Joey Bada$$ speaks for the people on ‘ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$’
The Brooklyn emcee proves, yet again, that he deserves to have his name mentioned with the heavyweights.
It’s time to call Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott exactly what he is: an All-American Badass. Thankfully, Scott, better known as Joey Bada$$, does exactly that with his bold sophomore album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. The 22-year-old rapper tackles a complex narrative, and provides a much-needed perspective of our highly politicized American landscape. It’s time to give Joey credit for being a top-level, matured rapper, producer, and orator.
A musical descendant of Notorious B.I.G., Bada$$ proves that he deserves to have his name mentioned with the heavyweights. Everything about the album — from the brilliant cover art, on which he unites Bloods & Crips bandanas in an American flag, to the last verse — is a loud and clear statement: It’s time to unite and recognize our society’s problems.
Bada$$ has released two mixtapes and two albums. His repertoire of 1999 (2012), Summer Knights (2013), and B4.DA.$$ (2015) proved to the hip-hop world that he can spit some serious heat. Given this new record, it’s safe to say that Bada$$ has quietly, but steadily, built an impressive discography.
There are many themes on this album, but I’d like to highlight three: Revolution, Racism, and Freedom. AABA starts with four heavy-hitting, but smooth tracks that lay the foundation for the latter tracks. Bada$$ starts off with a provocative intro, “GOOD MORNING AMERIKKKA.”
“Now, what’s freedom to you?” he asks. “Let’s talk about it, take a minute, think it through.”
So let’s talk about it. What is freedom to you? I think freedom is completely subjective for anyone in the spectrum of backgrounds in America. Freedom means two different things for a working-class white male and a Hispanic, suburban female. A 22-year-old black male from Brooklyn has a completely different experience than, say, a white, super-wealthy real estate mogul turned politician.
On my personal favorite tracks — “For My People,” “Temptation,” and “Land of the Free” — Bada$$ interprets freedom for his people. “For My People” details the socio-political battlefield in which people of color live in America. Scott speaks on the issues of police brutality, racism, and a yearning for change. He invokes a need for leadership; which begs the question, how does one lead the charge for a revolution? Well, Bada$$ retorts with, “Music is a form of expression, I’m gonna use mine to teach you a lesson.” On “Temptation” and “Land of the Free,” Bada$$ lays out his plan for bringing about change over some Biggie-inspired beats: it’s through recognizing how one’s temptation and vices play a role in the issues at hand.
The final track on AABA is “AMERIKKKAN IDOL,” and his message is clear: America’s negative culture of racism and deep-rooted hate towards people of color is an epidemic, spread by those in the highest seats of power. He drops some knowledge in the last verse, calling out our government for the systemic racism embedded in society’s structures. And he’s right, “Justice won’t be served by a hashtag… Time to wake up and do our own research, form our own opinions, or else we’ll be doomed real, real soon.”
Stream the full LP here:
