We often don’t speak about it, but the truth is clear. Black males are overcompensating and perhaps overlooking. Using quotes from Jay-Z’s classic Reasonable Doubt, The Black Man’s Black Man explains…
Part 2 – Reasonable Doubt and Overcompensation
“Granted/ nine to five is how you survive/ I don’t wanna survive/ I wanna live it to the limit and love it a lot” D’evils – Jay-Z
We black men know what we’re doing, even if we oftentimes aren’t aware. Our process is unique because the stakes are high; our thoughts are deep because the pain is real. It is our very ambition that defines our dexterity, but the anxiety defines our frustrating present. The world is often not aware; we lock ourselves in a prison of overcompensation; overlooking the obvious and searching for our own form of reparations.
“I’d rather die enormous/ than live dormant/ that’s how we on it.” Can I Live? – Jay-Z
For many urbanites, like myself, there is a disease of disaster control that we have to overcome. It’s a disease manifested in the form of a desire to make-up for those man-made mistakes, often no fault of our own. Some of us saw mommy crying in the corner, unable to undertake the charges of a father long gone. You are familiar with being turned down by mom at the supermarket for those cookies, you remember being teased for not having fresh kicks in the sixth grade.
And now you’re here. Perhaps unemployed and halfheartedly searching.
“Y’all n***as lunchin/ punchin the clock/ my function is to make much/ and lay back munchin” Can’t Knock the Hustle – Jay-Z
You know you’ve got to go hard to get a job. Dress appropriately, speak eloquently, express intelligence and project punctuality. Wear a shirt and a tie, cut your hair properly, conform your personality and practice that fake smile!
If you get a job, you’ll need to learn how to budget that minimal paycheck. You’re going to have to save, show consistency, be responsible, and take things one day a time.
Yeah, right…
“You ain’t havin it? Good, me either.. let’s get together and make the whole world believe us, huh??” Can’t Knock the Hustle – Jay-Z
How on earth are you going to buy that dream house for your struggling mother with Hypertension, wore down by the drenches of poverty, raising you? How can you repay her? How will you be able to afford getting your girlfriend’s hair done? And aren’t you tired of seeing these hoodlums trying to holla at her while she’s walking to the bus? Oh yeah, what about your younger sister? You want to provide for her, of course. Give her a better chance. Little brother too… And are you really going to be living at your mom’s house for another two years until you can save up and buy a small house? Can this little job, doing what you don’t really care about doing provide all of these things?
“Presidents to represent me” “I’m out for Presidents to represent me.” “I’m out for dead presidents to represent me” Dead Presidents – Jay-Z
NO! Of course not! That’s why in 50 Cent went diamond selling an album called “Get Rich or Die Trying.” That’s why brothers love Jay-Z. That’s why brothers are killing each other over drug territory. That’s why Walter Lee spent Mama’s $10,000 insurance check in A Raisin in the Sun. That’s why Kevin Carson was under so much pressure in the movie Lottery Ticket. That’s why many of us are not going all out in getting and keeping employment.
We are infatuated with overcompensating for sufferings in the past; malcontent unless we are able to change the lives of everyone around us and some. We have been hypnotized by the rap videos posturing prosperity and telling us we are insufficient if we choose to live a simply humble middle-class American lifestyle. We have been influenced to be dissatisfied with our prospective cubicles and offices.
There isn’t anything wrong with coming into work seven hours and coming home to a family that doesn’t need. And there isn’t anything wrong with never being anything like Jay-Z. If only we had more reason, and less doubt.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You speak the truth, and I praise you for that. If I hear ONE more overcompensating rap song, that generates negativity towards women, or praises overcompensation…or allows for the correlation of Black men’s hurt with the glorification of money! Let’s keep it Real. I think that we have all had enough. Bless you Brotha.
Who cares, its like this for everyone young anyway, screw “black youth” the streets where im at its the white guys selling drugs robbing things and stabbing each other instead of 9-5′s.
Jay-Z is the devil in disguise,Puff daddy Sean Jean and dirty money are also sending the wrong messages. All these rappers and artist are stirring our people to ruin but they are so sold they don’t even see it coming. This is deep…..almost every young black male today are feeling the pain but do they want to come up wearing baggy pants down to the floor dread locks so nasty I dread to smell them. I don’t know what to say to change this but something must be done or the young black nation will annihilate themselves by 2012