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Joey Bada$$, a young Black artist from Brooklyn, NY has gained a tremendous amount of popularity and a large following throughout the last couple years. In 2017 Bada$$ released an album titled, “All Amerikkkan Badass”, in which the word “American” was spelled as “A-m-e-r-i-K-K-K-a-n”. Bada$$ states that his album “is very good for the world right now, but it might not be everything that you want, but it’s everything you need”. In other words, many people may not want to address the acts of racism and violence that are going on in society, but the content in this album is needed for education and change moving forward.
Bada$$ states that his album “is very good for the world right now, but it might not be everything that you want, but it’s everything you need”. In other words, many people may not want to address the acts of racism and violence that are going on in society, but the content in this album is needed for education and change moving forward.
“It might not be everything that you want, but it’s everything you need”
– Joey Bada$$ on his release of “All Amerikkkan Bada$$”
See below to watch interviews with Joey Bada$$ regarding his album and his views.
Bada$$ summarizes a quote by Black singer, songwriter and activist, Nina Simone, as inspiration to write the songs he does on this album, including “For My People”. Simone states, “an artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their choice, but I CHOOSE to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself”.
“An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their choice, but I CHOOSE to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself”.
– Nina Simone
Nina Simone is a Black singer, songwriter, artists, and activist.
Because the album is spelt with three Ks, obviously referring to the KKK, Bada$$ is asking us listeners to take a look at American history and really reflect on the racism from the past and the racism that continues today as a “lesson”. One of the various subjects that Bada$$ urges his listeners to look at is the KKK. The KKK, Ku Klux Klan, was formed in 1865 as a domestic terrorist organization whos primary target is the Black community. The klan is often seen as part of American history from a hundred years ago, but the organization still remains present in today’s society. The actions of the present day KKK go widely unspoken of, but Joey Bada$$ is bringing attention to the organization again. As a young Black man, he is educated and aware of these horrific events, but many white people are unfortunately not, like many other parts of American history.
See below to learn more about the present day KKK.
Another major event that Bada$$ wants his listeners to educate themselves on is the creation of the Fair Housing Act, making it illegal to discriminate in housing.
The Fair Housing Act was passed for many reasons. One of them being section 8 of the National Housing Act of 1934, which Joey Bada$$ reminds us about. Section 8 is where the term “redlining” comes from. The act allowed for people with a lower income to afford housing, but broke them into sections, one of them being red. The redlined section’s criteria consisted mostly of the presence of the Black and Brown community. Redlining made it challenging to buy or refinance the homes, causing the loss of value as well as people of the red lined section resulting in crime as other sections of mainly white people had the resources to live a privileged life.
As Bada$$ repeatedly asks in the chorus of “For My People”, “who will take a stand and be our hero?” Bada$$ refers to section 8 by dreaming of being a hero to his mom and his future children by overcoming the oppression and discrimination in housing caused by section 8 and buying a house that is typically the house that white people would buy at the time of this act. In “For My People”, he says, “wanna get my mom a crib, with a lawn. Something that my future kids can run up on.”
“Wanna get my mom a crib, with a lawn. Something that my future kids can run up on.”
– Joey Bada$$, “For My People”
See below to learn more about the Fair Housing Act and its racist history.
Not only is Bada$$ using this song to asks his listeners, and society in general, to take a look back at America’s history and current events and to educate themselves on the issue , but he also wants us to look at present day individuals who stand with people of color and try to bring a feeling of hope to the world.
“For My People” was released in 2017, just a year after Colin Kaepernick knelt during the National Anthem during an NFL game. This was a pivotal moment for the Black community because there were not many public figures representing and standing up for people of color during that time. As a member of the Black community, Joey Badass seemed inspired by his movement in an interview from 2017 with 106KMEL. Kaepernick received a lot of social commentary in the media regarding his protest. He was the first notable figure to begin kneeling as a form of peaceful protest. His actions showed his respect and solidarity with people of color during times of police brutality and racial inequality.
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Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem at an NFL game to show his solidarity with people of color.
See below for more information about Colin Kaepernick’s protest and Joey Bada$$’s views on the movement.
Another movement that gave hope to the Black community was the Black Lives Matter movement, which became more prevalent in 2014 following the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Bada$$ refers to police brutality in “For My People” when he says, “wishin’ all these dirty cops would come clean” and then refers to the needed protection of innocent individuals against the violence of the police force when he says, “my man just copped a 30 shot, protect the team”.
The Black Lives Matter movement has the purpose of affirming and protecting Black lives against police brutality and white supremacy. The movement has also grown into a large national community of support and hope for the future. Bada$$’s overarching theme of community and hope within his song “For My People” is a theme that is so important in today’s society and forever will be.
See below to view Black Lives Matter protest footage.
In “For My People”, Bada$$ says, “look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane. No, it’s the young Black God livin’ out his dreams. What you mean? I been up on an ultralight beam. They don’t wanna see you fly, they just gonna shoot your wings.”
“They don’t wanna see you fly, they just gonna shoot your wings” may be true, but Bada$$ reminds his listeners and the Black community that they are so powerful and to have faith in God and maintain a positive and warm feeling in their community.
See below to listen to the full release of “For My People” studio produced and live.
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