Black Rage - Lauryn Hill

Article by Lupita Cruz, Brooklyn Foster, Annie Huynh, Jake Wolff

Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/A5ZzBMu0NlA

Artist's Bio
Lauryn Hill is a black American singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. She is widely credited for breaking barriers for female rappers, popularizing “melodic rapping” and for contributing to the popularity of hip hop. Her music and public statements have become an essential part of pop culture and societal institutions.

Production of Song
Black Rage was produced in at least 2012 but released in 2014, location is unknown but was dedicated to Ferguson Missouri.

Social Ill That The Song Tackles
The song “Black Rage” is a reworking of the song “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music and though the song was first sung long ago it was recently rededicated after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri back in 2014. The track has become increasingly relevant as the fight for black rights has continued to move more and more into the public stage in the 2010s and here in 2020. The song voices the unrest and anger coming from the African-American community which is expressed directly by the name “Black Rage.” The first line of the song is “Black rage is founded on two-thirds a person rapings and beatings and suffering that worsens, black human packages tied up in strings, black rage can come from all these kinds of things” These are the issues that led to the creation of this song and its re-release. The hatred, racism, and unfair treatment of the black community in America and the fact that in the last sixty years not much has changed. Since the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson there has been no end to the violence against minorities from police. This is especially shown here in 2020 where police brutality and racism have been centerstage. There have been hundreds of people killed by police since 2014 including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Stephon Clark, Philando Castille, and so many more. The song “Black Rage” is used to express the pain and suffering brought by these killings and to highlight the injustices and issues black Americans must face.

Compelling Lyric & Their Relevance
“Black Rage is founded on two-thirds a person, rapings and beatings and sufferings that worsens, Black human packages tied up in strings, Black Rage can come all these kinds of things.”

This line calls back to the origin of the role that was imposed on black people in America. They were treated not as a full person but as merely a thing. A thing to be sold, traded, and used. Even after the ending of slavery this sentiment still lives on with generational trauma and other things such as police brutality, which disproportionately affects the black community. This is where, as Lauryn Hill puts it, "Black Rage" is gained through the repeated mistreatment and dehumanization of black people throughout the existence in America.

“Poisoning your water while they say it’s raining, then call you mad for complaining, complaining.”

This line refers to the disadvantage and obstacles that were place for and specifically for black people. However, it was done in ways without necessarily stating them. Nonetheless, the effects can be show today as black Americans had a hard time gathering generational wealth, are more likely to live in lower income neighborhoods, and more likely to incarcerated. When black Americans try to fight back against these things, they are told that if they act right or work hard then everything should be fine. These phrases even carry onto police brutality which disproportionately affects black people in America. When Michael Brown was shot, similar things were said and even in the year 2020. "Black Rage" is also fueled by this since they are sabotaged and feel unheard in their fight for their rights nd justice.

Significance of the Song
Lauryn Hill’s “Black rage” embodies the true meaning of what a protest song is. It is a song that gives a voice to the millions of black Americans who don’t have a platform to speak out against injustice in a time of political unrest. Lauryn Hill uses her influences and fame to bring light to a sensitive and heartfelt topic on the suffering that black Americans have gone through. It was a way for her to speak her mind and a way for all the listeners of the song to relate to and connect with the meaning. Her song can still be played today as the fight against police brutality still rages on.

Contemporary Connections
Lauryn Hill’s “Black Rage” was released following the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. His death sparked an outcry from the community over police brutality. Similarly, the death of George Floyd by the hands of an officer had revived the discussion of police brutality in the black community again. Following Floyd’s death, many more cases of brutality arose. Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her own home, Elijah McClain who was walking home from the store was choked to death by policemen, and many protesters who were killed defending their rights.

Trivia

 * Lauryn Hill is best known for being a member of the band Fugees
 * Lauryn Hill has mainly decided to go underground and avoid the mainstream
 * She is 45 years old & has 6 children
 * Ferguson is a predominantly black city with a majority of white people in authority
 * The police report & witness testimonies give contradictory statements of the shooting of Michael Brown

Why This Song was Chosen?
The reason for the selection of this song (Black Rage) is because of its relevance to this day. Black Rage was a song that highlighted the importance of Black Power. The concept that “Black rage” doesn't ask for tolerance but plays an essential role in keeping constant pressure on the system. Police brutality and law enforcement murdering black people is shrugged off as accidental and is constantly turned against the black community. Black rage is a song that empowers the Black Community, in lights of current events, like the killing of George Floyd and other black lives, “Black Rage” seems incredibly relevant and it shows how police brutality has not changed since 2014.