The Black Rapper's Jesus Complex | @Jouelzy

[@SincerelyTahiry]

okay first off i have to say you look BEAUTIFUL!!! 2nd as a Black Muslim woman from NY with a hotep father who still thinks he has a shot at a rap career, this video SPOKE TO MEEE in so many ways. 😂 Its funny because i never was able to put into words the connection between hoteps, hiphop and the narcissistic God complex a lot of Black men have until watching this. Thanks for such a well produced video essay.

[@vsboardza]

And the funny thing is the God complex runs through black men even an ocean across. I am African and I see it in my father, brothers and other men I interact with. I think it is the root of misogynoir

[@Tullahgit]

Same! Black Sunni Muslim here. Ngl when I was younger listening to rap with my dad I felt proud but the older I got I saw that they praised being a black male but treat women especially black women like trash

[@SincerelyTahiry]

@@Tullahgit THAT PART! I was so happy to hear a lil bit of Islam in a song but after u get past the no pork for me lines it gets veryyyy misogynistic very fast.

[@iceprincess825]

Black men have a talent for legitimizing the most asinine ideologies. There is also a talent for monetizing their beliefs until things fall apart.

[@PTPAUL-ry7jc]

I haven't even watched past the introduction yet. But THIS COMMENT! It's illuminating that thing I see in many of my male friends.

[@thilypad557]

Came from Tee’s video on Diddy, so glad to find more feminist black women essayists.

[@SicCeboo]

Chris Brown is literally proof that they succeeded in creating this thing they were after. Unquestionable, uncancellable, violent, toxic, supported, black man. It’s disgusting.

[@ChrisBrooks34]

When you talk about how much black people had admiration for Japan it's really interesting to me because the Japanese resisted European colonization by becoming basically the Britian of East Asia. They famously beat the Russian Navy and they even had their own like racial pseudoscience to prove their superiority over other ethnic groups in the area. Japan went hardcore for fascism and took to it very well and it's the reason why so many people still hold a deep anti-Japanese sentiment in their hearts in many parts of east Asia. It's also why a lot of people weren't particularly happy that Shinzo Abe had become Prime Minister because his grandfather was a Minister during fascist Japan as well as Prime Minister later on. He also enacted so many crimes against humanity in Manchuria as well as the rape of so many Korean women

[@HabitualLover]

Thanks for sharing. The history of Japan is not as peaceful and strictly zen beauty as we’re used to thinking. They did truly terrible things on a large scale during the not so distant wars that most Westerners of our generation for sure never heard a peep about in our education even though the repercussions are still loud and clear for many groups of people to this day. The human race has so far to go… sheesh, still.

[@starzzzy22]

Yep. Japan is one of those countries that, because of the pop culture they export, has been able to portray a really fun, positive, almost innocent identity. However, as soon as you start to dig into their history, it gets really dicey really fast. If anyone is interested in a piece of that history, check out the show Pachinko on Apple TV+ - it's a fictional drama based on a book, but it portrays Japan's occupation of Korea in a very vivid way we don't really see often.

[@pouchika5672]

They were also allied with Nazi Germany.

[@clarapilier]

@@starzzzy22 I have listened to a podcast about the Japanese occupation in Korea. God, my stomach turned at the mass murder and rape.

[@uncletruth4529]

Japan is an interesting case of what could of been. Unique circumstances lead to them being one of the few non European nations to industrialize. However instead of becoming a unifying force for all non white people in the world they turned to fascism/ Japanese supremacy.

[@MynameisNOTthepoint]

Before i get into todays sermon, i must say that your hair is exquisite and you look great Jouelzy🫶🏾

[@clarapilier]

Amen

[@popularreject626]

Right!

[@refining_chaos]

I agree

[@ampgorky]

Gorgeous

[@gwenbby2]

So gorgeous! 😍

[@BigEmLittleDeeBigEm88]

Today is my 62nd birthday. Thank you for this gift. Your thoughtful observations and considered articulations are always appreciated. You are among a cohort of young black scholars who greatly soften the impending reality of my aging out of existence. They were wise to teach you to read. You do it extremely well. Blessings.

[@ambriaashley3383]

Happy birthday!!! ❤️ 😊 Take care 🙏🏾

[@yes_anotherone3260]

What a beautiful sentiment, Birthday Woman!

