After the tragic death of George Floyd in the midst of spring 2020, African American rap artist Lil Baby released his song “The Bigger Picture” as both a response to the injustices in America and as a message of solidarity with the, at the time, infuriated African American community. In less than a month, the song accumulated a total of 65.4 million total streams , blazing its way to the top of the charts. The song contains powerful and inspiring lyrics speaking out against contemporary racial inequalities, police brutality, and the struggles of his environment and people. The message of the African American struggle conveyed through music is one with a long and rich history. Lil Baby’s hit song is one piece in a large genre of music known as protest music or freedom songs.
Originating from a translation of a Bible verse Ephesians 5:19 , these Negro Spirituals played a critical role in the lives of many Southern Slaves. These songs, sometimes inspired by Christian hymns or created solely by enslaved African Americans, encompassed the powerful and robust emotions of slaves. Described as having the “language of dissent,” they told the stories of the tribulations faced by slaves along with their determination, perseverance, sorrow, and longing for spiritual and physical freedom.
These spirituals were known as some of the first protest songs, allowing slaves to envision their passages to freedom and sometimes called “codified protest songs” as many were seen as incitements to escape slavery and would include coded messages within them. Escape routes like the Underground Railroad used railroad terminology, so songs like “I got my ticket” were thought to be ways to discreetly communicate passage into the Railroad. Furthermore, it is for sure known that songs like “Go Down, Moses” and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” were used as ways to communicate passages for slaves to escape.
These spirituals were an integral part of early African American culture and showcased the creativity and ingenuity of southern slaves. Former slaves would later go on to form groups such as the Jubilee Singers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The performance of these would go on to inspire prominent civil rights activists and be used in many future fights during the Civil Rights movement in America.
