Music has always told a story, it sets the president for the conflicting ideas that it will present for its listeners. Whether that be rock and roll being “the devil’s music” in the 50’s and and 60’s or today’s rap music being an outlet that allows for its creators to showcase injustices in their very own communities. Black artists especially are no stranger to this type of intellectual and artistic protest. In Jay-z’ 99 Problems song he walks you through his day and like the songs says the problems he has. But while the beat is upbeat and positive, the song takes a divergent turn onto a more serious problem.

 Jay-z starts lyracising about getting pulled over on the side of the road by a police car for speeding 55 MPH in a 54. This is an example of the ridiculous charges they try and stop you for, for being black while driving. Then the officer comes to the window and assumes he has a weapon, asks if there is drugs in the car and then jay-z displays one of the most intelligent lines for a song meant to entertain. When the officer asks if he can search the car the response is not to give in, because the passengers know their rights are about to be violated and it is vitally important to always express the rights given to you no matter if you are innocent or not. 

This is so critically important considering when we look at wrongful conviction rates a large percentage of them gave up their rights to not incriminate and to not have an attorney present. This is especially important when you have young people who have dealt with the law before and dont know their rights or that police can lie to you to gain a false confession. This sort of deep and complex social commentary by the artist is the sort of music that forms generations and serves as a time capsule for the social dynamic for years to come. This song doesn’t just shoot in just but also is able to articulate a feeling that a marginalised group of people are familiar with. This type of way of sharing emotions and making light of them is a type of catharsis that these artists are able to articulate to alien audiences and put them into the shoes of their fellow man.