2020 You've left a scar on our hearts...
Looking back to 2020, I think of all the pain and suffering that occurred. Not just pain caused from the pandemic but the pain of racial injustice and hate. When thinking of the music produced and or popularized by this music a few pieces came to mind. Songs like "This is America", "Alright", and artists like Kendrick Lamar and J.Cole have brought awareness to the issues impacting Black Americans across the United States. When looking for songs that would best represent the "Black Lives Matter" movement, I came across a song titled "I can't breathe" by H.E.R. . The name for the piece is culturally significant as "I can't breathe" were the last words of George Floyd ,which later became a phrase used by the courageous protestors of the BLM movement. Below are what I believe to be the most impactful lyrics of the piece. a
https://youtu.be/E-1Bf_XWaPE
Hey Noelia, I agree that even though the songs in the Rolling Stones article are great songs that have themes that align with the Black Lives Matter movement, there are many more that do an even better job at encompassing the movement. I think this song as well as "This Is America" are both politically significant and culturally significant for today. I think choosing a popular and loved song for the movement today is especially significant for the growth and messaging of the movement. The Rolling Stones article was published in 2016, so it's definitely interesting to see how many more songs have come to relevancy as the movement has progressed.
ReplyDeleteReading this blog post's prompt, I also immediately thought of "This is America" by Childish Gambino. I believe this one sticks out not only because of how explicitly the lyrics refer to police brutality and systemic oppression but also because the video was extremely powerful. What's so ironic and sad about many of these songs is that many white Americans idolize the singers who make these songs while being against the BLM movement and ridiculing their cause with slogans like Blue Lives Matter or saying things like "not all cops are bad." Of course, not all cops are indeed evil people, but the authentic BLM movement never said that they are, and are condemning the system that enables targeted police brutality.
ReplyDeleteAmerica's historical foundation is built on racism, and these lyrics do a great job of calling both present and past issues. One lyric that stuck out to me was, "stripped of bloodlines, whipped and confined, this is the American pride." "Whipped and confined" reminded me of slavery and opened my eyes to how long there was a lack of awareness of this issue in society. It was intriguing to see how America's desensitization of racial violence is called out, too, a problem that I feel not many people are aware of. Every other day, there will be a news story or social media post about horrific acts of violence. SZA's song serves as a call to action. There needs to be actual change, "thoughts and prayers" won't do anything to stop this cycle of violence and hatred in America.
ReplyDeletei said the wrong artist lol
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