Change doesn’t come easy and it most certainly doesn’t come out of thin air. In order for change to happen, we need to question everything. Most importantly, we need to question those in charge. This is what the band Rage Against The Machine does and they do so through an angry style of hip-hop and rock. Though a band that became popular during the 90s, Rage Against the Machine has made a resurgence through the young people of today. Since we live in a time of intense political polarity, there is something we can learn from Rage Against the Machine and their hit, “Killing In The Name.”

The song opens with a thrashing style of guitar, bass, and drums. It pierces the ear and creates a sense of alertness. The song starts with the following lyrics:

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses

Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses

It is important to recognize these lyrics are in response to the Rodney King beating that happened in L.A. (https://genius.com/123154) During the 90s, the United States saw a period of police brutality. Obviously, this is still around today. However, these lyrics are in reference to how some police officers were equated with the Klu Klux Klan because of their bloody racism. These lyrics still have relevance today because police brutality and racism go hand in hand. The lyrics here are informative to the listener and set up the chorus.

And now you do what they told ya

And now you do what they told ya

But now you do what they told ya!

Well now you do what they told ya!

These lines are repeated heavily throughout the song and they are a call for self-reflection. Should we go along with everything? Should we be complacent? Is America the best it could be right now? These are just a few of the questions these lines bring up but in reality they are made for the listener to feel foolish. Evidently, America could be a better place to live in for everybody regardless of race. But what are we doing to change that? How do we bring about change?

The next chorus exemplifies the problem in America even further:

Those who died are justified

For wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites

You justify those that died

By wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites

Again, this is an allusion to the problem of police brutality during the 90s but it still has relevance today. By wearing a badge, many police believe they have a right to employ their racist ideologies. Here, white police believe their acts of murder are acceptable just because they are public servants. These lyrics should anger the listener and should be a call for change.

The call for change is depicted in the final lyrics of the song:

Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me

Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me

Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me

Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me

These lines are then repeated four more times and wrap up the song with a strong influence upon the listener. Throughout the song, the listener has been under the control of those in power. The song is pointing out that for much of our lives, we have been complacent and gone along with whatever those in power care to do. These last lyrics are the creation of bottled up anger that has been within the listener all along. If we really want to bring about change in America, sometimes we are going to have to go against those in power in a form of radical protest.

To conclude, this song has the power to bring about change. The anger in Killing In The Name is palpable and change needs to happen now. Police brutality and racism has been a part of America for too long. In order to implement change, we need to challenge those of who have the most power. These are the political officials that represent us today. In in order to make America a better place for all regardless of race, we need to get to the voting booths. So as one can see, songs such as these have the power to influence our minds and how we carry about the future of our country.

See Rage Against The Machine perform live here:

Sadly, we live in a world dominated by fear. If you turn on the news, there always seems to be something bad going on in our world. Mass shootings, bombings, and warring nations flood our Snapchat feeds so much that these catastrophic events are beginning to appear normal. With all the evil present on the earth we inhabit, it can be hard to remain optimistic about the course of human nature. When will all the bloodshed in this world finally come to an end? According to music artist, Matisyahu, it will all come to an end “One Day.”

Before analyzing the song “One Day” and its cognitive impact, it is important to first gain an understanding of Matisyahu’s background. Before his rise to fame, Matisyahu was known as Matthew Paul Miller. He was a devout Orthodox Jew and themes of the Jewish faith are sprinkled throughout his work. Even though he lives a religious life, Matisyahu is able to appeal to the masses through his style of reggae, rock, and beatboxing. In his hit “One Day”, Matisyahu employs his Jewish background to address the problem of evil in our world.

The beginning of “One Day” opens as such:

Sometimes I lay under the moon
I thank God I’m breathing
And then I pray don’t take me soon
I am here for a reason

Matisyahu begins the song with a feeling of gratitude. Here, he is showing how he is grateful for his life and for this reason he feels a sense that he needs to give back. This is something that is inherent in all humans, a feeling that we must contribute to the world in order to find meaning.

Matis then begins to build up why he’s here in the following lines:

Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let it get me down
So when negativity surrounds
I know some day it’ll all turn around
Because

In our world today, negativity is abundant. Due to constant violence, racism, and political polarity, it has become hard to remain in high spirits. Here, Matis admits to this and he even concedes to crying over it. These lines are powerful for the listener because they show how vulnerable Matis is being with his audience. Because Matisyahu opens up to his listeners, the hook of the song really hits home.

The hook of the song reads:

All my life I’ve been waiting for
I’ve been praying for
For the people to say
That we don’t wanna fight no more
They’ll be no more war
And our children will play
One day One day One day
One day One day One day

These lines are a call for world peace. Matisyahu has been surrounded by violence and evil all of his life and he’s fed up with it. However, what’s interesting here is the line, “For the people to say.” This line is striking because it shows how the problem of evil is in relation with all of us. Humans have the power to act with hatred, but they also have the power to act with love. The line “And our children will play” is also powerful because it calls to listener to mind what impact they will make on generations to come. The people living today have a responsibility to act and to act now. By acting out of love and not hatred, Matis believes one day we can achieve world peace.