[@AFOS94]

Happy Birthday 🥳 🎈❤

[@MynameisNOTthepoint]

I hope you had a great birthday🫶🏾

[@iceprincess825]

Happy Birthday 🎁

[@HabitualLover]

Lil’ Wayne @20 years ago with the lyric: “The Bible said every girl is sour, don’t play in her garden, don’t smell her flowers…” He was the most feral individual pop music had ever seen at that point. But nevertheless, here we all are today, squarely in harm’s way from a resurgence of misogyny and gender-based racism. To be fair, the music industry has been staunchly committed to dehumanizing black women for shock profits despite protests and various genuine efforts from the community, church, and academia (specially even HBCUs- to their credit) since I was a kid in the 80s, and I witnessed that the music industry is more powerful than every institution the community had. That industry just exploits every weakness and weak person in the African American community for entertainment profits. It’s a very dirty business- and half of it should be illegal as hate speech, truly.

[@kamigriff]

Definitely hate speech, but then they’d be called racist for going against the black man’s oppression of black women.

[@iv1908]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@jayhezexel]

I thought that was 14 years ago on the carter 3

[@mariahyohannes]

How long can you blame the industry until you realize they can't exploit us without our consent?

[@homeoftek5844]

If the lyrics were "The Bible said every man is evil" or whatever tf, would you have a problem with the message? I have to ask bc our community seems to be in a gender war where both sides are just pointing fingers at eachother

[@nehemie1255]

At the height of my pick-me era, I was a "hip hop head" and the way Id dissect and debate these histories really was a passion. Now, an adult, I can clearly see the negative effects of taking on these oppressive ideologies so casually. It was simply not made with me in mind. The narcissism, capitalism and the great unifier, misogynoir, still have a vice grip on men young and old. Jouelzy, thank you for breaking this down as only you could.

[@kaylad1669]

Aka “Black Male Worship” 😅

[@BreeonaNechole]

Ughhhhhhh same sis. Same. Like yuck.

[@nehemie1255]

​@@kaylad1669 Oh no! I was never that. Ive been calling out sexism (and the like) in my household since I was a very small child. Thankfully, I could always see. I cant say the same for everyone else and unfortunately music seems to be a most potent conduit, so again thank you to Jouelzy for breaking this down. As aware as anyone can be, there will always be bits and pieces of conditioning present. My comment and the oppressive ideals affected the ways I saw myself in relation to the community. It was always the music and sound for me since I have never revered men in those ways but the negative messages still pass through. Its up to the individual to self reflect (as seen in the comment above), identify and adjust views. Buzz terms and words just arent enough and in this case, not applicable. Nuance will help you.

[@kaylad1669]

@@nehemie1255 I wasn’t saying you were a black male worshipper babe lol I was saying what you described is what black male worship is!!! The conditioning to accept this narcissism, capitalism, misogynoir and conditioning is where black male worship stems from! I’m just connecting the dots! 🥰❤️

[@MarinaAli]

It takes alot to admit when you had a mindset in the past that was wrong or toxic. Im glad you worked past it and learned from it! 💯

[@869ofuncertainty]

I can remember my very Christian mother denouncing rappers as the work of the devil. I'm agnostic now but I think I understand what she meant. The way you broke this down is incredible. I've always equated the shift to capitalism in rap to be due to the desire to hoard wealth but it's so much deeper than that.

[@j.r.4627]

My very Christian mother did the same and saying "I'm not allowed to listen to that" wasn't fun as a kid but it likely saved me from a lot of mental gymnastics that people employ to explain away the misogynoir and capitalism of their favorite artists

[@lukejones7164]

Hiphop was always Capitalistic. Getting money was always a thing in Hiphop culture

[@Denzel_X]

@@j.r.4627 thank you for this! People go to bat for these man and for what??

[@lukejones7164]

@@j.r.4627 Capitalism has brought more people out of poverty than literally anything else in history. Only dumb folks and people with crab in a barrel mentality are against it. And Hip-Hop isn't anymore misogynist than the Bible or any traditional African culture. If you can't handle it when an artist tells the truth about women then that's your fault.

[@lukejones7164]

@@Denzel_X The truth?

[@Memento_Mary]

"And whoever shall exhalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" St. Matthew 23: 12 I guess most of these rappers missed that Memo! You mentioned the wonderful & much missed "Toni" Morrison: she became Catholic & took the name "Toni" from St Anthony of Padua.

[@God-Love-Freedom]

The fastest way to make God upset is trying to be Him. That’s why many of these self-proclaimed rapper lords fall before our very eyes.

[@Memento_Mary]

@@God-Love-Freedom 👏🏿🎯

[@yes_anotherone3260]

Toni Morrison was a Catholic convert? Interesting!

[@Memento_Mary]

@@yes_anotherone3260 Yes she was. Another dimension to her incomparable personality.

[@anissa2361]

Hmm I learned something new today

[@libras.groove.]

The Jesus thing has always rubbed me the wrong way which is why I was never a fan of Kanye. I had no idea it went this far back. Thank you for this sharing this thought provoking essay.

[@Nekole1]

Same, I agree

[@serenity6831]

This was an excellent video! You were so spot on about the narcissism of it all...either way you split it: the hyper capitalist who credits God for his success to the woe-is-me figure with the Jesus complex. They're both a lazy veneer for self aggrandizement. Edit: I've always found the Jesus iconography that Kendrick and many others utilize irritating and you explained it well. Like he's not the "healer" black men need, Kanye can not put "love" in a m*ga hat, and ultimately every artist who leans in to this idea proves themselves to be every bit as flawed and ridiculous (if not more so) as the rest of us.

[@yes_anotherone3260]

Who IS still doing conscious rap incorporating anticapitalism and community?

[@ShyRonnie13]

The way I stopped arguing about Kendrick with black people…

[@kosco9658]

What do u mean?

[@ahkenaten522]

You hating cause he a black Nigga with power get off nuts

[@isaiahnoriega7081]

Yeah what do you mean

[@badzula93]

Huh?

[@majestymxnt7384]

I understand and appreciate your very valid points on the messiah and “enlightened” black male tropes that are often presented and taken on by many conscious black male rappers. I get tired of that character lol. However I have to say I don’t fully understand your point on Kendrick. The Mr. Morale album is about Kendrick trying to dismantle and put away that “messiah” mantle that he thought he had to live up to. It’s ultimate message is him revealing to everyone that he’s not this messiah that Hip-Hip has made him out to be and that he’s a normal man who makes mistakes and doesn’t have all the answers just like everyone else. And that is his exact reason why he could never be the messiah everyone wants to make him out to be. The “Mr. Morale” character is ironic rather than literal or what he thinks of himself.

[@OMJunkie]

it’s as if she didn’t listen to the album. this video would have been better of she had quoted lyrics of the rappers she claims have these traits as proof. mr. morale and the big steppers pushes this conversation of rappers being overly idolized as a step in the right direction and leads this conversation for the majority of black men that still hold judeo christian mysogonistic beliefs. kendrick, by stepping away from his messiah complex puts him front and center as a viable candidate to lead black men out of this mass delusion. there’s still more to be said about black people and our association with christianity

[@dannynah156]

It's jus what I thought too....but I don't think they listened to the album

[@majestymxnt7384]

I agree with you both lol I don’t think she actually listened to the album. Because that album literally wholeheartedly agrees with what she’s saying here in this vid. This vids topic is the main point of the album.

[@mojaslatt]

Exactly

[@AndreRay1127]

Your explanation is cool and everything but let's not forget that Kendrick had an expensive thorned crown made for him for the promo of that album. I believe it even has a mechanism that releases blood down his head. What the hell is that?!

[@phylliewilly]

These men are so lost and delusional. And it's really scary that we have been sucked into these falsehoods and inadvertently given them what they really desire - white patriarchal power. Nothing else. I hope we get to the space where we can look within to get inspiration and find purpose.

[@AngelicaAngel888_]

More like the perception of white patriarchal power. The white man has no problem letting these men know exactly where they stand if they get out of control.

[@ahkenaten522]

Two Culture Ciphers, one bag of wet Heavy rain fucked my kicks up, wasn't looking, splashed in the puddle Bitch laughing, first thought was beat the bitch up Moseyed off gracefully, New York's most wanted cheeba hawk

[@phylliewilly]

@@ahkenaten522 Get tested. You're on the spectrum.

[@ahkenaten522]

@@phylliewilly that’s Ghostface face killah supreme clientele, but okay. That’s why y’all get oppressed you literally just disrespected people on the autism spectrum because I posted some lyrics.😂😂y’all not as holy as all think do some self reflection. Furthermore that shit fire though. That picture he painted was vivid asl

[@lukejones7164]

There's nothing "white" about being rich and powerful. GTFO with that Marxist nonsense.

