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Protest Songs

Protest Songs

By Madison Marsh

“This is America” by Childish Gambino 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY

“This is America” by Childish Gambino was a song released in 2018 in which he depicts the racism African Americans face everyday in the United States. In the music video, Gambino uses various scenes to depict various struggles African Americans face such as the prison pipeline, police brutality, and racial gun violence. Gambino even depicts the character Jim Crow, a racist depiction of an African American. I chose this song because I feel it correlates to the state our nation is in right now and addresses the problems that must be solved.

“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY

“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar is a song that has been used as an anthem for anti-police brutality protests. This song depicts aspects of racism African Americans face everyday. The line “I can see the evil, I can tell it I know when it’s illegal” refers to many tragedies the African American community has faced with many innocent lives being taken due to gun violence and injustice in the legal system. I picked this song as it is shown as almost symbolic for the protests against police brutality.

“Don’t Shoot” by Shea Diamond 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thTQZEOP1-w

“Don’t Shoot” by Shea Diamond is a powerful song that raises awareness about the dangers black trans women face. Shea tells in interviews discussing the song at one point she couldn’t even scroll through Facebook at times as she just saw people who looked like her being killed. This song became a unifying anthem for people of color along with those in the LGBTQ+ community. I chose this song as it raises awareness for the struggles and crimes committed against black trans women.

“We The People” by A Tribe Called Quest 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO2Su3erRIA

“We The People” by A Tribe Called Quest was a song released post the 2016 election in America in protest to Donald Trump who was elected into office. This song spread a message to show how several communities were targeted by his campaign. This group came off at 18-year hiatus to release this single just to express the feelings of all those communities affected by Trump’s election into office. I selected this song as it embodies the feelings of those affected by this recent election.

“Bad Girls” by M.I.A. 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYs0gJD-LE

“Bad Girls” by M.I.A. was a song released in 2012 and it quickly became an empowering song for Saudi women as at the release of the song were forbidden to drive. In the video, it shows crews of women driving in a desert and doing stunts in decked out cars. The royal decree allowing women to drive was passed in 2018 and this song was an item of female empowerment for them. I chose this song because it constituted such a big change for women in Saudi Arabia and stood as an anthem for female empowerment.

“Freedom” by Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWF9375hUA

“Freedom” by Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar is an anthem about the oppression African Americans face in the United States. It discusses the topic of freedom which our nation preaches about however, is everyone truly free? There are lines such as “Freedom, cut me loose!” and “I’ma riot, I’ma riot through your borders” discussing how many feel as if they are stuck in place or locked out by borders. I selected this song as it really puts the struggles of those oppressed in the United States to words and shows the real truth about freedom in the United States.

“Americans” by Janelle Monae 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POZNheF-KdY

“Americans” by Janelle Monae shows the racist and sexist issues within America. These lyrics cut very deep as it discusses the struggles women face such as the wage gap. It also discusses the issues of individuals not accepting LGBTQ+ individuals, and racism towards African Americans. I chose this song as it hits the nail on every single issue it addresses. If you listen to the lyrics, many people can find one they relate to in some way and it truly shows the problems within our society.

“The Storm” by Eminem 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LunHybOKIjU

Following the presidential election in 2016, Eminem released a song called “The Storm” in which he protested President Trump’s election. His lyrics discuss the president’s poor choices and his ineffectiveness in aiding Puerto Rico. He points out his racist remarks and his various controversial tweets. I chose this song as it correlates to the upcoming election and many people’s opinions on our current president.

“What About Us” by P!nk 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClU3fctbGls

“What About Us” by P!nk even though seems like a vague song at the surface, there is much more meaning behind it. Many groups has taken on this song as an anthem at times interpreting the lyrics in a way that shows their struggle with oppression. One keynote speaker even used the song at a speech as a cry against all the broken promises made by our administration. I chose this song as even though it is vague, it still packs a powerful message to those who hear it.

“Almost Like Praying” by Lin-Manuel Miranda 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1IBXE2G6zw

“Almost Like Praying” by Lin-Manuel Miranda was released after the tragic events that occurred in Puerto Rico. It was an outcry about the poor efforts made to aid Puerto Rico. Many famous individuals took part in the song and professed their frustrations with the poor efforts made to aid the people in need. I chose this song as I remember these events occurring and I remember listening to this song in Spanish class. This song raised a lot of money to aid Puerto Rico and it brought a lot of needed attention to the crisis at hand.