Her classic, critically acclaimed debut album Miseducation of Lauryn Hill went outside of the box for female rappers of her kind, making listeners think about greater causes in their community and how to be a powerful female without selling yourself short. The album also proved to be a huge landmark in rap, as it combined rap, r&b and neo-soul into a unique and beautiful mixture, full of different religious stories and concepts.
Although she retired after the success of her debut, mostly due to her child, Lauryn continued to make appearances at different shows (including at a concert with Drake in 2014). Shortly after announcing her official retirement, Lauryn returned to the scene to release MTV Unplugged 2.0, a live album where she explored with folk, departing from her rap/neo-soul style. Hill is also set to perform tracks from Miseducation in 2018 on its 20th Anniversary.
In a world where sex sells, Lauryn proved that her brand of empowering and soulful music is everlasting.
07 Black Rage
Ms. Lauryn Hill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rapings and beatings and suffering that worsens
Black human packages tied up in strings
Black rage can come from all these kinds of things
Black rage is founded on blatant denial
Squeezed economics, subsistence survival
Deafening silence and social control
When the dogs bit
When the beatings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't fear so bad
Black rage is founded: who fed us self hatred
Lies and abuse, while we waited and waited
Spiritual treason, this grid and its cages
Black rage is founded on these kind of things
Black rage is founded on draining and draining
Threatening your freedom to stop your complaining
Poisoning your water while they say its raining
Then call you mad for complaining, complaining
Old time bureaucracy drugging the youth
Black rage is founded on blacking the truth
Murder and crime, compromise and distortion
Sacrifice, sacrifice who makes this fortune?
Greed, falsely called progress
Such human contortion,
Black rage is founded on these kinds of things
So when the dogs bit
When the beatings
And when I'm feeling sad
I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't fear so bad
Free enterprise, is it myth or illusion?
Forcing you back into purposed confusion
Black human trafficking or blood transfusion?
Black rage is founded on these kinds of things
Victims of violence both psyche and body
Life out of context is living ungodly
Politics, politics
Greed falsely called wealth
Black rage is founded on denial of self
When the dogs bit
When the beatings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't fear so bad
So bad
Ms. Lauryn Hill's song "Black Rage" is a powerful and emotional song that examines the subject of racism and the struggles that black people face in their daily lives. The song starts with the line "Black Rage is founded on two-thirds a person," which references the Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787, where black slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of taxation and representation. The song then goes on to list other forms of oppression and violence that black people face, such as rape, beatings, and economic oppression.
The second verse of the song speaks to the emotional toll that racism takes on the soul. The line "Black rage is founded on wounds in the soul" highlights the psychological damage that racism inflicts on people of color. The song goes on to mention the ways in which black people are forced to internalize self-hatred and spiritual treason due to the oppressive structures that surround them.
The final verse of the song examines the ways in which black people are often silenced and ignored when they attempt to speak out against the violence and oppression they face. The lines "Threatening your freedom to stop your complaining / Poisoning your water while they say its raining" references the way in which those in power attempt to maintain control over marginalized communities.
Overall, "Black Rage" is a powerful song that looks at the root causes of racism and the ways in which it affects black people on a daily basis. It is a call to action to recognize and address the structural inequalities that exist in our society.
Line by Line Meaning
Black Rage is founded on two-thirds a person
Black Rage stems from the history of Black people being considered two-thirds of a human being in the United States constitution and having to suffer through oppression and violence.
Rapings and beatings and suffering that worsens
The atrocities of rape, beatings, and other forms of violence continue to oppress Black people and make their situation worse.
Black human packages tied up in strings
Black people are packaged and tied up stereotypically as inferior and inhumane, based on societal constructs.
Black rage can come from all these kinds of things
All of these negative experiences pile upon Black people and can result in Black Rage.
Black rage is founded on blatant denial
Black Rage is established on the tendency of society to refuse to acknowledge and address systemic oppression and then act oblivious to the concerns or proof of the struggle for racial equity.
Squeezed economics, subsistence survival
Oppressive economic policies keep Black people in substandard subsistence conditions that foster Black Rage.
Deafening silence and social control
The silence of society and its oppressive policies it creates foster Black Rage.
Black rage is founded on wounds in the soul
Black Rage is shaped by emotional injuries that include feelings of betrayal and disappointment.
When the dogs bit
Referencing the use of attack dogs on peaceful protestors during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.
When the beatings
Violent assaults like beatings are an aspect of oppression that contributes to Black Rage.
When I'm feeling sad
Describes the emotional impact that discrimination and racism can have on people that leads to Black Rage.
Black rage is founded: who fed us self-hatred
Black Rage is fostered by the system that continuously feeds Black people with self-doubt and hate due solely to their race.
