(Please endeavor to read to the end for better comprehension)

Following the killings of Black Americans Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Shawn Carter popularly known as Jay Z released a stirring single he titled “SPIRITUAL”.
It’s been three years since we got anything new from Jay Z, the song is Jay Z’s first as a lead artist since the release of his Magna Carta Holy Grail in 2013.

if nothing else all through these years have inspired Hov to hit the studio, the recent humiliation and massacre of blacks in America have won him over.

The song, which was released on Tidal, was accompanied by a long open letter in which Jay Z said he began writing a while ago, and considered releasing it after the 2014 murder of
Michael Brown , in Ferguson, Missouri. The letter reads thus:

“I’m saddened and disappointed in this America,” he wrote. “We should be further along. We are not. I trust God and know everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man … it’s tough right now.”

The music lives up to its name with an opening spiritual skit:

“And it says, now the works of the flesh are manifest

Meaning…the things that are in the sinful nature
They always come to the surface

And when they come, when they come to the surface

They come to the surface as demons…”

The opening hook also addresses the issue of police brutaliy on young Black Americans:

“Yeah, I am not poison, no I am not poison

Just a boy from the hood that

Got my hands in the air

In despair don’t shoot

I just wanna do good, ah”

The above lyrics depicts a scenerio in America where a young black American pleads with a white police officer by explaining he has done no harm (poison) and shouldn’t be gunned down.

Above all its amazing to witness an A-list Celebrity like Jay Z using his music as a medium to address societal ills and as a weapon to fight injustice, unlike what we have here in Nigeria.

Nigerian revolutionary Fela Anikulapko Kuti who pioneered the Afrobeat music genre considered music as a medium to address societal ills and used his music as a weapon. Its just a pity that the so-called New Generation Nigerian Music Artistes who claim to follow the lead of Fela have lost their way, releasing songs that add no value to society or help repair societal damages.

If an Artiste like Jay Z could be overly concerned about the security and lives of his black folks, then the Average Nigerian should have a rethink and consider this question: Do these artists i would throw huge amounts of money on just to watch their shows give a Bleep about my welfare and security ?

For years now Nigeria has been battling with several issues in both the security and economic sphere. What have our beloved artists done about it ? Nothing ! No one is asking them to start distributing money, but their voices on behalf of the poor and afflicted would definitely make a difference. Afterall, their voice counts. All these celebrities ever do is promote themselves and not the needs of Nigerians whenever they hook up with politicians, and it’s so sad.

Source:
https://blarckbillboard./2016/07/14/an-insightful-review-on-jay-zs-new-single-spiritual/