The United States was in shambles and had a lot of issues at the time this song was released. However, it was encouraging to see that many people of other races joined black people in supporting the BLM protest. If you recall, I'd like to know how the summer of 2020 impacted you?
When thinking about BLM, I was reminded of Lil Baby's "The Bigger Picture," which I consider to be a poetic masterpiece in song. In addition to this song, several more rap and hip-hop songs will be regarded as anthems for the BLM movement forty years from now.
Here are some songs within that category:
“Rockstar remix” by Da Baby
“I’m Not Racist” by Joyner Lucas
“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar
“Freedom” by Beyonce ft Kendrick Lamar
Say Her Name(Hell You Talmbout) by Various Artists
The release of the “Bigger Picture” was two weeks after the brutal and viral killing of George Floyd, and it was during the covid pandemic. This song is personally an anthem for me during the 2020 BLM summer protests . There were numerous videos where black people are being hurt or exploited by the police at this time. Additionally, a lot of people were restricted from going anywhere, although it appeared that there was a lot of protest. Additionally, the design of each person's profile, story, and updates varied depending on whether they used social media. For weeks, Black Lives Matter and related topics would be everywhere. This is different from most spirituals in that it is simpler. This song is intricate, with three verses and numerous literary devices . Despite the song's overall complexity, the chorus is simple and catchy, comparable to the choruses of many spirituals. It's remarkable because many enslaved African Americans vehemently protested through music how they were treated, which is similar to what Lil Baby is doing . After several decades, African Americans are still protesting but now it is about police brutality. Despite their gains, African Americans still have a lot of work to do. Throughout the song, he makes historical references to people who sacrificed their lives for the privileges he currently enjoys.
“I guess that mean hold him down if he say he can’t breathe”
The fact that he omits the name is good because this lyric is not exclusive to George Floyd. He gave listeners the flexibility to perceive that lyric how they want to. Lil Baby assumes that the listeners are aware of who "he" is, allowing for a wide range of interpretations. I'm reminded of spirituals when I think about this concept that is open to interpretation and how you can improvise into songs. s. Similar to that, this lyric has two distinct meanings. It could signify that black people are unable to breathe because of an oppressive system in place, or it could mean that someone is unable to physically breathe.
I really like how you included a question into your first paragraph. The year 2020 was an extremely difficult year for most people, so I think that by adding that question you are able to hook the readers. I find it interesting that you found hip hop and rap to be anthems. When writing my post, I was not certain of a certain genre to consider an anthem, but now that you mentioned it, I definitely think that a majority of songs produced at this time would fall into those genres. I like that you included multiple songs to back up your claim.
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