In my opinion, Kanye West is a marketing genius and one of the most creative music artists ever. Last night, Friday (May 17), Yeezy premiere his ‘New Slaves‘ visual on 66 buildings in 6 countries around the world-USA, Canada, France, UK, Germany & Australia. On the track, Kanye used a sample from Hungarian rock band Omega.
According to celebrity blogger Necole Bitchie, “Kanye dishes his thoughts on what he believes is modern-day slavery — artists becoming slaves to corporations for the almighty dollar, people becoming slaves to materialistic things and weak-minded individuals becoming slaves to what society has deemed acceptable versus treading their own lane. He also references the CCA, an organization that manages over 60 private prisons, teaming up with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) which makes for no coincidence that black men are the most incarcerated group in America.”
This track has already caused a lot of controversy. Personally, I like the message that Kanye delivers on this track. He makes a lot of sense! I also like how Kanye protects his art/craft while rapping a meaningful song.
Read the lyrics and the breaking/meaning below:
[Verse 1]
Lyrics:
My Momma was raised in an era when, Clean water was only served to the fairer skin
Breakdown:
Donda West, Kanye’s mum, grew up during an era of segregation. During this period there were separate water fountains for white people and African Americans. When Kanye refers to those with “fair skin”, he’s reflecting on the times of Jim Crow where whites and blacks had to drink from separate water fountains. The “fair skin” group would receive the cleanest drinking water, while everyone else had to use the more run-down faucets.
Lyrics:
Doing clothes you would have thought I had help
Breakdown:
His designs are so good, they look as if he had help from designing experts, although he actually did a lot of it himself. Everything he’s touched in fashion has had great success, including the Nike Air Yeezy 2 sneakers, which were the most coveted release of 2012. Additionally, after his latest stroke of fashion genius, the $6,000 pair of Giuseppe Zanotti heels, he’s most likely going to make the Paris news again.
Lyrics:
But they wasn’t satisfied unless I picked the cotton myself.
Breakdown:
Ye delivers the punchline to his fashion critics. There was much speculation Kanye had help making his designs, especially for the 2011 womens collection. In turn, the critics slammed the collection. After the Taylor Swift incident, he took time off from music and worked overseas at multiple factories that cater for high end fashion boutiques.
Lyrics:
You see its broke nigga racism, That’s that “Don’t touch anything in the store”, And this rich nigga racism, That’s that “Come here, please buy more”
Breakdown:
Ye details the full spectrum of racism he has encountered in his life. Prior to being viewed successfully by society, Ye was told not to touch anything in stores because he was stereotyped as a black man who probably just wanted to steal something. Now that he’s rich and famous they want/need him in their store to “buy more”.
Lyrics:
What you want a Bentley, fur coat and dimond chain? All you blacks want all the same things
Breakdown:
He plays off of the typical stereotypes imposed on the black community, usually considered as hood dreams. Condescendingly, he uses the term “blacks” as a euphemism and expands on this idea when he says “I know that we the new slaves.” Furthermore, he channels people like Spike Lee who have criticized their own race for being too materialistic. Kanye himself recentlyreferenced this in “Clique”. I rather buy 80 gold chains and go ign’ant, I know Spike Lee gone kill me but let me finish
Lyrics:
Used to only be niggas now everybody plain
Breakdown:
Ye has seen a shift over his career as his fan base and admirers have grown from “only niggas” to everybody across race lines. The “niggas” in this line is sampled from Curtis Mayfield’s “Don’t Worry if There’s a Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go”. It was also sampled in Ye’s 2004 hit, “Jesus Walks”. Steve Stoute’s “The Tanning of America” touches on a similar idea to Ye — the new generation in America is more “pan-ethnic”, “color blind” and cool.
Lyrics:
Spending everything on Alexander Wang
Breakdown:
Alexander Wang is a fashion house ran and operated by the man himself, Alexander Wang. It’s no coincidence he references him here. Wang’s menswear is currently hot property among fashion enthusiasts, the montoned, goth style is trending as of late — a trend which Kanye helped create. With this Ye implies not only do all the kids want to spend their money on high end fashion, but they’re biting his style.
Lyrics:
New Slaves
Breakdown:
This powerful token at the end of Ye’s verse (and the title of the song) is in response to the modern argument that claims black people are still slaves. One argument is that it’s the whips and chains, and material possessions that many in the black community long after that’s still keeping black people in a modern slavery. The other argument thinks the way in which the new black elitebehave is that of an animal, something less than a human like a slave (the racist argument).
[Hook]
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers/But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers/But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower
Breakdown:
The world is divided among those who lead, and those who follow. Leaders who are too brazen or bold sometimes get flack for their audacity (enter Yeezy). Playing off dick/swallowing, Ye would rather step on toes (i.e. be a dick/jerk) and get criticized for it than swallow his words and not speak his mind.
Photos Credit: | Instagram
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NEXT PAGE: VERSE 2: LYRICS/BREAKDOWN
