The two songs I’m considering for my podcast submission are, 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid and The Bigger Picture by Lil Baby. 

1-800-273-8255 by rapper Logic, featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid brings light to mental health issues. The title of the song is actually the number to the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-8255, leaves its listeners with goosebumps because of how powerful the message behind it is. The song gets serious about suicide by opening up with lyrics like “I don’t wanna be alive/ I don’t wanna be alive/I just wanna die today/ I just wanna die.” Logic assures the caller that they aren’t alone by featuring lyrics in the second verse such as, “you don’t gotta die/I want you to be alive” said in the perspective of an individual offering emotional support. Logic wants to get across a message of hope and healing and to contact the National Hotline if they feel suicidal. I think this song is moving in so many ways and really sets a reminder for people who are hurting that they are not alone. 

The music video follows the life of a young black guy as he grows up and becomes an athlete. As the video progress, we see him start struggling with his sexuality and experience bullying from kids at school and parents which express the dark lyrics. The video gets quite emotional when the young teenager pulls out a gun and contemplates suicide. However, instead of killing himself he decides to call for help instead which express the lyrics, ” I finally wanna be alive/I don’t wanna die today”. Then we see a flash forward moment to the wedding of two men and them having a child which depicts how the mans sexuality was finally accepted. I think the power of these lyrics and music video is beyond incredible. 

 

The Bigger Picture, By Lil Baby is a song that brings light to the racial injustices and police brutality occurring in our nation. Lil Baby who has been an activist for Black Lives Matter and police brutality, draws on the murder of George Floyd along with his personal experience with the police. I would consider this song a protest song because the lyrics comment on police brutality, his personal experience, racial tensions, COVID-19 and a divided nation. The song opens up with an intro of a newscaster VoiceOver talking about protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death and ends with the 3 words “I can’t breathe”.  Lil Baby voices in frustration in verse 1 as he raps, “they ‘posed to protect us/Throw us in handcuffs and arrest us/ While they go home at night, that shit messed up/ Knowing we needed help, they neglect us” Lil Baby draws on his activism and the unrested police violence. Personally, I think this song holds such a powerful message. I have always loved how Lil Baby uses his voice as an activist to stand up against racism and police brutality. Lil Baby’s activism is something that I’ll always praise as he was the lead of a BLM protest in his hometown Atlanta and assisted in creating a police reform plan. 

The music video for The Bigger Picture opens up with individuals at a protest, holding signs as news headlines of protest footage flash the screen. Then rapper, Lil Baby is seen, along with a group of other individuals are wearing a “Black Lives Matter” T-Shirt at a protest with raised fist to show their solidarity. The music video switches from being in color to black and white, to showing individuals chanting and protesting. I think the message behind the video and song is very moving as you can see the issues being addressed throughout the song. I feel like the tone and the way the systematic racism and police brutality is addressed is very moving and unique as well.