Artwork from @soni_artist on IG♥
It’s been some time since I last wrote a post here. Typically, my articles are inspired by the things happening around me, whether in the news, my personal life, or through my daily observations. My music career has taken my experience off the internet, hosting events like Cadence in the Clouds, and working with influential names like Dan Charnas and Robert Glasper. I’m very thankful for that. But truthfully, it has been hard for me to pinpoint one thing to write about when it feels like everything around me is a clusterfuck. The world truly feels like it’s on its last legs, between inflation, global warming, and an insane, inhumane dictatorship threatening rights every day. The rate at which we are expected to internalize the chaos is unreal, and I’ve had a lot of difficulty digesting everything. However, there is one matter that hits way too close to home for me to ignore, and it struck me head-on that this would be the subject matter not just for this article, but perhaps for one or two following as well.
Philadelphia was recently the hub for the No Kings Protest, where millions of people across America took to the streets to refute the greedy, selfish, cruel wrongdoings of our President. One of the issues that has been at the frontline of the anger and frustration felt everywhere is regarding immigration. America has prided itself on being recognized as the world’s melting pot, where people can bring their cultures with them in hopes of new and better opportunities, maintaining their roots and identities. And yet, every one of those people is at risk of being sent back to their country, regardless of the circumstances. My parents have been naturalized citizens for decades, which no longer has any merit. Although it feels especially unfair because they “came the right way (and please note, I would put an eyeroll emoji here if it was on brand for me to use emojis in my writing), my heart hurts the most for those who came to the US with asylum, seeking safety and refuge from their beloved homelands. While it is a legal form of immigration, the issue at hand no longer concerns legal immigration versus illegal immigration. Racists everywhere are letting their true colors show, making it known that they don’t want Brown or Black people entering their country, no matter the reason or method. Instead, it’s now a question of legal deportation versus illegal deportation. People are being barred from returning to the country on student and work visas, or are being sent away for exercising their right to free speech. There’s a reason why so many immigration cases are being escalated to the Supreme Court, and it’s because these cases have no legal grounds. Trump wants to “Make America Great Again,” and for many people, this slogan can also be seen as a subtle yet potent message: “Make America White Again.” For my first post on this matter, we are refuting that argument and fighting back. America cannot survive without its immigrants. America has no culture without the blend of its immigrants. None of us here has the right to this land. The original immigrants were as illegal as could be, and now it’s their descendants claiming that this country belongs to them more than anyone else. So today, we’re showing that if we want to Make America Amazing Again, to see it thrive and honor the true meaning of what it is to be The Land of the Free, we need to open our borders and celebrate our immigrants. And that’s what we’re going to do.
One of the biggest complaints about immigration is that immigrants steal jobs from the working class of America. While most sane people would argue that immigrants often fulfill critical roles that many Americans scoff at, the immigrant work ethic also sets a standard that many people struggle to meet. The immigrant work ethic is not only diligent, but is resourceful and savvy. The immigrant work ethic is about understanding the feeling of having nothing and building one’s way up in the world. The immigrant work ethic is about taking care of one’s family and ensuring everyone is well-nourished. The immigrant work ethic is full of dreams that motivate you to keep pushing, knowing that you don’t always have the same luxury of mental health days and paid time off. As a child of immigrants, I’ve firsthand seen the immigrant work ethic. I’ve seen the struggle, the push, and the dedication. I’ve adopted a lot of it, and when people tell me I work too much, I tell them that this was what I was taught. I was shown to go above and beyond, always to put my best foot forward. And while I’m fortunate to be part of a generation that has learned to set boundaries with that work ethic, I will always understand the importance of hustle and perseverance, and to fight for the work that my parents put in to build a foundation for me.
In Nipsey Hussle’s defiant “FDT,” Nipsey raps that he “[fucks] with Mexicans, got a plug with Mexicans. When the low low need a switch, who I call? A Mexican./Tell the world how you fuck with Mexicans. It wouldn’t be the USA without Mexicans, and if it’s time to team up, shit, let’s begin. Black love, brown pride in the sets again.” Nipsey details his ability to rely on Mexican labor, which suggests that it is of higher quality, an idea that contrasts with the popular narrative of cheap immigrant labor. Yes, some of the businesses operate under the table or independently. However, they are legitimate and successful businesses, oftentimes with amazing branding and marketing. They came to this country, saw a void and an opportunity, and filled it, which is a stronger business move than any of the ones made by our President.
