Murugesan 1

Tarun Murugesan

Professor Granillo

English 101

7 February 2020

A New Patriot

The word “patriot” is often generally defined as being someone who loves and supports

their country. This word is often attributed to holidays, gatherings, and parades with masses of

people valiantly waving American flags and wearing red, white, and blue. This patriotism is

what we all strive for, to be able to feel safe and at peace within one’s nation. However, amongst

all the turmoil and conflict of our nation today, many people find it difficult to love their country

in this way. Discrimination and prejudice continue, political discourse frequently turns hostile,

and trust in the U.S. government is at an all-time low. Amidst all this, how is it possible for

someone to completely love and support this nation. This is a question that many minority

groups in this country find themselves asking. However, there are 4 specific songsー “Change”

by J. Cole, “i” by Kendrick Lamar, “Land of the Free” by Joey Bada$$, and “This Is America”

by Childish Gambinoー that reflect an entirely new definition of the word “patriot.” Each of

these songs shed light on the struggles of the black community, but also provide encouragement

and motivation for its members to improve themselves and fight for a version of this nation that

they can truly love and support.

Throughout the songs, “Change” by J. Cole, “i” by Kendrick Lamar, and “Land of the

Free” by Joey Bada$$, a common message of inward reflection and self-improvement is

conveyed. All these musical arts convey their understanding of the corruption, evil, and struggles
 Murugesan 2

that have come to define many people’s perceptions of this nation, for they too have experienced

hardships and suffered tragedies. For example, in his song “Change,” J. Cole sings the lines

“Niggas put three bullets in my car, one hit the gas tank / Know I got a angel cause I'm supposed

to have a halo / Right now, my lifestyle destined for a federal facility” (J. Cole 2016). As seen in

these lyrics, J. Cole has seen violence throughout his life and describes how he was destined to

live a life of misery in prison, given no opportunity to escape the cycle of hardship. However, in

this same song, he sings “I know you desperate for a change let the pen glide / But the only real

change come from inside (Come from inside)” (J. Cole 2016). This contrast between the

struggles J. Cole acknowledges and this uplifting message allows him to convey the message that

despite all the darkness in one’s surroundings, light can only be found through self-reflection and

self-improvement. Focusing too much on external conditions and all the atrocities of society will

only lead to fear and depression, and J. Cole urges his listeners to look within themselves and

improve society from there. These lyrics lend toward the creation of a patriot that refuses to turn

a blind eye to the evils of a proclaimed “perfect nation” and instead proactively fights for a

nation they can be proud of. This message of self-improvement is also reflected in Joey Bada$$’s

“Land of the Free,” through the lyrics “Leave us dead in the street to be their organ donors /

They disorganized my people, made us all loners, yeah / We can't change the world unless we

change ourselves” (Joey Bada$$ 2017). With these lyrics, Joey Bada$$ describes the tearing

apart of black families since the time of slavery and references how the current mass

incarcerations of black people continue to destroy unity within the black community. Once again,

this musical artist acknowledges the issues within America and refuses to remain oblivious to the

impact of the issues on this nation’s citizens. The current definition of the word “patriot” is
 Murugesan 3

inadequate because how can someone fully love and support a nation that mistreats and neglects

a major portion of its people? Joey Bada$$’s following lyrics lend towards a revising of this

outdated definition because it emphasizes the need to create better conditions for ourselves

before striving to tackle the issues of society. This message is important to listeners and other

audiences because it instills the idea that all hope for a country worth loving and supporting is

not lost. Instead, victimized citizens must instead adopt a more forward-thinking perspective in

order to make real progress towards one’s dreams. Finally, the song “i” by Kendrick Lamar

conveys this similar message of positivity in the face of darkness. Through the lyrics “And I love

myself / (The world is a ghetto with big guns and picket signs) / I love myself / (But it can do

what it want whenever it want, I don't mind),” Kendrick Lamar conveys positivity and his love

for himself. Although he describes the hardships he has faced throughout his song, he makes sure

to return back to the message of positivity and self-improvement within oneself before

attempting to change one surroundings.

 Murugesan 4

Works Cited

Childish Gambino. “This Is America.” This Is America, RCA Record, 2018. Spotify,

open.spotify.com/track/0b9oOr2ZgvyQu88wzixux9

Kendrick Lamar. “i.” To Pimp a Butterfly, Top Dawg Entertainment, 2015. Spotify,

open.spotify.com/track/7wdzLe2Gsx1RGqbvYZHASz

J. Cole. “Change.” 4 Your Eyez Only, Dreamville Records, 2016. Spotify,

open.spotify.com/track/3pjUyVbFmM96tYhSaKJwTt.

Joey Bada$$. “Land of the Free.” All-Amerikkkan Bada$$, Pro Era, 2016. Spotify,

open.spotify.com/track/6xz04ypw5JsqiyityCASG1.