
victim of their irrational fears
by saying, “Don’t be afraid,
I’m not going to hurt you”
(Don’t act like you saving us),
and then ends up murdering the
victim (Poisoning your water).

Song#3 Observations
Freedom was released in 2016 (Most of my observations are
Freedom by Beyonce & amongst other songs in based on the video as I
Kendrick Lamar. Beyonce’s album, Lemonade. thought it was very symbolic
All songs in this album feature and the interpretations
the various struggles women behind the visual were much
go through and sets themes of deeper than the lyrics)
self-reliance, resilience, and
unity of all women. Freedom is ● At the very beginning of the
no different. Looking at just video we see a woman in a
the lyrics, one could say it is a rather aristocratic outfit rattling
message of generality to all what seems to be a toy.
those who have been in the However, the viewers are
fight for freedom. However, unable to see her face. Why? Is
looking at the video and it to emphasize that the race of
relating it to the lyrics, we can the individual does not matter?
deduce that it is more geared Moving onwards we see a
towards women (black women number of black women with
specifically). From the very white face paint. I believe the
beginning of song, beyonce idea was borrowed from the
talks about bringing in a new Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria as it
fight and a new form of power has a similar face painting
therefore beware. She goes on ceremony using white paint.
to apologize to the lord for The marks signify the
tolerating the injustice for too identification and beauty of a
long and not fighting back but person. The song sends a
now she is ready to break her strong message on black
chains and be free. The rage is women’s identity. However,
felt more strongly when she these tribal marks were also
hopes her last tear drops to turn used during the trans-Atlantic
into flames. She will fight slave trade where deported
through any obstacles slaves would later use these
necessary to get her way. She marks to reunite with their
will even become bulletproof. community. Is the video then
Later enters Kendrick Lamar reminiscing the days of the
who discusses the struggles struggles of slavery that began
black men have gone through from the African motherland or
since the days of slavery. He are the face paints used as
talks about the misleading “masks” to identify the lower
statements that police make class and standards of black
about black people falsely people? This is why the
accusing them and showing concept of “blackface” in
they are not worthy of fair theatrics is frowned upon and
treatment, and the stop and criticized.
frisk acts that are entirely
based on racial profiling and ● The video colorization
many other issues black men constantly shifts from Black
face with the police. He asks and White to Color. Could this
his “mama” to stay strong be depicting the importance of
against the struggles she has racism through time? Or is it
faced, and the ones he is symbolizing the concept of
facing. Not to give up hope and skin color through the shifts?
let their deaths be in vain.
Towards the end of the song, ● Another form of symbolism
Beyonce quotes her husband’s is portrayed when Beyonce is
grandmother emphasizing she standing on a higher platform
will not quit this fight on in a white dress where the rest
freedom. of the women in the audience
look upon her. Her arms are by
her side however she looks to
be leaning on a wooden pole.
The image depicted is that of
Jesus Christ. How Jesus Christ
was hung on a cross and the
struggle he faced and how
black women feel the same
way. As they are being hung
from the cross.

● We see an older black

woman in a perhaps warrior
like tribal outfit looking up to
the sky from a hole beneath the
surface of the earth in the
hopes of a brighter future. This
reminded me of the slave trade
in Zanzibar, Tanzania when
slaves were locked up in
dungeons, but they would look
up to the sky in hopes that they
will find a way out. Similarly,
in Batman Begins, Batman is
in a prison underground and
constantly looks up to the sky
trying to figure out ways of
climbing out through the hole
and setting himself free. This
symbolizes how black slaves
were treated back in the day
and its relevance to the
ongoing racism