[@VioletFem]

this was such a good video Jouelzy! Hip-hop would look very different if black male rappers who align themselves Jesus iconography were to actually adapt the values espoused by Jesus: humble, non-materialistic, anti-capitalist and community minded.

[@noproblems3192]

They don’t get it…evvaa😂

[@sakuraesther6309]

Now now , you want them without hoes and out fasting for forty days . Hell nah they want violenceeeee

[@VioletFem]

@Bmoe I didn’t say anything about what they should do or what they should believe. I’m pointing out the hypocrisy wanting to align themselves with Jesus but everything about what they represent in their music, their artistry, and even their lives is the very opposite.

[@noproblems3192]

@@VioletFem idk how they got that from what you said lol

[@lukejones7164]

Most of these rappers don't claim to be Christian, and Jesus himself use to congregate with criminals, prostitutes, murderers, soldiers, extortionists, etc in his circle according to the New Testament. And Jesus wasn't humble, anyone who calls himself God or a savor of mankind cannot be humble.

[@PrettyPrincess9609]

Even my favorite rapper Tupac played into this image before with Makaveli. Also I’m ashamed to say I was a Kanye fan when he first came out. Every rapper who played into the Messiah complex should be called out even if they are some of our favorite rappers. Nobody is above accountability.

[@nocsy7806]

Don't be ashamed, the majority of us loved KW when he first came out.

[@TheRaineWay]

The way I never liked Tupac. This is coming from a southern Cali woman. I found him appalling, misogynistic, and hypocritical.

[@majestymxnt7384]

@@TheRaineWay To just outright call Pac misogynistic when he made songs like Dear Mama, Brenda’s Got A Baby and Keep Ya Head Up is disingenuous. Hypocritical however is accurate. But you also have to understand his life and the many things he went through to understand why. Not saying it was right or excusing. But it should be understood where that came from.

[@noproblems3192]

@@majestymxnt7384 people go through different things that make them who they are good or bad.

[@thabiso5792]

@@majestymxnt7384 he's a rapist and most of his songs have the misogynistic language that most mainstream rappers have

[@Moonlight_Shad0w]

As someone who's not into HipHop and also not American, not even black, this video was still super interesting to me. You have a great essay style, those 26 minutes were really flying by

[@Ricoque-u2m]

My dad was hotep light from the Caribbean - Afro Caribbean. My mom is fully B l a c k beautiful Afro Latina. He was obsessed with my mother. She was 17 when they married and he was 29. He was a good family man and took great care of us. But the BM is God really, really ruined that generation. BM could no longer be criticized, held to any standards, told that they weren’t doing their jobs to build communities or that THEY were the ones making them unsafe. BM are Gods came before BM are Kings. I remember my mom asking, how do you correct a God?

[@yes_anotherone3260]

This is really sad to me. This god/king complex man take on makes true partnership impossible.

[@PeukinsPoint]

Wow. This is so interesting. I see the same in my family and I completely agree. Thanks for sharing

[@Ricoque-u2m]

I think the BM is God spread in the working class/ middle class school pro b l a c k homes like Chris Rock’s in Everybody hates Chris. BM is King took place in more Urban homes like how Jay Z grew up. Of course there was overlap.

[@crystalsthefutureempress]

I'm trying to understand how you can be a "king" with no kingdom? How you can be a "king" and not desire to build or leave anything behind besides your seed? How you can be a "king" and not have any type of pride in ones self? 🤔

[@Ricoque-u2m]

@Crystal The boomer women made them Gods in the homes. And degenerate BM culture made each other Kings in the streets.

[@waterdog737]

lesson of the day: Don't wear crowns made of thorns. It's bad for ya mental health.

[@diamonddallasgsus6236]

What about the ones looking and complaining about the one wearing the crown?

[@minalove6582]

This was an interesting analysis and I’d be happy to see this topic expounded upon further. Thank you for the continued thought provoking content.

[@LifeOfKells]

I love this channel. When you go into deep dives, you not only do the research, but you ACTUALLY know wtf you’re talking about and don’t cloud the conversation with painfully biased ill-informed opinions (like so many others on this platform, no shade😭lol). Thank you Jouelzy❤️

[@lightuponlight6727]

Sis, You always bring it..... I always learn something new.