So as one can see, songs such as “One Day” by Matisyahu can have a global impact. In the end, “It’s not about win or lose cause we all lose when they feed on the souls of the innocent.” When humans commit acts of violence and hatred, there is no real winner. Once we realize this, we can finally take a step towards creating a safe world for generations to come. This song can make an impact on how we think because if we all put our minds on making the world a better place, it can actually happen. This song gives us hope that one day everything is going to be alright. With hard work and determination, any goal we set our minds to is possible.

See the “One Day” music video here:

The reason we go to college is to hopefully obtain a job that pays well. It is hard to ignore that money is at the center of many of the decisions we make, and it influences the types of people we become. The reason we go to college is to make money, but the real importance of college is finding out what makes us happy. Money should not be the source of our happiness but rather it should be something else that brings us real joy. This is what the song “Happy Man” by Jungle seeks to make people understand – money won’t make us happy.

The opening lines of this song directly contrast the title “Happy Man”.

I’m a troubled man, changed by the things I do
True, but it’s funny how they all remember you
It all could be different, time to do something new
I’ve given everything, I want to be a happy man too

Written by the duo of Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson, it is evident that the man in this story is not happy at all. From the first line, we can gather that money has changed this man and made him troubled. This raises confusion for the listener because the man in this story is not a “Happy Man.” Just like everyone else, the man wants to be happy, but money has clouded his vision. The man realizes this and begins searching for “something new” which will bring him real joy.

The destructiveness of money is also seen in the lines,

Got to understand, blamed by the friends I lose
Who’s getting outta hand, do you think they depend on you?

Because of the man’s quest for money, he lost his friends. His judgement was so clouded by money that he didn’t recognize his friends were more important to him. Right of the bat, the listener gets a feel for what the rest of the song is going to be about and the destructiveness of money.

The chorus of the song also shows the dangers of money.

Buy yourself a dream, how’s it looking?
Buy yourself a car and a house to live in
Get yourself a girl, someone different
Buy yourself a dream and it won’t mean nothing

The lines here are especially powerful. For many people, their dream is to one day become really rich. With money, they could buy the nicest car, the nicest house, the nicest clothes, etc. etc. However, the last line shows that none of these material possessions will mean nothing in the end. A person’s success in life shouldn’t be judged on the things they have but rather the quality of life they have. Although being rich may bring financial security which is comforting, ultimately there is something else out there that makes us happy.

The last lines of the song show the man’s movement towards being happy.

No, I won’t let it tame or twist me
I just got told that I gotta move on
No, I won’t let it tame or twist me
I just got told that I gotta move on

The man in this story, after living a lavish life, chooses to do things differently. He’s not going to let the money take control of him so that he doesn’t lose any more friends. He realizes that money didn’t bring him happiness but rather it was his friendships that were truly important. In the end of this song, there is hope that the character in this story will indeed one day become a “Happy Man.”

So as one can see money doesn’t bring us happiness. The reason we go to college is to not only obtain a job but also to figure out what brings us fulfillment. Being rich in it of itself isn’t a bad thing but we must be cautious with how we use our money. This song is a reminder that we must keep close the things that are truly important to us like our friends. Things aren’t going to make a happy man, but relationships will. “Happy Man” can help form the decisions we make every day by showing how to live a good life. In the end, our dreams can’t be bought but they can be worked towards if we know ourselves and what truly makes us happy.

In the drug world of today, Xanax has made a drastic climb. Once a drug stigmatized for stay at home moms, Xanax has now come to the forefront of millennial culture. In the world of music, Xanax has become so normalized that now there is a whole genre dedicated to it. Today, there is even a rapper with the name “Lil Xan”.  Although there is a wide array of artists to choose from, this post will analyze the song JAPAN by Famous Dex and its possible effects on the young minds of today.

The reason why the Xanax culture has become so popular today is because of the catchy beats rappers are able to employ. The mindless rhythms are fast pace and can blend into any large social gathering. The mix of snare drums, synthesizers, and simple piano chords are very pleasing to the ear. Famous Dex utilizes this form as well and JAPAN has reached almost 200,000,000 listens on Spotify. Given how many people have listened to this song, it is important to look at the lyrics and the possible outcomes they could produce.

JAPAN opens with the following lines:

Baby girl, what you doing, where your mans? (where your man)
I just popped a xan, fifty thousand in Japan (fifty thousand in Japan)
You know what I’m sayin’
I ain’t doin’ no playin’, you dig (Dexter)

Given the fast-paced beat and simple lyrics, it is easy for these lines to go in one ear and out the other. The lines,

Baby girl, what you doing, where your mans? (where your man)
I just popped a xan, fifty thousand in Japan (fifty thousand in Japan)

are repeated six more times throughout and make up the bones of the song. Evidently, Xanax is at the center of the song and is being glorified. The fact that Famous Dex repeats the lyrics of popping Xanax so many times makes the drug seem normal. Dex portrays Xanax in such a light that makes the drug appear acceptable for daily usage. This is saddening because Xanax has destroyed the lives of many and songs such as JAPAN are only increasing the acceptance of such a dangerous drug.

