Introduction
Racially and ethnically diverse countries are often divided along racial lines, and contemporary artists have spoken out against racism that unfairly impacts ethnic minorities (Racial Prejudice and Discrimination). One such artist is Michael Jackson, who, in his pop song “They Don’t Care About Us,” from his album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I (released April 16, 1996), addresses issues of racial prejudice. Jackson’s song begins with a plea for divine intervention in the fight against injustice, including racial prejudice.
Another artist, Kanye West, addresses racism in his industrial hip-hop song “Wash Us in the Blood,” from his scrapped album God Country (released in July 2020). West imagines an apocalyptic event, blood rain, that would deliver African Americans from the evil of racism. Both artists blend references to systemic racism with biblical imagery, urging divine intervention to punish perpetrators of racism. This paper explores how contemporary art, through the works of Jackson and Kanye, has become a vital tool in speaking out against racial inequality.
The Issue of Racial Prejudice and Discrimination
Defining Prejudice
Prejudice is an unfair and rigid generalization about an entire group of people (Pager & Shepherd, 2016). For example, if someone believes African Americans are unintelligent, they will apply this stereotype to every member of that group, without any supporting evidence. Prejudices are similar to stereotypes, which are simplified and exaggerated descriptions applied to every person in a specific category (Zemore & Karriker-Jaffe, 2017). Negative stereotypes often target people who are different from the majority. African Americans, for example, are often stereotyped as drug dealers or crack addicts, as having an affinity for fried chicken and watermelon, and as welfare fraudsters (Lee et al., 2019). These stereotypes are false and are based on implicit reasoning rather than scientific evidence.
The Concept of Racism
Racism goes beyond prejudice; it involves actions, thoughts, and beliefs based on the assumption that one race is superior to others. Scholars have expanded the definition of racism to include the power dynamics within society, suggesting that racism often reflects the belief that a race with more societal power is superior to other races (Pager & Shepherd, 2016). According to a recent Pew Research survey, six in ten Americans believe that race relations in the U.S. are worsening, citing factors like white supremacy and the election of Donald Trump (Horowitz & Brown, 2019). Additionally, 78% of African Americans argue that the U.S. lacks a legislative climate that guarantees equal rights for all races (Horowitz & Brown, 2019).
Institutional Racism
Racism is not only individual but can also be institutional. Institutional racism refers to biases built into the operations of critical institutions such as the labor force, banking systems, healthcare, and schools. For instance, African Americans historically faced barriers to accessing quality education, healthcare, food, and housing. This lack of access, resulting from racial discrimination, goes unnoticed because it is not tied to a single person or government agency (Zemore & Karriker-Jaffe, 2017).
Comparison of Lyrics in Michael Jackson and Kanye West’s Songs
Addressing Systemic Racism
Both Michael Jackson and Kanye West released powerful singles that highlighted systemic racism affecting African Americans. In Jackson’s music video, a note appears stating, “This film is not degrading to any one race, but pictorializes the injustices to all mankind. May God grant us peace throughout the world.” Similarly, Kanye’s song begins with a prayer: “Shower down on us, wash us in blood, whole life being thugs, no choice, selling drugs.” Both artists reference their Christian faith and suggest that divine intervention is the answer to the racial injustices thats perpetuated by government failure.
Government Neglect and African Americans’ Struggle
In the first line of Jackson’s song, “All I want to say is that they don’t really care about us,” the word “they” refers to the government. Jackson suggests that African Americans are often mistreated by the government, which perpetuates institutional racism, such as racial bias in healthcare and racial profiling by authorities. Kanye echoes a similar sentiment with the lyrics “whole life being thugs, no choice selling drugs,” which implies that African Americans have been neglected by the government, forcing them into illicit ways of survival.
Police Brutality and Genocide
Jackson sings “bang bang, shot dead, everybody’s gone mad” to indicate that African Americans are frequently victims of police brutality. The “bang” refers to the sound of gunfire, and “everybody’s gone mad” refers to the public outrage following such incidents. Jackson’s reference to gun violence suggests widespread police shootings of African Americans. Similarly, Kanye raps “genocide, what it does, slavery, what it does” to suggest that systemic discrimination, including police brutality, is a form of genocide. By forcing African Americans to live in impoverished conditions and targeting them through violent means, Kanye believes authorities dehumanize them. Both artists use their lyrics to call attention to the deadly consequences of systemic racism.
Injustice in the Criminal Justice System
Jackson’s line “I am the victim of police brutality, now, I am tired of being a victim of hate” reflects the African American community’s frustration with ongoing racial injustice. Similarly, Kanye’s lyric “mass incarceration, what it does” critiques the mass imprisonment of African Americans, who are disproportionately targeted by a biased criminal justice system. Kanye also refers to the death penalty with the line “execution, thirty states, thirty states will execute,” advocating against state-sanctioned murder, which he believes disproportionately targets African Americans.
Government Inaction and Disregard
In another post-chorus, Jackson sings, “I can’t believe that this is the land which I came, the government does not want to see,” expressing his disbelief at the government’s failure to acknowledge the struggles of African Americans. Jackson wonders if the government even notices African Americans or has implemented policies to ensure all races have equal opportunities. Kanye’s lyric “we dodging time in the federal, squad box in like a sectional” refers to the barriers African Americans face in their everyday lives, both literally and figuratively.
Music/Lyric Connection
Michael Jackson’s Plea Against Systemic Racism
Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” is a plea against systemic racism, highlighting the neglect by authorities and the oppression faced by ethnic minorities. The bridge section of the song contains the lyric “some things in life, they just don’t wanna see,” which implies that the government has failed to address the continuing social prejudices that persist. Jackson also critiques institutional racism in the media, where negative stereotypes against African Americans continue to thrive.
Kanye West’s Call for Divine Intervention
Kanye’s “Wash Us in the Blood” references systemic racism and evokes biblical plagues, such as blood rain, to symbolize the cleansing of African Americans’ sins. He pleads for divine intervention, with the line “rain down on us,” asking for African Americans to turn to religion and cleanse themselves of sins, such as drug dealing and crime. Kanye attributes these sins to government neglect, suggesting that African Americans turn to crime due to a lack of economic opportunity caused by racism.
Conclusion
This paper discusses the social issue of racism and how contemporary artists use their medium to address this issue. Through the analysis of Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” and Kanye West’s “Wash Us in the Blood”, it becomes clear that both artists use their music to shed light on racial inequality. By blending biblical imagery with social commentary, Jackson and Kanye have created powerful songs that urge for social change and divine intervention in addressing the injustices faced by African Americans. Their works serve as a testament to the role of contemporary art in speaking out against racial discrimination and prejudice.
Discography
Michael Jackson, They Don’t Care About Us, Epic Records (1996), New York City
Kanye West, Wash Us In The Blood, Def Jam (2020), New York City
Bibliography
Lee, R., Perez, A., Boykin, C., & Mendoza-Denton, R. (2019). On the prevalence of racial discrimination in the United States. PLoS ONE, 14(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210698
Pager, D., & Shepherd, H. (2016). The Sociology of Discrimination: Racial Discrimination in Employment, Housing, Credit, and Consumer Markets. Annu Rev Sociol., 34, 181-209.
Zemore, S. E., & Karriker-Jaffe, K. J. (2017). Racial Prejudice and Unfair Treatment: Interactive Effects With Poverty and Foreign Nativity on Problem Drinking. J Stud Alcohol Drugs, 72(3).
