Letter to the free

Lyrics

Southern leaves, southern trees we hung from
Barren souls, heroic songs unsung
Forgive them father they know this knot is undone
Tied with the rope that my grandmother died
Pride of the pilgrims affect lives of millions
Since slave days separating, fathers from children
Institution ain't just a building 
But a method, of having black and brown bodies fill them
We ain't seen as human beings with feelings
Will the U.S. Ever be us? Lord willing!
For now we know, the new Jim Crow
They stop, search and arrest our souls
Police and policies patrol philosophies of control
A cruel hand taking hold
We let go to free them so we can free us
America's moment to come to Jesus

Freedom (freedom)
Freedom come (freedom come)
Hold on (hold on)
Won't be long (won't be long)
Freedom (freedom)
Freedom come (freedom come)
Hold on (hold on)
Won't be long (won't be long)

The caged birds sings for freedom to bring
Black bodies being lost in the american dream
Blood of black being, a pastoral scene
Slavery's still alive, check amendment 13
Not whips and chains, all subliminal
Instead of 'nigga' they use the word 'criminal'
Sweet land of liberty, incarcerated country
Shot me with your ray-gun
And now you want to trump me
Prison is a business, America's the company
Investing in injustice, fear and long suffering
We staring in the face of hate again
The same hate they say will make america great again
No consolation prize for the dehumanized
For america to rise it's a matter of black lives
And we gonna free them, so we can free us
America's moment to come to Jesus

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Freedom (freedom)

Freedom come (freedom come)

Hold on (hold on)

Won't be long (won't be long)

Oh, freedom, won't be long

Dyson on black stereotypes and Common: “Many critics don’t account for the complex ways that some artists in hip hop play with stereotypes to either subvert or reverse them. Amid the pimp mythologies and metaphors that gut contemporary hip hop, rappers like Common… seize on pimpology’s prominence to poke fun at its pervasiveness.” - Quoted by critics.

Common portrays the cruel legacy of slavery, Jim Crowe and mass incarceration in the stark new video for “Letter to the Free. Letter is straight ahead protest music, a meditation on race in America that opens with a nod to "Strange Fruit" and ties in current events in no uncertain terms. Over minor piano chords, Com touches on the prison system, police violence, Trump, and of course, some contemporary protest efforts. No consolation prize for the dehumanized, he raps, for America to rise it's a matter of black lives.

L.O: Identify historical, social and cultural contexts of a music video.

Context;

Themes; 

Representations of;

(Race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality

This is shown through;

Narrative . Back, object by itself floating is a metaphor of a person. . Back of narrative shows a lack of freedom . Collective narrative for story of a group/ everyone  . Black object in nature stops floating - only way to be free is in death	Cinematography . Establishing shot . Wide shot . Zoom . Slow zoom . Slow pace - dread for future lack of freedom . Long shots . Black and white shows segregation
Editing . Jump shot . J cut . L cut . Non objective sounds . Diegetic sounds . Black and white - sadness	Mise en Scene . Props - flying black object, instructions . Lighting - dark / lack of colour . Makeup - not noticeable . Costumes - normal clothes . Light is never there - solidarity . Lighting - black people are always in the centre of the light show black lives do matter.

Literal Music Video

Lyrics

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene 
I said don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

For forty days and forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she's in demand
Her schemes and plans
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Don't think twice, don't think twice)

She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
She came and stood right by me
Just the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one,
(You know what you did, (she says he is my son)breaking my heart babe)
She says I am the one

Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover (don't Billie Jean)

Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover

Bloke walking through the gloomy streets,

To a nice beat,

You want crack or Cocaine,

He says no I’m not a need.

Doing shots on the floor in a round,

He said I’m way to drunk,

Doing shots on the floor,

Now I’m down.

They say Michael's a pedo,

But he’s not at scene,

But his brother used to tell me,

His nose was shaped like a bean.

So now he lay 6 feet,

underground cause he’s dead.

People always told me,

Don’t take what you create,

Cause you shouldn’t get high,

Off your own supply,

Then a “hehe”,

Shot, reverse shoe shot.

Michael Jackson is not my lover,

He’s just a guy,

Who thinks I swing that way,

But I’m actually bi,

Jackson is not my hun,

Jack is not my lover,

And not my honey bun.

Billie Jean

Lyrics

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

For forty days and forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she's in demand
Her schemes and plans
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Don't think twice, don't think twice)

She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
She came and stood right by me
Just the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one,
(You know what you did, (she says he is my son)breaking my heart babe)
She says I am the one

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover (don't Billie Jean)
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

The narrative is consistent throughout, as Michael Jackson tries to persuade everyone that he is not the father. Followed by the paparazzi Jackson tries to flee. This is Jackson commenting on a past story where a girl claimed he got her pregnant. The claim was proven to be false.

Arguably this video is also almost voyeuristic as the audience is permitted to watch as Jackson dances, as though watching him perform live. Moreover, the billboards are seen looking down on him, further evoking a sense of ‘watching’ and ‘looking’ and not only that the lyrics themselves also refer to news/media concerns about himself being further empathising a sense of being “watched".

L.O: Identify historical, social and cultural contexts of a music video.

Context;

Themes; 

Representations of;

(Race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality

This is shown through;

Narrative Michael waking brings colour to the floor show how he's in the limelight and brings colour to the world. Billie Jean is a an Intertextual reference, "singing in the Rain" by Gene Kelly. Newspaper on the floor headlines Billie Jean  showing how the media is all up in Michael's business. The paparazzi/pursuer is taken to Jail in the end, showing how the media or the paparazzi are the real criminals.

Cinematography Black and white transition to colour on Michael's appearance shows how he lights up the place/world and also shows colour grading. Michael is always in the spot light. The zoom on the homeless man shows Michael cares for him. Shot reverse shot on Michael and his pursuer/paparazzi, shows that they're enemy's.

Editing Smooth jump shots. J cuts. L cuts.  Freeze frame.

Mise en Scene Paparazzi is more covered up (wears sunglasses and a hat to hide his face) than Michael, which shows how the media want to hid from their dirty deeds, whilst Michael's appearance shows how he's open to the world to see his innocence. Homeless persons ragged clothes go from filthy to white when Michael gives him money (helps him) showing how Michael Jackson is magical.  The billboard of two women an their bland expressions change into a smile after Michael dances in the same direction as where their image is.