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Shattered Dreams

L.A. based rapper Earl Sweatshirt released his new album on November 30 2018, following a four year hiatus. The first track "Shattered Dreams" briefly summarizes Earl's change in perspective from his last album, addressing his perspective on many issues of race. After listening to the album, I quickly connected the verse in "Shattered Dreams" to many aspects of our in-class discussion regarding race and privilege. Earl first comments on the ignorance of his past perspectives. He suggests that as an African American man in the United States he is inherently suffering but few seem to acknowledge it. He continues to reflect on how depressing the awareness of systemic racism is--wishing for the bliss of his previous ignorance. This is best exemplified in the last two bars of the chorus and the first four bars of his verse:

"Why ain't nobody tell me I was bleedin'?
Please, nobody pinch me out this dream
I said peace to my dirty water drinkers
Psh, nobody tryna get it clean
Why ain't nobody tell me I was sinkin'?
Ain't nobody tell me I could leave"

His disgust with and recognition of American power structures is also notable in a line addressing privilege. Earl says, "Get some more ribbons for the born winners from the jump/
N****s don't listen 'til they whole mission was a bust." In these bars Earl simultaneously identifies the benefits of those privileged in society and his observations of other African Americans disregarding it until they are forced to confront their unobtainable goals. Earl further expresses his perceptions on whiteness and white supremacy in stating:

"Hate swimmin' through your bloodlines
Motherfuck the judge, same goin' to the one time, yeah
Come and take a stroll in the mud
Dip a toe in it, hold the hammer like a grudge"

These lines reenforce the dirt metaphor but more importantly reflect on institutionalized racism within the judiciary. He suggests racial hatred is taught and passed down by generation and thus the judges hold their gavels like the grudges they hold for people of color. To finish his water metaphor Earl mentions, "It was holes in the boat, we ain't make a fuss," implying he is figuratively drowning but still no one is protesting. This collection of rhetoric expresses Earl's feeling on the current sociopolitical climate and the state of systemic racist within the United States today.

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