Transformative Justice
Denver Riddell raises issues affecting the justice system in his Restorative Justice Rap. He talks of how the war on crime disadvantages some groups. Riddell says getting tough on crime was a failure and instead advocates for more thoughtful approaches to handling crime. He avoids being but a critic of the system by also providing possible solutions to the issues raised. Some of the solutions given include amending the School Safe Act and an affordable housing plan. Therefore, the song offers a basis for transformative justice to those the current justice system has offended.
Policing and Abolition
Hell You Talmbout is a song released in 2015 by Janelle Monae and Wondaland Records. The song features the calling out of names of various African-American individuals who died due to their encounter with law enforcement. After calling out a name, the question “Hell you talkin' 'bout” is used to ask what listeners are talking about if not these victims and the circumstances under which they died. The song aims to inspire listeners to speak about these incidents and advocate for change, thereby bringing about a review of and abolishing some policing practices.
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Black Feminism
Perhaps the most influential black feminism anthem is the song Four Women by Nina Simone. In the song, four women of color are used for illustrations. The music brings to light the various problems women of color faced. The four characters used have dark, yellow, tan, and brown skin tones. Each character has a description that shows how unfairly society treated women of color. This song goes well with Simone’s advocacy for equality and social and political awareness among blacks.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Christina Aguilera’s Oh Mother depicts a story of a mother who is a victim of domestic violence. She covers her cuts and bruises, but when the husband turns his violence on the kids, she decides that she can no longer take it. This song relates to the women in the book, The Color Purple, who also undergo domestic violence. They eventually find an inspiration to help them out of their misery, just like in this song, thereby showing hope to those experiencing such circumstances.
References
Aguilera, Christina. (2006). Oh Mother. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_BZQ77akOg
Monáe, Janelle . (2015). Hell you talmbout. Wondaland Records . , https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=fumaCsQ9wKw.
Riddell, Denver. (2015). Restorative Justice Rap. All Poetry , https://youtu.be/_wRvWMxVbR8.
Simone, Nina. (1966). Four Women. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWWqx_Keo1U.
Spielberg, S., Walker, A., Goldberg, W., Glover, D., & Walker, A. (1985). The color purple . Warner Bros.
