10. Joey Bada$$ - “Land of the Free”
We’ve finally made it to the hallowed halls of the top 10. I know, I know… by now I’m a year and a half late, but hey, lets just be thankful that I’ve made it this far. This is a labor of love, and it may not be a testament to punctuality, but it is at least a testament to perseverance and commitment, and in the end those are probably more desirable, or at the very lest more commendable, qualities anyway.
Now I’ve already praised and dissected Joey’s album in depth back here at #63. So rather than revisiting the album as a whole, I’m going to dive right into a discussion of this specific jam. This song is Hip-Hop at its finest – insightful and excoriating lyrics, an infectious hook, and instrumentals that make your body move of its own accord. It highlights both pain and resilience, but also hope. It beautifully depicts the struggle of POC within America – specifically the unique situation encountered by black individuals as they are continuously forced to navigate and exist within the legacy slavery and the very real and pervasive landscape of racism.
As a history teacher, I cannot say it enough. Slavery is one of the most important topics in American history. It’s impact (economically, socially, judicially, and politically) and the ensuing effects cannot be ignored and continue to reverberate and be felt within society. Whether it’s psychological, such as the existence of racial prejudice and continuously being confronted by inequality, America’s nostalgia for the past (i.e. MAGA), a perpetual precariousness motivated by a lack of safety, value, and hope, or as Joey mentions, simply knowing that even your name – an intrinsic part of your identity, is a result of the institution of slavery, and therefore a continuous reminder of how your individuality was erased by a race that continues to exercise power over your body and mind. Or whether its material, such as police brutality, lack of appropriate preventative and diagnostic healthcare, an increased rate of mortality, drug use, gun violence, racist housing policies, or discriminatory treatment motivated by a plethora of professional and social biases.
All of the above are facts that cannot continue to be ignored or glossed over. They must be confronted, and then the systems and structures that promote them must be addressed and dismantled. This jam is an effort to do so, and the hook expertly and succinctly depicts how the American experience differs depending upon the color of one’s skin:
“And the land of the free, is for the free loaders
Leave us dead in the street then be your organ donors
They disorganized my people, made us all loners
Still got the last names of our slave owners”
The entire song simultaneously functions as a rallying cry, a reminder, a declaration, and a plea. And while I would never hope for or desire the times in which we are currently living within, I do feel as if it is only times as dark as these that can produce art as heartfelt and meaningful as this. Here’s to hoping we’re only experiencing the final reactionary setback prior to real and fundamental change and progress.
