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Black Rage (Sketch)

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"Black Rage (sketch)"
Song by Lauryn Hill
Length3:46
Songwriter(s)Lauryn Hill

"Black Rage (sketch)" is a protest song by American recording artist Lauryn Hill. The song was originally performed by Hill as a poem, in support of her "Life is Good/Black Rage" tour with American rapper Nas, in 2012. It was re-released on SoundCloud, as a song on August 20, 2014. The song takes it melody from the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "My Favorite Things", however the song's lyrics feature a much darker undertone and reflects on the history of racism in the United States.[1][2]

Composition and recording

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"Black Rage" is a reworking of the song "My Favorite Things" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music (1959). It was written and recorded by Hill in her living room around 2012. The song contains lyrics that are vastly darker in its tone than "My Favorite Things". Hill refers to the obstacles that Black people have encountered due to racism in the United States, singing the words "Black Rage is founded on blocking the truth!/ Murder and crime, compromise and distortion/ Sacrifice, sacrifice, who makes this fortune?".

Reception

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Upon its release "Black Rage (Sketch)" was named the best new track by Pitchfork.[3] The song was later placed on the publications year-end list of the best songs.[4] Rolling Stone characterized the track as "a powerful song about the strife of the African American community", and named it one of the "most powerful new protest anthems to come out of the Black Lives Matter era".[5] Journalist Judy Berman of Flavorwire, argued that the track was one of 2014's "most timely and necessary tracks".[6]

The song has often been referred to as one of the essential songs of the Black Lives Matter movement by music critics.[7] In 2018, Esquire named it one of the "Best Modern Protest Songs For America".[8] Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic ranked it as the 16th best civil rights song.[9]

Time highlighted "Black Rage" as one of the fundamental tracks marking the revival of the protest song during the Black Lives Matter movement. The publication compared the tune to "Mississippi Goddam" by Nina Simone, with writer Salamishah Tillet proclaiming that both songs showcase "the light-heartedness of its show tune arrangement in order to launch trenchant racial critique".[10] NPR also mentioned similarities between the song and Simone's music.[11]

Composer Vijay Iyer added the song to the "Black Music Soundscape Playlist" by Harvard University.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lauryn Hill: "Black Rage (Sketch)"". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Listen to the Song Lauryn Hill Dedicated to Ferguson". Time. August 21, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  3. ^ "Lauryn Hill: "Black Rage (Sketch)"". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  4. ^ Staff, BrooklynVegan. "Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2014". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Grant, Brittany Spanos,Sarah; Spanos, Brittany; Grant, Sarah (July 13, 2016). "Songs of Black Lives Matter: 22 New Protest Anthems". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 10, 2024.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Mapes, Jillian (December 10, 2014). "124 Songs You Need to Hear Before 2014 Ends". Flavorwire. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Komonibo, Ineye. "Every Movement Needs A Soundtrack. This Is Ours". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved February 10, 2024. * "Protest Songs". CBC. * America, Good Morning. "15 hip-hop protest songs and why they matter". Good Morning America. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  8. ^ "Listen to Childish Gambino's 'This Is America' on July 4th". Esquire. June 15, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "25 songs of civil rights, social justice, freedom and hope for Black History Month 2024". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Return of the Protest Song". TIME. January 18, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  11. ^ Ann, Powers. "Top 40 In A Summer Of Discontent". NPR.
  12. ^ TANTV (April 12, 2023). "Black Music Soundscape Playlist From Harvard AAAS Faculty". TANTV. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
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