Repairing through repayment- Mixtape

 Isyss Paige

Professor Harris

1 May 2023

ENGL 2017

 

Repairing through repayment. My interpretation of this theme is during the effort of anyone (anyone as in African Americans) trying to get a reparation, there is a clear pattern of emotions: frustration, exhaustion, & passion. And in this case, I believe frustration is what drives motivation. Any attempt to act or get repayment, there is motivation.

1.      “When will We be Paid” The Staples Singers

When will we be paid for the work we’ve done? When will we be paid for the work we’ve done?”

This song is repetitive, but it talks about the work African Americans have done, just like in “Coates”. She gets frustrated because black people have done so much but hasn’t got repaid yet.

2.      “Dedication” Nipsey Hussle ft. Kendrick Lamar

“How long should I stay dedicated? /How long ’til opportunity meets preparation? /I need some real nigga reparations.”

This song reminded me of a couple text we’ve discussed. In Lovecraft, Leti was driven by many different emotions. One being frustration. The white police officers were messing with her, but that only motivated her to get the repayment for the spirits that lived in their home. In this song, Nipsey Hussle is frustrated because he wants to know how long it should take until there are reparations, but he is motivated by that.

3.      “The Bigger Picture” Lil Baby

In “A Different Drummer”, we discussed how there was always a face of a movement that gets it going. This song was motivated by George Floyd’s death, and Lil baby was over the fact (frustrated) that people are getting killed for no reason.

4.      “Who’ll Pay Reparations on My Soul’ Gil Scott

Tuckers gets the land and destroy it in “A Different Drummer”. That might seem unnecessary, but he felt like he deserved it. It was passion to it, and that’s just like this song. African Americans deserve their repayment.

5.      “White Man’z World” Makaveli

“Help me raise my Black nation. Reparations are due. It’s true, caught up in this world I took advantage of you”

This contributes to my theme because it says reparations are due, and how black people have gotten things to taken from them. They are passionate just like this song.

6.      “40 Acres” Pusha T & The Dream

“I’d rather die than go home. And I ain’t leaving without my 40 acres”

Again, Tuckers gets the land and destroy it in “A Different Drummer”. He was motivated to get it by any means. He wasn’t leaving without it.

7.      “By the Time I Get to Arizona” Public Enemy

“A piece of the pick, we picked a piece of the land that we’re deserving now. Reparation, a piece of the nation.”

I feel like Tucker deserved that land even if he didn’t want to do anything. Its about deserving and getting what is owed.

 

8.      “We Can Make It Better” Kanye West

"One foot in and one foot out the grave, niggas want they reparations, how you calculate the amount to be paid?"

Candyman kind of reminded me of this song. Even though he wasn’t dead, he was switching to himself and Candyman to repair through repayment.

9.      “Carter II” Lil Wayne

“We at war/And you still in preparation/I'm riding for them reparations/No patience” 

This is similar to Nipsey’s song, but it is a bit more aggressive. In “A Different Drummer”, the black people didn’t time to wait on change, so they fled the city without telling the whites.

10.  “No Worries” Kev Choice

“When the government write them checks/Add reparations while the ink wet.”

African Americans get frustrated because money isn’t the only thing that can be a reparation.

11.  Fear of A Black Planet” Public Enemy

"I'm thinking 'bout solutions, reparations, housing and education."

In Kindred, Dana wanted to repair pretty much everything that she seen was wrong. For you to think of everyone and everything takes passion and dedication.

12.     “Shelter” Chance The Rapper

“We demand reparations, and they tell us, “Have patience”.

How do anyone supposed to be patient about something that is already theirs? How can this not be frustrating and exhausting?

13.  “Keep Ya Head Up” 2Pac

“But please don’t cry, dry your eyes, never let up… forgive, but don’t forget, girl, keep ya head up”

This song is motivation to the everyone that is frustrated. It should be motivation for them. In Kindred, I know Dana was exhausted from going back and forth from the past to the present, but she knew she had to get something done. I know for a fact that Anthony was exhausted in “Candyman”, but he needed to repair through repayment.

                                                            Conclusion

There are a few rappers who strongly believe reparations are in order to right America’s past wrongs. Most of their raps have touched on the topic and STRONGLY suggested that monetary atonement needs to happen. You can hear it in the lyrics and in their voice how frustrated, but passionate they are.