Joey Bada$$- Temptation: Statement of Resistance
Joey Bada$$ created waves throughout the world of music following the release of his sophomore LP, ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. The project is filled with tracks aimed to blast corrupt American institutions, and the overall “powers that be”, but the track Temptation particularly stands out to me because of the artistic complexity, and clear forethought that went into the creation of this track. Very simply, Joey Bada$$ uses a sense of restlessness, and desperation, in addition to challenging his listeners to be better community members through his lyrical, and musical artistry in an attempt to promote resistance.
I have come to gain a better understanding as to what inspired Joey Bada$$ to make the song Temptation in the first place, and there are many ways in which the musical elements contribute to this song serving as a call of resistance. Specifically, there is text painting, which includes a sample of a young black girl crying about injustices done to her race, as well as the contrasting, upbeat, melodic sample that is used grip the listener in to really hear the message Joey is trying to get through in his lyrics. This is musical artistry at it’s finest, because it makes the listener pay attention to more than just the dance-worthy instrumental. Much like “Rock The Qasba”, “99 Luftballoons”, and “Electric Avenue”, it is deceptively jovial musically. Apparently,He talked to reporters after the 2016 election about how helpless he felt as an individual, seeing society take a drastically negative turn in his eyes, so All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$, in which Temptation is track three, was his outlet to cry out against a broken system (Rys, 2017). It is very poignant that he included “helplessness” as a central theme on the song. He is not only asking for help from The Lord, he’s calling on his brothers and sisters to stand up for themselves, and stay clear of the pitfalls that will inevitably consume many of them. Above all, these elements are calling for resistance. They are calling for the listener to be bigger than themselves, and to fight for a better life to share as a community. I just think it is noteworthy that they convey that feeling, even standing apart from Joey’s lyrics.
It is also worth noting that the production on this album was made in such a way that it complimented Joey’s rap “boom bap” style, but still sonically appealed to a wide array of listeners who could appreciate this music (Wildmann, 2017), even if they were previously unfamiliar with his work. I wholeheartedly take this to be an intentional element present, particularly in Temptation, because he is not afraid to use trends in popular music to coexist with the trends of resistance in our American culture. It certainly makes sense to attempt to make a call to action in a more a digestible manner. Altogether this makes it easier for one to act on what Joey is pleading for.
It would be an understatement to say that lyrically, there is much to analyze in Joey Bada$$ verses. Specifically, in Temptation, the complexity of a relationship with God, and religion as a whole — in connection to its impact on the emcee’s target audience is very compelling, and deserving of some level of analysis. When he raps “Uh, uh, tell me how we gon’ shape this vision, Complainin’ all day, but in the same condition, if you wanna make change it’s gon’ take commitment, some people enslaved by they religion”, after singing in the hook, “I been living so reckless, I know, Tell me Lord can you help me? I said Lord can you help me?”, it becomes evident that he is not dismissing God himself, he is just asking for his brothers and sisters to stand up to the issues in their communities. He is telling them that in order to succeed, they need to do more than rely on structures like religious sects, because structures have the potential to inherently be corrupt — which is a threat to a black culture that is already feeling oppression from the structures which America was founded upon.
Joey continues to use a bold tactic of challenging the listener in his lyrical artistry later in the song when he rhymes, “Now everybody got vices, yeah
But wouldn’t know what good advice is, Until they leave ’em lifeless, Another momma cryin’ it’s another crisis”. He recognizes that people rely on certain things to get by, and even admits later in the song that in his own moments of crisis, he, “Inhale the swisher, or I sip the liquor” — but he argues that they are often crutches that can prove to be futile when the worst happens and another black life is lost. Joey walks a fine line here between empathy, and admonishment. In the end, it all seems to comes from a place of love, and urgency for things to “get right” with his people.
Overall, Temptation provides a great insight, and example of how Joey Bada$$ has used his artistry, and talent to convey a truly thoughtful message to the masses. If there is anything to take away from this, it’s that Joey is not afraid to dedicate his craft towards something that is bigger than just him. That alone bleeds through his music. That level of passion, dedication to not only a craft, but a movement, in addition to attention to detail create a sound that could honestly be appreciated — regardless of political affiliations, or personal beliefs. That to me, is what makes Joey Bada$$ an artist that is needed in this modern world.
References:
Rys, D. (2017). MADE IN AMERIKKKA. Billboard, 129(7), 23–24. Retrieved from https://hoover2.mcdaniel.edu:2443/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.hoover2.mcdaniel.edu:2443/docview/1957108044?accountid=12333
Will Widmann. (April 13, 2017 Thursday). TEST SPIN: Joey Bada$$ — All Amerikkkan Bada$$. Cornell Daily Sun: Cornell University. Retrieved from https://advance-lexis-com.hoover2.mcdaniel.edu:2443/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N9P-FSR1-JBSN-34SC-00000-00&context=1516831.
