Arts come in three major categories which are visual arts, literature and performing arts. Under visual arts are items such as paintings and drawings. Literature, on the other hand, constitutes things such as novels and poetry while performing arts involve things such as music and dance. This paper analyzes a song and a poem that are interrelated but composed by different artists. The first piece of art is the song “New Slaves” by Kanye West that falls under the performing arts genre. First published in 2013 and having earned a Grammy nomination for best rap song, the song has received criticism and praise in almost equal measure. The lyrics to the song show the author’s use of literary devices such as rhyme, imagery and irony to convey the message of racism. The theme of the song is racism and how it is still there even today but only in different forms.
One stylistic feature in the song is the use of imagery. Imagery is seen in the line “I see the blood on the leaves” (Kanye West). Here, the author visually describes money and wealth as things made off the back of black lives. The blood on the leaves is the equivalent of blood money gained from slavery and how this money has been used to build society and make some rich at the expense of others. The author also uses irony to depict how blacks are viewed as uneducated by the society. This is seen in the lines “You know that niggas can’t read, throw on some Maybach keys” (Kanye West). Jim Crowe rules deemed African-Americans as less human and also uneducated and undeserving of the finer things in life. Kanye shows that despite the stereotyping he still, as a black, can do that which the racists cannot imagine. Throughout the song, Kanye points out newly found racism especially through socioeconomic and racial stereotyping. According to him, racism and racial oppression continues to manifest itself but only in new ways that he can best describe as “new slaves.”
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On the other side, is the poem “Modern Day Slavery” composed by Ashley Nicole. In the poem, the author depicts how different people are held to different standards and different expectations depending on the color of their skin and their social status. To her, this is a form of modern-day slavery where no chains or whips are used but instead institutions, skin color and wealth are used to oppress the less advantaged in society. The poem has several stylistic features including rhyme. An example is in the lines “Man is created equal… yet we don’t share the same philosophies… stereotypes for different people” (1-3). Here, the author uses rhyme to demonstrate how despite man being created equal, some people remained stereotyped and seen differently. According to the author, human beings are judged according to how they look as opposed to who they are because of stereotyping.
Additionally, the author also uses symbolism to convey her message of oppression. This is seen in the line “Thinking freedom is representing the eagle” (4). Here, the author uses the eagle to describe strength and power. The eagle is used in the American emblem as a symbol of the country’s strength and independence. The author suggests that by merely using the picture of an eagle does not mean those represented are strong and independent. A majority of citizens remain tied to the shackles of oppression, discrimination and poverty. They, therefore, remain slaves. According to the author, representing the eagle is not enough. While it is a good gesture, it portrays a false picture. The reality is that a good number of Americans remain modern day slaves. They are free of colonial oppressors but not free of racial discrimination, poverty and inequality that continue to hinder their growth and progress.
The above-mentioned song and poem were all written in the same era; in the early period of the 21st century (2013 and 2014). It is therefore no surprise that the two share a common theme; the theme of modern day slavery through racial discrimination, stereotyping, institutional oppression and poverty. The two arts were made in the era of police brutality, racial incarceration and religious and racial stereotyping. The two works of art are connected in such a way that while the song describes institutionalized oppression of the black community, the poem narrates how such oppression has made the minority hopeless. The two works of art show that slavery continues to exist but only in different forms. These different forms are well crafted such that it becomes hard to notice or fight the oppressor. From the two authors, we learn that the majority don’t care and don’t see the oppression because they are not affected thus leaving the minority on their own.
From the use of symbolism and rhyme to the use of irony and imagery, the stylistic devices used in the arts make it easy to connect the poem to the song. Additionally, a common message of oppression enhances understanding of the works. In the song, new slaves are described as black, uneducated and only good for ridicule. In the poem, modern-day slavery is defined by institutions such as the government and projects such as the war on poverty which the author describes as false. However, the message of modern slavery remains consistent in both works of art. The two authors through their works describe the new found slavery as one that is free of chains, whips and other forms of weaponry associated with slavery but instead full of stereotyping and profiling that is meant to maintain the status quo.
- Berg, Manfred, and Simon Wendt. Racism In The Modern World. New York, NY: Berghahn, 2014. Print.
- Nicole, Ashley. “Modern Day Slavery By Psycona.” Allpoetry.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Nov. 2017.
- West, Kanye. New Slaves. 2013. DVD.
