“The Bigger Picture” (Lil Baby, My Turn , 2020 ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VDGysJGNoI
Produced by Section 8 Noah for Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture,” is an extension of the rapper’s sentiments towards police brutality, white privilege, and black lives. The artist stays true to the theme of the song and accentuates it through the depictions of the famous Black Lives Matter movements and protests. Moreover, the song’s release coincided with widespread protests in America and elsewhere against police killings of black Americans, triggered by the death of George Floyd. Moreover, it came just shortly after Lil Baby participated in similar protests, which indicated that it was his artistic expression of his stance. The song’s video features clips of different protests following the death of George Floyd and the ensuing chaos. The song utilizes a gloomy melody that is predominant throughout the whole track to help convey the singer’s emotion. Moreover, the artists sing-raps against a backdrop of fast-hitting hi-hats and sparsely occurring kick drums.
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“This is America” (Childish Gambino,2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY
Primarily produced by Childish Gambino himself with the help of other producers and vocal contributions from other black rappers, the song touches on police brutality, gun violence, and racism in the United States. “This is America’s” lyrics features descriptions of some of the racial injustices and exhortations for the black populace to empower themselves by getting rich. The song’s release came at a time when there was a surge in the cases of racism, mass shootings, and gun violence in the country. Moreover, Childish Gambino released the track amidst his long-running advocacy for gun control and the need for the empowerment of minorities in society. This is America’s video depicts gun violence in different contexts to depict America’s love affair with guns and the destruction that brings. The song features a heavy bass-driven hip-hop groove that replaces a choir-type chant and soulful guitar. Backed by adlibs and backing vocals by several rappers, the song is minimalistic with no distinct melody for most of the song, except for a periodic synth to create melodic tension.
“Black Rage” (Lauryn Hill, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_sdubWaY5o&t=10s
Done as a poem in a living room session, Lauryn Hill did not initially intend to release “Black Rage” commercially but found its message too powerful in the context of racial inequality. Black Rage’s release coincided with increasing cases of racial injustice, specifically in Fergusson, Missouri. Lauryn discussed the background of the song saying the societal ills inspired her to create social awareness, which she believes is an artist’s primary purpose. The song itself layers chilled strummed guitars and wobbly lo-fi synths to create a melancholic melody. Furthermore, there are children voices in the background against Lauryn Hill’s singing to the tune of the 1959 hit song “My Favorite Things.” The song’s lyrics explain the source of black rage, including racism, hatred, and economic suppression against their community.
“16 Shots” (Vic Mensa, There’s A lot Going On, 2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPWXOAYlgOc
Rooted in the politically oriented album, “16 Shots” is an extension of the rapper’s advocacy for the Black Lives Matter movement. Additionally, it is a call to remembrance of the Lacquan McDonald’s shooting, which came at the hands of a white police officer. Mensa released 16 shots at a time when white police brutality cases against blacks and other minorities were becoming more prevalent. Essentially, the video shows police brutality as Vic Mensa endures increased aggression from police officers as he walks in attire with the word ‘Resist,’ which conveys his stance. Moreover, the video shows dashcam footage depicting the actual brutal murder of McDonald. A repeating synth motif played on G#, C#, and F keys recur through the song against the backdrop of military-style drums and rolls. Additionally, the song has heavily processed female vocals in the outro as well as sparsely hitting drums and basslines throughout the verses, which are more dominant and faster-hitting in the song’s chorus.
“Cops Shot the Kid” (Nas featuring Kanye West, Nasir, 2019) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBT7ytgVB9c&t=1s
Kanye West was the main producer for this song, which draws inspiration from Slick Rick’s song. Nas released the song at a time when there was a resurgence of police brutality and racial profiling against people of color in America. Their advocacy for the end to racial injustice and profile forms the background of West’s and Nasir’s performances. The video shows actual clips of police brutality and deaths stemming from them as well as dramatized cop aggression. “Cops Shot the Kid” features a vocal sample from Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” throughout the song reiterating the main message and its title. Moreover, the song contains constant hi-hats and kick patterns accentuated by a simple morose chord progression in the chorus.
“Walking in the Snow” (Run the Jewels, RTJ4 , 2021) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-M15L4BTqI
Produced as a hardcore hip-hop song for Run the Jewels in their RTJ4 album, “Walk in the Snow” is a song that came out at the height of racial tensions in the United States in mid-2020. As evidenced by the ‘I can’t breathe’ line in the second verse, the artists recorded the song in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death. The music video depicts a hypothetical toy world where authoritarian leaders use brutality to counter any revolt by the masses. The video shows the authoritarian forces harassing and oppressing the citizens, including some who are innocent. At a bpm of 146, the hardcore hip-hop beat features saturated synths driving the aggressive melody. Furthermore, it features a pulsating bassline, syncopated beats, and a continuously morphing melody containing arpeggiators and different effects like whistles and triangle sounds.
“Alright” (Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly, 2015) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY
Produced by Sounwave and Pharrell Williams for Kendrick Lamar, the hip hop song was an upbeat track to provide hope amidst the ongoing adversities. The song’s release came in the then resurgence of apartheid in South Africa, which is racial injustice. Furthermore, the song’s release fell on the background of the Black Lives Matter movement that was gaining traction at the time due to racial tensions. The music video depicts police brutality fueled by apartheid and racial discrimination, all of which culminates in the shooting of Kendrick Lamar. The video also shows him trying to financially empower and encourage the marginalized and oppressed minority groups. Vocal chops accentuate the jazz reed and saxophone melody that features in the song in a soulful and jazzy fashion. Moreover, the song features stuttering kick drums and a constant open hat that rides the 112 bpm beat at equal intervals.
“Hands Up” (Vince Staples, Hell Can Wait, 2014) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY
“Hands Up” is the production work of legendary producer No I.D. that seamlessly merges old school and modern hip-hop styles. The song just features album art rather than a video, but the art depicts minorities at a burning house, which is symbolic of their crumbling community. Vince Staples released the song a month after the Ferguson riots to lend support to the stance against police killings exemplified by the then murder of Michael Brown. Additionally, the artist asserts that the song draws inspiration from his history with Los Angeles police units who would opt to fire their weapons without giving a warning. The song makes use of sound effects, such as sirens throughout the track, to set the mood of the song. Furthermore, the producer uses a simple repetitive melody comprised of only three keys accentuated by synths and a wobbly bass drum.