Bambu’s “Minimum Wage” comments further the contrary idea of immigrant labor, which is often associated with lower wages, fewer rights, and less stringent safety regulations. He first establishes his religious stance when he raps, “keep the pork from out my rice,” a common practice for Muslims. However, the pork can also represent police and authoritative figures, as pigs are the source of pork. While the song continues on to remark about the workforce, Bambu establishes the connection between the working classes and immigration when he raps, “immigration ain’t an issue for the right, cause it ain’t right to have right to keep the laws in favor of the job creator. When the job creator ship a factory for cheaper labor, labor low enough to keep the people quiet and complacent. When the money is getting spent right on a soil that’s adjacent to the place that they are starving, so hop a fence.” Essentially, Bambu states that immigration laws should have no place within the right, when the right is comprised of the wealthy, the big businesses, and those who have tight control over the fiscal health of the nation. Because of this, they have the power to keep labor costs lower, while those who immigrated to the US to fill those roles have no way to advocate for higher pay or more rights, as they are too afraid to do so. At the same time, other major businesses are outsourcing work, creating lower wages overseas, which forces people to flee their homelands and seek new opportunities in the United States. It creates an imbalance both in other countries and our own, keeping minorities and immigrants low on the totem pole while big businesses and upper classes prosper from their labor. While immigrants may take on lower, less desirable roles, it is often done out of necessity and desperation. It’s not done because those roles are their dream jobs; it’s usually because it’s the only job they can work with.
Although it may seem obvious, one lesser-discussed argument when it comes to immigration is the idea that these are people, humans with rights, dreams, and aspirations for better lives. We are discussing it more frequently this year, as we see firsthand those rights being violated. Still, even before then, we as a country have failed to adequately discuss the humanitarian aspects of immigration. Coming to America, whether illegally or legally, is a complex and challenging process. We do not make it feasible for everyone, and it is a long and stressful transition. Yet, when people talk about immigrants coming to the US legally, they make it sound like it is as simple as a trip to the DMV (which we all know is strenuous too, but severely incomparable). 21 Savage is one rapper who, surprisingly, faced his own challenges regarding immigration when ICE detained him in 2019 due to an expired visa. He touched on these matters in his song, “A Lot,” when he rapped, “start at the bottom, the trenches, the gutters, so I had to go little harder. Lights was out, the gas was off, so we had to boil up the water. Been through some things, but I couldn’t imagine my kids stuck at the border.” Although these lyrics are only featured in the music video extended version of the song, 21 Savage’s lawyers believe they led to ICE targeting him, leading up to his deportation. Savage used the lyric to retaliate against ongoing issues under the previous Trump administration of border patrol agents separating children from their parents at the border. While anyone with a heart would see this as a tragedy, many people encouraged these inhumane consequences, failing to recognize immigrants as deserving individuals who just wanted better opportunities for themselves and their children.
In Flatbush Zombies’ “222,” Erick the Architect spells out the truth behind immigration in the United States when he raps, “hate to be American, get away from experiments. Cause the truth in the pyramids, cause we all fucking immigrants.” While he mentions some conspiracy theories that potentially change the tone of his verse, the fact is, we all are immigrants. Every last one of us, particularly those with American ancestors who have been here since the Mayflower. Unless you come from a pure Native American bloodline, your ancestors came to this country, colonized it, killed off the original natives to the land, and then claimed it for themselves. Those sound like some pretty bad immigrants to me. Not to mention the fact that many of the people whom we are actively trying to keep out of this country, such as Mexicans with Mayan roots, are more deserving of Native American land than the European descendants would ever be.
In Public Enemy’s “Icebreaker,” the politically active group continues these thoughts of ownership to the land in their charged, anti-ICE anthem. Chuck D begins the song with the lines, “I know a silent nation in dislocation, frustration from legislation, led to demographic in isolation, another participation in decapitation. Ten-four die, river deep, mountain high, is a wall stuck between dyin’ and doing time. Can’t ignore it, smack dab border war/Pyramids, Machu Picchu, things they don’t teach you. Don’t apologize, you were here first on this earth, before these millenial cowboys claimed their turf. Now who’s a thousand miles and ran deserted in the desert, wild wild west hurt to the dirt. Anti-immigration against brown skin sounds like Brownshirts, silenced by so called legal violence. Somebody had permission to put humans in this condition, this land is whose land? They must’ve forgot, kickin’ the black in the ass while keeping the brown out. This one sided law makes me scream and shout. I-C-E is what I’m talkin’ about.” While the country is divided on the issue of immigration, it is also isolating us from the rest of the world. We are creating enemies and damaging our foreign ties as we are no longer an ally in international affairs, leaving the US to fend for itself. The idea of walling up the borders contributes to this notion, creating a barrier between us and the rest of the world, while also personifying the cruel borders that have led to so many deaths and catastrophes for families. Once again, we often perceive crossing the border as a fun Sunday activity, rebelling against authority, when in reality, it’s a terrifying plan of action that requires courage, a sense of desperation, and the understanding that the outcome could be very, very terrible. Chuck D similarly comments on the original natives to these lands, referring to the pyramids and Machu Picchu, and the fact that this land was taken from them by white immigrants who got away with genocide and colonization. By referring to anti-immigration as Brownshirts, Chuck D relates ICE to the Nazis who aided in Hitler’s regime. In truth, we as a country are comfortable with openly discriminating against minorities the way that Nazi Germany did years ago. For some reason, even after years of shame and progress, we don’t view America’s wrongdoings as comparable, when in reality, we are seeing it play out before our very eyes.
