'A Rhetorical Analysis Of 16 Shots'

Anthems are popularly thought of as songs that define a generation; songs that belong in the soundtrack of an era. Tupac, Beyoncé, and Kendrick Lamar are all superstar artists that have conjured numerous anthems to inspire the African American community to continue the fight for freedom and equality. There are, however, countless songs that are constantly overlooked, but serve as effective anthems for change. Vic Mensa, a hip-hop artist from south Chicago, has been a rather vocal activist against police brutality when compared to some of his peers. Nearing the end of 2016, Mensa released the music video for his song “16 Shots,” a response to the shooting of Laquan McDonald in south Chicago. At first glance, the song seems to call for violence …show more content…
Mensa taps into the pain felt by the Chicago community following this incident with lyrics such as “I can’t imagine if it was my own mama, got her first-born son stole from her he never had a chance.” He encourages his listeners, regardless of their opinion on the shooting, to put themselves in the shoes of McDonald’s mother. A parent outliving their child is one of the worst pains for them to experience. Mensa also states that “he never had a chance.” This implies that due to the systemic oppression against minorities, whether it be in regards to employment, the law, or basic civil rights, McDonald would never be able to …show more content…
Mensa often makes references to the historical hardships of the black community that he feels still exist within the justice system. One of the more noteworthy lines from Mensa’s anthem lay in the final verse. Mensa, speaking with intensity directly to police, yells “somebody tell these mothafuckas keep they hands off me/ I ain't a mothafuckin' slave, keep your chains off me.” Mensa is making the connection between the hands of a police officer and the chains on a slave as tools of oppression. He makes the assumption that in a case of police brutality, the officer sees the victim as a slave and is trying to force their chains on. Ensuring that the oppressed group does not get too comfortable and remembers its place at the bottom of society has been a pillar of racist groups. Mensa references this fact as well by stating (in regards to acts of police brutality) “this is what happens when niggas don't stay in their places.” All of these lyrics aim to fill the listener with a feeling of frustration. It is likely that more individuals will take a stand if they remember that this fight is nothing new. The necessity for change is much stronger when it has been needed for two-hundred years, as opposed to the last