Lies and abuse, while we waited and waited
Exposing the repeated pattern of Black people expecting justice and the responsible parties refusing to either apologize or be held accountable.
Spiritual treason, this grid and its cages
Even religious values can be corrupted by a system that puts people in positions of power and reinforces stereotypes to keep Black people oppressed.
Black rage is founded on these kind of things
All forms of oppression, subjugation and marginalization make Black Rage ever-present.
Black rage is founded on draining and draining
References the repeated oppression that leaves Black people feeling drained and exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Threatening your freedom to stop your complaining
Oppressors try to curb Black people's voices and speaking out against their subjugation by threatening their freedom.
Poisoning your water while they say it's raining
The oppressive system controls the narrative it feeds Black people and creates a false reality where something ugly (poisoning) is presented in a palatable way (rain).
Then call you mad for complaining, complaining
Oppressors name-call, reproach, and criticize Black people for speaking out against the inequities they face, hence making them feel mocked and senseless in their complaints.
Old time bureaucracy drugging the youth
Institutions such as school systems serve to further suppress Black people by limiting opportunities and altering the narrative that's being taught to the younger generation.
Black rage is founded on blacking the truth
The truth is often buried and the stories of Black people are continuously being suppressed leading to Black Rage.
Murder and crime, compromise and distortion
People in power distort the truth, which perpetuates the oppression; this same group then blames and criminalizes Black people themselves because of the situation they find themselves in.
Sacrifice, sacrifice who makes this fortune?
People in power maintain their wealth and status on the suffering and exploitation of Black people for their benefit.
Greed, falsely called progress
The need for more and more profit is labeled progress, even when it's made on the backs of others, contributing to Black Rage.
Such human contortion, black rage a portion
Black Rage is one aspect of how society is warped and twisted, deforming human relationships and systems.
So when the dogs bit
Referencing the use of attack dogs on peaceful protestors during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.
When the beatings
Violent assaults like beatings are an aspect of oppression that contributes to Black Rage.
And when I'm feeling sad
Describes the emotional impact that discrimination and racism can have on people that leads to Black Rage.
I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't fear so bad
Remembering that these atrocities have been survived before can encourage one to press forward with hope and resolute perseverance in the face of oppression.
Free enterprise, is it myth or illusion?
Freedom and opportunity are exaggerated and not accessible by everyone, hence shedding light on the fact that the concept of free enterprise is false for everyone.
Forcing you back into purposed confusion
The system deliberately causes confusion for Black people by playing on their fears, anxieties and doubts.
Black human trafficking or blood transfusion?
The reference to human trafficking juxtaposes slavery to modern-day oppression, emphasizing the fact that some aspects of slavery remain in place, both in the US and internationally.
Black rage is founded on these kinds of things
All forms of oppression, subjugation, and marginalization make Black Rage ever-present.
Victims of violence both psyche and body
Victims of direct or indirect violence experience both physical and psychological harm that contribute to Black Rage.
Life out of context is living ungodly
Another shot at the oppressive system: people are marginalized so much that they can't develop their context and their livelihoods turn out to be incongruous and immoral.
Politics, politics
The game we all lose, in the game of politics, there are no winners, only two kinds of losers.
Greed falsely called wealth
Similar to previous mentions, greed that capitalizes on the oppressive system is not a sign of wealth, but rather the foundation of Black Rage.
Black rage is founded on denial of self
Denying Black people their sense of identity and personhood perpetuates the cycle of Black Rage.
So when the dogs bit
Referencing the use of attack dogs on peaceful protestors during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s.
When the beatings
Violent assaults like beatings are an aspect of oppression that contributes to Black Rage.
And when I'm feeling sad
Describes the emotional impact that discrimination and racism can have on people that leads to Black Rage.
I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't fear so bad
Remembering that these atrocities have been survived before can encourage one to press forward with hope and resolute perseverance in the face of oppression.
So bad
The repetition of this phrase at the end of the song emphasizes the pervasive, devastating impact of institutionalized racism and oppression, which is illustrated throughout the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lauryn Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jake M
The world needs more Lauryn Hill.
lovejangie1
Great song. Instant classic message song!
Sahana Paani
The words are food for thought, powerful !
Happy
I love this picture so much -- the expression on her face and the "excuse me."
Dihya
Love this!
Circlet Sovereign
Love it
Lamin Darboe
I luv dis song so much
Chiemerie Nnamani
Sounds like "MY FAVOURITE THINGS" from Sound of Music
Dexter Morgan
It is.. It's the flipside wizard of Oz world version of that song, where Lauryn is telling the blind what's really going on! She's reflecting.♥️
Debra Molley
She's alwayz on point 🤔🤨