[@LoveisKiing]

Come on LOCS! The thumbnail stopped me dead in my tracks. This the one girl ☝🏾

[@MakaykayLAMB]

You have THE BEST reads. They’re so eloquent.

[@ChelcDrew]

I’m revisiting this a year later because I’m always finding myself referencing it. With the recent release of The Book of Clarence I needed a refresher & im catching so many gems that I missed the first time. There’s definitely a tremendous overlap with this line of thinking & how many Black men in the community function

[@kilimanjaro5537]

So to sum it up: they’re basically/blatantly mocking Jesus Christ.

[@ladybug3380]

Like Satan did. They’re lowkey demonic.

[@eastend.zulu.]

@@ladybug3380 this comment section is insane

[@mamimelusine]

This is one of the best video lectures youve ever done and that I’ve seen on this platform. The historical foundation of this messiah performance and the contemporary examplesof it are so well connected and you point out so well the moments in which it shifts and transforms. I don’t know what your research focus is in grad school but you should definitely publish this as an article too.

[@happygucci5094]

Oh Joulzey is gettin ready to SMNAP on this one- so here for it and I am ready to have my axioms shook to their core… This is one of my favorite videos - you pulled a lot of things together least of which the cult of black rapper personality…. Sis brava!!!!!

[@yvonnemandoche7810]

This was amazing to listen to! Greatly loved every part of it.

[@Deliverancepoet]

These Rappers are *EXHAUSTING* AND U LOOK GAWWGEOUS

[@tresvegan3633]

There is a clear rhetoric between certain types of black men and their following, almost like a dog whistle. I am glad you brought this full circle for me to start my journey of understanding why so many of the black men I encounter, even on a daily basis, continuously certain themselves and people like them as the know all be all that other humans couldn’t possibly understand or grasp. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Thank you for your amazing work 🙏🏽 and you look lovely per usual ♥️🙌🏽

[@BrucePoinsette]

As a huge Kendrick fan, I wanted to be mad but you told no lies. Anyways, love video essays like this that are for us (Black people), dig deep and aren’t chasing the algorithm.

[@yoyodre]

I'm perplexed about the misogyny label for Kendrick. Is this about the "bitch bad, woman better" thing or is there more to it im not aware of.

[@Dara-po3dd]

@Ronald McDonald Junior 🤡 you're misunderstanding the point. he never said he was God in the first place. Did you listen to any of his albums?

[@Dara-po3dd]

@Ronald McDonald Junior 🤡 oh yeah I remember. Maybe he's trying to say there's a God in him in the sense that as a Christian there's a piece of God in each of us

[@nxrth9463]

@Ronald McDonald Junior 🤡 Like did you even listen to his new album. It isn't about thinking he's god, it's about how others view him as some kind of savior but in reality he isn't, he just a man who makes mistakes and struggles in life. The album is literally a critique on how people need to stop defying people they look up to because they are just humans and not some perfect beings.

[@OMGxITZxPACMAN]

Honestly the Kendrick takes were where I disagreed with a lot of her points. He did use the Christ imagery but he states on the album he is "not your savior" and basically denounces the whole rap messiah trope. On the last track he even says he can't save the world because he's just a man and so instead he chose himself. She also said he wasn't progressive? Which is crazy because he made Auntie Diaries which is the first song in hiphop I've ever heard advocate for Trans rights. He even advocated for women's reproductive rights during his performance at the Milano Summer Festival earlier this year

[@newrelics1143]

Damn. I didn't expect to like this. At first I thought you was on some 🐂💩 with the thumbnail (especially me being a Kendrick fan). But when you made the comparison between "The (made) Messiah Rapper" vs The People who were publicly murdered for actually trying to uplift the community of their(our) issues while still living in the neighborhood's that they're trying to uplift; yeah I had to humble my azz down. Thanks for the new lens.🙏🏾💜🙏🏾

[@LakyahBerry]

“The late 90s - early 2000s hip hop of P Diddy and Jay Z really did usher in a new era of moral bankruptcy that kept individual pockets lined fat, and their egos as personally unchecked as their bank balance.” Oooouuuuwwweeeeee.

[@Kinksgalore]

Kanye definitely learned from Kris Jenner, who co-found the California Community Church aka the Life Change Church.

[@yes_anotherone3260]

Thanks for adding this context!