Not only do the lyrics of JAPAN exalt the use of Xanax but so does the music video.

In the video, you see Dex with his eyes barley open surrounded by three attractive girls. Given his appearance, it leads one to believe he might be under the influence of Xanax in the video. Much like the lyrics, the video normalizes the use of Xanax. Dex and the girls appear to be having such a good time which leaves the audience to want to be like Dex. If Dex has become so successful in the music world by rapping about Xanax, why then shouldn’t the audience try it? What harm is there in popping a bar or two like Dex?

What’s also alarming about the music video is the presence of lean (combination of codeine and sprite) as well. Lean is a whole new level of danger itself but when mixed with Xanax, it can become deadly. This is disturbing because Dex is normalizing the use of lean as well. By utilizing it in the music video, the audience starts to wonder why they shouldn’t try mixing lean and Xanax like Dex.

Even though Xanax has positive benefits for those struggling with anxiety, artists such as Famous Dex have turned it into a drug to be abused. Because of the rise of the Xanax culture, the drug now gets brought up in casual conversation. Xanax has become commonplace in our society and songs such as JAPAN run the danger of changing the millennial mindset towards the drug.

Speaking from personal experience, I have seen how Xanax has put the lives of multiple of my classmates at risk. Combined with substances such as lean or more commonly alcohol, it becomes deadly. Sadly, a boy I knew died from taking what he thought was Xanax but instead it was something else. An increase in the demand of Xanax also creates an increase in the demand for fakes. If songs such as JAPAN continue to be created, the Xanax culture will only become even more widely accepted which will only put more young lives at danger.

See WebMD to learn more about the dangers associated with Xanax: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-9824/xanax-oral/details

As many of us know, police brutality is still heavily present throughout the United States. Most notably, police brutality is inflicted upon people of African American decent because of their appearance. People who have never experienced being targeted by police just because of their color will never truly understand the emotional turmoil that is involved. However, there is still time to end police brutality and it begins with acknowledging the problem. This is the purpose of Donald Glover’s song, “This Is America” and its use of contradictions and powerful diction create a distressing mood with a call to action.

The beginning of “This Is America” sounds like many modern-day songs. Its uppity beat creates a cheerful mood for the listener and makes them believe the rest of the song will carry that happy rhythm. This lively mood is even seen in the opening lyrics:

We just wanna party
Party just for you
We just want the money
Money just for you

The reference to partying and money is a classic theme that is seen throughout today’s rap scene. For this reason, it would follow that the rest of the song would carry this motif. However, after this string of lines, the song takes a drastic turn.

After talk of girls, dancing, and money, the song’s beat makes a complete 180. Glover contradicts the initial tone of his song with a now much darker resonance. The beat becomes very intense with deep synths and the rattling of electronic drums. This creates a very distressing mood for the listener and forces the listener to focus more on the lyrics. This isn’t your classic weekend hangout song anymore… this is something serious.

After the beat switch up, the lyrics become more severe as seen in the following lines:

This is America
Don’t catch you slippin’ up
Don’t catch you slippin’ up

This should cause the listener to question his or her current state. Being a citizen of America, why should we not be caught slippin’? What is there to fear? If we believe America is one of the best countries in the world, what do we have to worry about? These questions are quickly answered in the ensuing lines:

This is America (skrrt, skrrt, woo)
Don’t catch you slippin’ up (ayy)
Look at how I’m livin’ now
Police be trippin’ now (woo)
Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy)

The line, “Police be trippin’ now (woo)” is a direct reference to the current problem of police brutality. Instantly, the listener (if white) now feels a sense of guilt of the questions he or she may have asked earlier. Being targeted for their skin color is a problem that has never crossed their mind and the fact that this is America is truly disheartening. Furthermore, these lyrics not only address the problem of police brutality in America but also the dispute over poverty and violence.

The lines:

Guns in my area (word, my area)
I got the strap (ayy, ayy)
I gotta carry ’em

address the dispute over poverty and the violence that is intertwined. Because African Americans can no longer count on being protected by the police, they have to resort to protecting themselves. Because poverty has gotten so out of hand, people of African American decent are forced to carry guns because otherwise they run the risk of getting killed themselves. This should inflict anger in the listener and this is precisely what Donald Glover is aiming to do.

By creating confusion through use of contradiction and anger through use of powerful diction, Glover is calling his listeners to action. In order to end police brutality, we are going to have to make some different choices. Implicit biases have been ingrained ever so deeply in our minds that it is going to take some hard work. This is only the beginning. In a sense, Glover is modern day prophet and he is fed up with America right now. Acknowledging the problem is not even a percent of the solution. The real solution lies in the choices we make towards a completely new America – one that values the lives of every human being no matter what their color. As once can see, music has the power to change a whole nation.

See the “This Is America” music video to catch an even more powerful glimpse of the problems America is facing right now.