Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture”
Photo Credit: pitchfork.com
2020 has been a very hectic year thus far. Not only are we in the middle of a pandemic that has infected and killed many, but we have also faced a spike in civil rights issues. In the United States this year, there have been various killings and injustices due to police brutality. Artists like Lil Baby and DaBaby have made songs that bring attention to the problems that the Black community faces due to racism and police brutality.
Typically young “mumble” rap artists like Lil Baby and DaBaby are changing the narrative and bringing awareness to many of the issues young black men face through the use of their music. With everything going on in America, people of color are also facing oppression and systemic racism which causes harmful, lasting effects on the black community. Both artists use their platforms to encourage people to listen to their message.
DaBaby originally made his song “Rockstar,”which gained popularity on the social media app, TikTok. However, once injustices increased with the BLM movement, he decided to make a remix in regards to racism and police brutality. In his song, he stated “Cops wanna pull me over, embarrass me. Abusin’ power, you never knew me, thought I was arrogant. As a juvenile, police pulled their guns like they scared of me.” The lyrics depict a situation that commonly occurs during the exchange of a black man and a police officer in America. Regardless of his celebrity status, he has had similar experiences.
DaBaby’s “Rockstar Remix”
Photo Credit: Revolt.tv
Like DaBaby, Lil Baby highlights police brutality throughout his song “The Bigger Picture.” “I find it crazy the police will shoot you and know that you dead, but still tell you to freeze. I guess that mean hold him down if he say he can’t breathe. It’s too many mothers that’s grieving, they killing us for no reason. Been going on for too long to get even, throw us in cages like dogs and hyenas”, he explained in his single.
Through his music, he brings attention to racism and how we should break down the stereotypes and paranoia that comes with prejudice. He says, “Every colored person ain’t dumb and all whites not racist, I be judging by the mind and heart, I ain’t really into faces.” In his music video, he and his crew are shown wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and holding signs and banners in protest. The music video also includes many clips of footage from the protests that occurred in May and June of 2020: Justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
Both rappers try to tell us that the problem is beyond our race; it’s the way we’ve been accustomed to how we are living life. Although it may not be a rapid change, we have to start somewhere. Being that we have been going through so much this year in 2020, now is the best time to start seeing the bigger picture and making positive changes.