[@amandasanders9206]

This was fantastic. Thank you for the in-depth analysis!

[@erikapapi]

Damn not investing in private probation 😦 Jesus take the wheel. Also this video brought me back to my initial kid reaction to that NAS video, like quietly to myself feeling the evil-feeling inversion of it all. Ironically it reminds me of the portion of To Kill A Butterfly where the voice says, “he knows the Bible too,” talking about the devil.

[@jesusbenn]

I'm so excited to have found your page. It's hard to find really thoughtful and insightful, refreshing and grounded creators.

[@iamlaurengill]

You did your good research with this one boo!

[@clarapilier]

I have no idea about the Asian black man ideology. You don't have to be a scholar to know that the Japanese government aligned themselves with the fascism of the 1930’s and 40's. It does not surprise me Jay-Z freaked out when he was called a capitalist. We all seriously have some reading to do.

[@kanampersand]

In order for me to speak, I'm gonna have to run this back a few more times.

[@BeautifulEarthJa]

Frfr

[@ashlovestoshop]

Excellent video! I so enjoy your perspective of current topics. Always a unique, well-researched take.

[@JoyFay]

This was an enlightening and well made video. Thanks!

[@peacheslenoir6862]

Your shoulder tattoo is GORGEOUS

[@KingofReads]

You look amazing.

[@hennyondatube3133]

And do!!

[@jouelzy]

Thank you friend!

[@EayuProuxm]

"He can hate on Kris Jenner all he wants but that lady definitely put him on to some well-paying capitalistic pursuit." Jouelzy spitting pure facts

[@vlllcxrvllcxr7309]

Actually he put her and her family onto that. Lovelyti2002 made a very detailed video about that

[@curtiscj3087]

Delusion

[@nxrth9463]

How?

[@vlllcxrvllcxr7309]

@@nxrth9463 it’s actually the other way around. Anna wintour used to talk so much shit about that family and how they’d never be on Vogue or invited to the met gala. Kendall Jenner is the highest paid model right now and the first show she ever walked in was a Yeezy show. Kanye transformed their image using the concepts and relationships he built from his black, fashion designer ex, Alexis Phifer, who was often invited to fashion shows from NY to Milan while she & Ye dated. I hate that joulzy said that. It’s such an egregious oversight. They were making money but were not at all taken seriously by the media due to their poorly cultivated image that KANYE changed. Not the other way around

[@MiracleMorris]

Kat Blaque sent me here, and I'm grateful she did. I've got a new channel to binge watch

[@CryingCanvas]

I screamed when I read the title! Yes ma’am! Let’s get into it PLEASE! 💁🏽‍♀️

[@amberd8630]

Girl...I have to stop you at barely enough height. that was funny fr

[@loriwalters9158]

Thank you Joulzey for verbalizing exactly why I stepped away from hip hop as a teenager in the 90s. I felt the cultural shift and envisioned the effect on the community. The misogyny, materialism, self-deprecation (N word), all wrapped up in this moral superiority complex of the most immoral messages. Hip Hop could have been so much more….higher

[@imanisteel7960]

Love your comment. I was picking up on the nonsense back then too. It made me a skeptic although I still listened I no longer trusted the artists. My one pet peeve with the N word was the rise and normalization of the B word. After that I never looked at the genre the same again.

[@loriwalters9158]

@@imanisteel7960 amen 🙏🏽

[@yania9009]

Listen, I haven't even gotten past the 8 second mark, but I already know its a banger. Gratitude always Jouelzy

[@kaleefstarks495]

I truly admire how you really apply the education behind your points. Great material. Kept me glued. The Messiah complex and misogynoir is so real and I feel like it definitely keeps Black Cis men in bondage, especially through entertainment.

