The African American community has endured decades of injustice and oppression. One would expect that given that progress that the US has made in securing fundamental liberties, the experiences of the black community have improved. While this is partly true, the members of this community continue to suffer various forms of injustice. The injustices range from inadequate access to such opportunities as education, employment and healthcare to police brutality. Over the last few years, headlines have been dominated by news reports of police officers shooting unarmed black men. In response to the injustices that they suffer, African Americans have risen up in protest. Music is one of the tools that this community is using to call for an end to injustice. Beyonce’s ‘Freedom’ and Jay Z’s “99 Problems” are examples of songs by black artists that convey messages of social justice and liberty. While there are numerous differences that set these songs apart, they are unified by their exploration of the need to recognize the liberty of the African American community.
“Freedom” and “99 Problems” are more similar than they are different. The key similarity lies in the theme of liberty that the two songs address. This theme can be seen in the titles. It can be argued that by titling her song “Freedom”, Beyonce set out to highlight the lack of and the need for liberty of African Americans. In their exploration of this song, Phelps-Ward, Allen and Howard (2017) confirm that the song is indeed about liberty. It reminds audiences that the African American community has endured enough of racial injustice and it is time to grant its members their over-due freedom. This can also be said about Jay Z’s “99 Problems.” In this song, Jay Z laments about racial discrimination perpetrated by police officers. In the second verse, he retorts: “cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low.” This is in response to a question by the officer about whether Jay Z knows why he has been stopped. Through this line, Jay Z expresses the anger and frustration of the thousands of African Americans who have had unpleasant encounters with police officers. It is well established that police officers tend to treat black people with greater suspicion and hostility. For example, racial profiling involving black people is a common problem among law enforcement agencies in the US (English, 2017). For “Freedom”, Beyonce collaborated with Kendrick Lamar who echoes the concerns about police misconduct. The following are his lines: “Five-O askin’ what’s in my possession”. Here, Lamar refers to the tendency by the police to target the black community. Through their song, Beyonce and Lamar join Jay Z in calling for the better treatment of the black community.
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The similarity between “Freedom” and “99 Problems” extend beyond the theme of liberty. These two songs are also united by their fiery and rather crude language. This is particularly true for Jay Z’s song. The following lines make up the chorus for the song: “Ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one/If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son/I got ninety nine problems but a bitch ain’t one, hit me.” The words in these lines are rather strong and convey Jay Z’s frustration regarding the struggles of African Americans. For much of the song, he complains about as a black man, he has had to grapple with an unfair criminal justice system, enemies who wish him dead and a media that does not understand the value of balanced coverage. Similarly crude words can be seen in “Freedom”. For example, Beyonce sings “I’ma riot, I’ma riot through your borders/Call me bulletproof”. Here, Beyonce exhibits her frustration at the fact that African Americans continue to fight for their freedom. The fiery words in both songs are a reflection of how deeply and passionately the respective artists feel about the hardships endured by fellow African Americans.
Historically, religion has played a vital role in the struggle for freedom among African Americans. This is still the case today. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, compared with other racial groups, African Americans report the highest rates of affiliation with some religion (“A Religious Portrait”, 2009). Both “Freedom” and “99 Problems” acknowledge the central function of religion in the quest for liberty. In “Freedom”, Beyonce confesses that “Painting white flags blue/Lord forgive me, I’ve been running.” Here, Beyonce basically seeks forgiveness for her failure to fight. Jay Z’s song also makes reference to religion. He shares that “I tried to ignore ‘em, talk to the Lord/Pray for ‘em, cause some fools just love to perform.” In this line, Jay Z recognizes that his faith serves as a source of insight and strength. It is clear that both songs show the reverence that the African American have for God and the importance of faith.
As already noted, there are various differences that distinguish the two songs. The tone and demeanor of the artists are among these differences. On the one hand, Beyonce adopts a voice that is rather calm. Throughout the song, she proclaims her unending struggle for freedom. Her focus is entirely on how she “break chains all by myself” and refuses to “let my freedom rot in hell”. One can describe “Freedom” as well-ordered and mature. On the other hand, Jay Z’s tone is rather chaotic, combative and extremely hostile. This can be seen in the crude words that he uses and the issues that he explores. For example, such terms as “bitch” and “pussy” feature prominently in the song. Moreover, he targets his attacks against nearly everyone who has frustrated his progress. These include those who refuse to play his music and the police who arrest him without valid cause. Despite the crude nature of the song, “99 Problems” remains a powerful anthem for the black community which is yet to be granted full liberty.
The lyrics of “Freedom” and “99 Problems” are not their only elements that have allowed them to have tremendous impact on American discourse regarding the experiences of African Americans. In addition to the lyrics, the artists also used videos to amplify the messages of the songs. Further differences can be found in the video. On the one hand, Beyonce uses feminist power and black pride to bash society and celebrate her black identity. In the video, black women can be seen performing moves that convey power and frustration that has been boiling for decades. For example, the women kick water and demonstrate an impressive command of the stage. They are able to combine grace with authority to accentuate the song. Basically, through “Freedom”, Beyonce exhibits her remarkable ability to persuade audiences to watch and listen intently. On the other hand, Jay Z’s song features loosely-clad women, stereotypical portrayals of African Americans and a scene involving an encounter with an officer. His song lacks the effective nuances found in the video for “Freedom”. However, this does not mean that the video erodes the impact of the song. If anything, it offers audiences an unfiltered look into the lives of African Americans. Apart from police brutality, these people have to grapple with gun violence and poverty.
In conclusion, “Freedom” and “99 Problems” highlight the influence that music can have on social issues. The artists behind these song shed light on the pain and suffering endured by African Americans. They decry police brutality and America’s failure to address the plight of African Americans. When performing the songs, Jay Z and Beyonce must have been inspired by the need to deliver justice and liberty to their community. While the language used renders the songs inappropriate for younger audiences, it helps to strengthen the message. Those who listen to the songs should respond to the call of joining African Americans in the journey towards liberty; towards true freedom.
References
A religious portrait of African-Americans. (2009). Pew Research Center. Retrieved 30 th September 30, 2017 from http://www.pewforum.org/2009/01/30/a-religious-portrait-of-african-americans/
English, D., Bowleg, L., del Río-González, A. M., Tschann, J. M., Agans, R. P., & Malebranche, D. J. (2017). Measuring Black men’s police-based discrimination experiences: Development and validation of the Police and Law Enforcement (PLE) Scale. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 23(2), 185-199.
Phelps-Ward, R., Allen, C., & Howard, J. L. (2017). A rhetorical analysis of Beyonce’s “Freedom”: an examination of black college women’s experiences at predominantly white institutions. Taboo, 16 (2), 50-64.