The song continues on with similar themes of drawing irony between immigration and stolen land, with continuous examples for seven verses, including Professor Griff’s lines in the final verse, “homegrown terrorist, for the benefit. Can’t find a title or the name, that really fits/panic when the Brown man link with the pro-Black, now who’s the real citizen? You never been. You raped or robbed every people that let you in, the legalized theft of the native land. You speak with the forked tongue, with the rum and gun in hand.” After calling out the hypocrisy, the track ends with the following outro, “at least fifty-five million immigrants, one-fifty of the population, are either immigrants or children of immigrants. We found that missing changes in the immigration laws and regional enforcement by the federal government are maybe unfairly targeting thousands. Families are being broken up. I believe that the congressman or the senator, somebody out there is going to step up and say, yeah. This is wrong.” Although this song was released in 2012, it remains more relevant than ever. Songs of protest, such as this, are impactful in calling out not only the hypocrisy but also the lack of humanity that our country faces when it comes to immigration issues. We are not a tolerant country; we are no longer adhering to constitutional rights. The minute we say something the president dislikes, he attempts to send us away. All while being the number one hypocrite. Just take a look at his wife.
When we refer to America as a melting pot, we don’t just mean that in terms of our food. Our music in America is comprised of artists from all backgrounds and ethnicities, including those who traveled to the US to pursue a successful career. Iggy Azaelia’s breakout song, “Work,” told the story of her Aussie travels when she recounted, “two feet in the red dirt, school skirt, sugar cane, back lanes. Three jobs, took years to save, but I got a ticket on that plane. People got a lot to say, but don’t know shit about where I was made, or how many floors that I had to scrub just to make it past where I am from.” She repeats, “no money, no family. 16 in the middle of Miami,” to reiterate her solo travels. We seldom relate being self-made to the immigrant story, and yet this is a perfect example. Whether you like her music or not, she was determined to build a career for herself, even if that meant traveling for new opportunities and starting from scratch. However, she used those stories to craft the lyrics of her songs, creating a rap career that set her apart.
Belly is another phenomenal example of an artist who’s used his background and culture to contribute to Hip-Hop as a whole. The Palestinian-Canadian rapper consistently shares his experiences through his music, particularly in his track “Immigrant.” In the song, Belly raps, “this ain’t a tan, my skin the same color as sand. From the motherland, look down and see the world in my hands.” As a brown skin woman, I’m very used to the idea that ‘they want to look like us even though they hate us.’ People love to bake in the sun to get complexions like ours. Yet, they oftentimes villify us, building stereotypes around the very skin color that they’re literally killing themselves to be. He continues on to rap, “there’s nothin’ more priceless than bein’ free. Immigrant, that’s why they hate me just for bein’ me. We ain’t wanna leave overseas, we were under siege. Leave us in shallow graves, but still the love is deep. Bloodline royal, need our seat back./They don’t want the soil, just the oil that’s beneath that. Back to feed the people, fuck your pity and your feedback.” Palestine is the tragically perfect example of why asylum is essential in the context of immigration. Asylum has saved millions of people from dangerous circumstances. Not all of those people wanted to leave their extended families, homes, or the lives they had built. But in cases like Palestine, Syria, or Venezuela, it’s a matter of life or death. And when we revoke it or no longer honor it, we put people in jeopardy. We are no longer a global ally. And as Belly mentioned when he rapped, “bloodline royal,” these cultures are rich, regal, and beautiful. They are rooted in expensive gold and luxurious spices. They are not the same cultures that we diminish them down to when you say the word immigrant in America. Every single one of these cultures needs to be preserved, even when there is evil in the world trying to wipe them out. However, through asylum, we can help keep them around. We can keep these voices, these stories, these songs, these foods alive.
