Before Kanye West fell into the sunken place, he used to throw some woke lines to pick our brains in his songs. For example, his song “All Falls Down” from his album The College Dropout drops hints in the hook and the last two verses about life from the perspective as a Black Amerikkkan and how society has made Black people become materialistic.
[Verse 2: Kanye West] Man, I promise, I’m so self-conscious That’s why you always see me with at least one of my watchesRollie’s and Pasha’s done drove me crazyI can’t even pronounce nothin’, pass that Ver-say-see!Then I spent four hundred bucks on thisJust to be like, “Nigga, you ain’t up on this.” And I can’t even go to the grocery store Without some Ones that’s clean and a shirt with a team
Black Amerikkkans always feel pressured to own and wear expensive things. They feel “self-conscious” as Kanye explains it because they are trying to show society that Black people are successful. On the other hand, they always compete with each other. “Nigga, you ain’t up on this.” explains how Black people are always competing with their fellow Black brothers and sisters who owns the most expensive items. Thus, Black people are trying to show that they are equal to everyone in society by displaying the expensive things they own.
It seem we livin’ the American Dream But the people highest up got the lowest self-esteem The prettiest people do the ugliest things For the road to riches and diamond ringsWe shine because they hate us, floss ‘cause they degrade us We tryna buy back our 40 acresAnd for that paper, look how low we’ll stoopEven if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe
Originally posted by my-life-as-a-cat
The “American Dream” is supposed to be a life of freedom and success. Therefore, when Black people are successful, it seems like they are living the “American dream,” but the other half of their Amerikkkan dream is missing, which is their freedom. Also, in the next lines “We shine because they hate us, floss ‘cause they degrade us. We tryna buy back our 40 acres.” First, Kanye is referring to jewelry as a materialistic thing Black people use to combat the hate against them in Amerikkka. Second, Kanye refers to flossing, which in a literal sense means removing food from teeth. However, he is explaining how Black people try to remove things from their image that prevent them from having a good image, so society does not degrade them and consider them lower to anyone else. Kanye mentions Black people are trying to buy back their 40 acres. This is another line about Black people buying material things to make up for the reparations they never received after slavery. Last, Kanye explains, “And for that paper, look how low we’ll stoop. Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe.” This is indicating that Black people will do anything for money, and it doesn’t matter what position of power a Black person has or how wealthy a Black person becomes. To society, Black people are still considered niggas.
[Hook: Syleena Johnson + Kanye West]Oh, when it all, it all falls downCome on, come onI’m tellin’ you all, it all falls downAnd when it falls down, who you gon’ call now? Oh, when it all, it all falls down Come on, come on I’m tellin’ you all, it all falls downAnd when it all falls down
The hook is giving a scenario as to if all the riches and wealth disappeared, who or what would Black people depend on to show their worth in society.
[Verse 3: Kanye West]I say, “Fuck the police,” that’s how I treat 'em We buy our way out of jail, but we can’t buy freedomWe’ll buy a lot of clothes, but we don’t really need 'em Things we buy to cover up what’s inside'Cause they made us hate ourself and love they wealthThat’s why shorty’s hollerin’, “Where the ballers at?”Drug dealer buy Jordan, crackhead buy crack And the white man get paid off of all of that
Originally posted by 5050mixup
Of course Kanye is saying “Fuck the police” because throughout history, many police officers are known for pulling over Black people or harassing them in general, solely because the color of their skin is seen as a threat. Furthermore, Kanye is explaining that even when incarcerated Black people are bought out of jail, they are still not free. They still do not have freedom because they are faced with a racist society when they are released from jail. In addition, Kanye indicates that this society has made Black people hate themselves for who they are and has deceived them into loving the world’s wealth so others can make a profit from Black people. Last, Kanye reveals the fact that white people get paid off of all the materialistic things Black people buy. In the end, Black people are trying to flaunt to white people with their material items when the joke is on them because the white man is getting paid from it regardless of if the material items change people’s perspective of Black people in Amerikkka. In all, how Black people are mislead to become materialistic so that society can see them differently is just another form a racism.
Originally posted by yeezusquotes
This article is a part of the Music w/ a Message Series.
This article was originally published on December 21st, 2017 on Tumblr.