We encounter similar themes in Common’s “Running (Refugee Song)”, where they use the idea of running to showcase a refugee’s ongoing search for a better life. While we don’t see as much of a celebration of one’s culture as we did in Belly’s “Immigrant,” we more often see the perilous dangers that not only cause one to flee but also continue on their journey to a new beginning. Common begins the song from the refugee’s perspective when he begins, “can you see strength in my eyes? I used to sleep through the night. Then horror came, there were no lights. No sun, just guns, and was violent and we had to run or die. I’m running/so much time wasted in tents, 17 years inside a fence. I ran from the war, homeless, no school, no future..” Oftentimes, immigrants are labeled as dangerous and criminal, when in reality, they are searching lives away from those titles. They want peace and better opportunities. They have seen violence and drugs, and they come to escape that. And yet, in the US, immigrants are always thought of as the dangerous ones rather than those who are endangered.
In Trinidadian rapper Berwyn’s “Dear Immigration,” he writes a letter to immigration, recounting his move to the UK to begin his new life. He first starts by talking about his mother and his brother, and then begins his own tale when he raps, “I came here in 2005 when I was just nine. Just a child who really needed his mum at the time. I had no idea that she was on drugs at the time, she had no papers, so she couldn’t get jobs at the time. But she wanted a better life for her son at the time. So she did whatever she could to find funds at the time. I won’t sit here and lie, some of the time I wish it was different, and it weren’t how it was at the time. But I was only nine and my friends had guns at the time, and they were kidnapping children for fun at the time. I want you to know, since I was nine, I’ve felt like a crime. I used to imagine you coming for me every day of my life.” The a cappella piece shares how the immigration process impacted his family, a story he details more throughout his album while informing the listener of the Windrush Scandal, which impacted Caribbean families like his own in the UK, and is a very intentional and discriminatory method of handling immigration that we are similarly seeing in the US. But these words in particular demonstrate how we often set immigrants up with no tools to succeed, and even put them in lines of danger, as we see with the impact of drugs on BERWYN’s. Young immigrants and children of undocumented immigrants are robbed of their youth and instead seen as criminals, no matter what the circumstances are. And while we actively prevent immigrants from receiving their papers, we then question why they aren’t here legally.
Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more, especially under our current administration, that just being an immigrant can often dampen the promises of freedom and prosperity. In Nicki Minaj’s “Zanies and Fools,” she rhymes, “once upon a time, a girl from Trinidad had to fly to Canada and sneak into the land of the free and of the brave, feet under the sand. And I came in realizing nothing free in the land, dreams of making money, had to split it with Sam.” All over the world, America was depicted as this magical, idealized world where people could have new opportunities. However, in reality, between taxes, healthcare, and numerous other financial hurdles, when you do things the right way, you’re often set back in different areas.
Currently, in the United States, a lot of conservatives view immigrants as entitled. Immigrants are viewed as having rights that they don’t deserve. Conservatives, on the other hand, are blinded by their privilege, unable to see the rights that they have that they don’t necessarily deserve. They feel as though they get to decide who should be in this country and who shouldn’t. But as YG and Sadboy Loko demonstrate in their song, “Blacks and Browns,” immigrants are here for a reason. The two rappers argue, “we out here hustling for the mortgage, fuck you think we crossing the border for? Why you think in a bedroom there’s more than four? You explored my country, but can’t accept my people. But who you want to run your business? My people.” For some reason, anti-immigration people feel as though immigrants are constantly taking from us. As if their presence makes everyone else more difficult, more expensive, more taxing. In reality, immigrants work hard to climb the ladder, and not only do they deserve more, especially when compared to the products of nepotism that the country has produced, but they also make significant contributions to our country’s growth.
To conclude this piece, I would like to share a few words from Cashh’s “Life of an Immigrant.” In the song, Cashh expresses, “my heart sheds tears for the way they treat us. Most people are unaware about the procedure. Prosecuted, lookin’ at your partner like she’s a creature. For all of the illegals tryna turn legal on this soil, I say a prayer for you, is just life.” As we see immigration policies no longer discriminate between those who are legal and illegal, my heart goes out to anyone feeling the tribulations of today’s uncertainties. Immigration in America is no longer concerned with human rights; it is a way of pushing out the people they don’t want, whether because of their complexion or their voices. America needs immigration to survive; it wouldn’t be the country that it is today without it. And if that many people can look at the original immigrants to the US and not view them as monsters, then those who are coming here for new lives, for safety, and for whatever other reasons they may have, sure as hell aren’t. Everyone deserves a chance. If possible, do what you can within your capacity to support the immigrants in your community. Frequent their delectable restaurants, share their art. And help your neighbors during ICE raids. Now is the time to stand in solidarity; immigrants are the foundation of this country. As for me, a proud child of immigrants, you can expect to hear more from me about this issue. Make sure to follow this blog and stay tuned!
Subscribe below for more dope content straight to your e-mail♥
Join 1,730 other subscribers
Philadelphia recently kicked off February with a week of festivities honoring J Dilla, beginning with a Spiced Sessions Puff…
Mike Voss is a name we’ve seen a few times on Spice on the Beat, but he’s one person…