[@neo1053]

Black men weather he is gay or not

[@Social_Pugatory]

Loved this analysis! You ate this Jouelzy! And read them real bad 😂

[@KarenMoe-zu1nb]

I was searching around for an intelligent and provacative something and wow I found it with you! As a Canadian white feminist revolutionary, I am so thrilled to have found a source of African American Feminism talking in depth about aspects of patriarchal white supremacist capitalism that I know nothing about! I know about rap of course and the propesnsity for the emasculated and disempowered black man in America (the most capitalist nation) to go ga-ga for the riches, but the Christ take is fascinating and also the subtelties of all of your commentary on the African American male misogyny (and thanks for the comment about misogyny toxifying or entrapping cis-men) Thanks so much Jouelzy! I'm an instant fan :)

[@megane5728]

I love the shoulder tattoo. You look great and the content is very on point

[@confessionsofajadedoptimist]

All those short jokes at dababys expense lol

[@afraisia]

* Rakim's first record came before RZA: 1st single "Eric B is President" w/ "My Melody" on B-Side in 1986. RZAs "Ooh, I Love You, Rakim" in 1989. * Nas' 1st album was Illmatic (1994) not It Was Written (1996)

[@ampgorky]

Bourdieuian distinction inside of hip hop can look like Jesus Cosplay. I like this analysis; thought provoking.

[@MakaykayLAMB]

Cannot get this video outta my head. So well done! Had to come back and comment.

[@MakaykayLAMB]

Off topic- can you do a quick video on your grad school experience & how you’re feeling? I just feel like school is kicking my ass and im still working to get into grad school. My fiancé just finished last week. Id love to hear how you’re doing.

[@sportsactuary8574]

Just signed up for audible. Even though I haven't checked you out in months I made a point of using your link so that YOU WOULD GET PAID.

[@ambriaashley3383]

Wowwwww! 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 This was so good and well researched. I def needed to hear this about 1 or 2 of my faves 👀 🥴

[@BlessedBeyondMeasure77]

Jouelzy this is my favorite video by you and I love alot of your content. Well done👏🏽💯❤️

[@ggsw222]

love to see it. ironically .. Katt Williams recently alluded to a few things you said, of course in his own way.

[@JHove]

Jouelzy. You are finnnnne. Another great topic and video. Love the content.

[@DevAhmari]

deep respect for the amount of research and attention to detail that went into this analysis

[@ampgorky]

I just bought Angela Davis’s new autobiography on audible with my monthly credit. She reads it! Now that’s value. Have you read that in the book club? I have been meaning to get into the club.

[@getboogie1950]

I don’t know when I was younger I was unsubconsciously taught that if you say that you are God… you gone get in trrrrooouble

[@TYLERTHEBAE]

I'm still watching the video & I'm still pretty young and have a lot of learning to do, but as I'm growing up & rethinking religion, not speaking for the capitalists or criminals of the world... when saying that, I take it as somebody trying to embody God, which isn't that what he would want? or thats too far?

[@getboogie1950]

@@TYLERTHEBAE Nope. A different perspective is always enlightening. I'm a lot older at 46, and you just didn't play with his name like that, I don't know.. it's not like I'm holy or even in church actively 💁

[@misspiscesdreamz]

Read a comment that said Kanye created Sunday service right after slavery is a choice and harriet Turman comments. Smh. He can run to religion and hide

[@ObservingtheMatrix]

Whew Chile! Great topic. Can’t wait to watch

[@undeadalph]

really great video jouelzy! i havent heard too many folks on here get into these topics, especially breaking down how influential the 5 percenters were on rap's first 20 or so years, for better or for worse. as much as i love a lot of these guys and their records, i've felt that rap needed to grow up a long time ago and stop accepting all these contradicting and shallow excuses for "deep," "conscious" music

[@JoyJoysWorld]

Love the hair!

[@traceeford2914]

Loved hearing someone say 'Conscious'. That was the 'Woke' of the 90s. Thx

[@sammysam6536]

This is a very interesting piece. Lots to think about. Thank you!

[@AlegraGreen]

It's funny because you made so many links between things I've observed but wouldn't have thought of bringing together and holy shit! It is funny because I found myself having a conversation recently with my dad and friends (we're africans) about development and how Japan actually did pretty well for itself (although that was also by reproducing the same time of brutal colonizing that the westerners did). To be honest, I think if us Africans learned more about Japan, you'd probably find that admiration and association here (not that we don't learn at all, just mostly about Europeans lol), I guess it really has to do with finding admiration in a group of non western/non white people who have (at least seemingly) found their place (and a strong one at that) on the international board game. I did feel like Kanye was kinda really the blueprint for the utilisation of christianity in rap although I've never dug deep into it, thinking it was more about individual rappers using religion to either turn their image around or leaning into it as some kind of backlash reaction from the completely opposite lifestyle they were living.

[@slimjen1000]

I am loving the hair. Another awesome video

[@swimmerzo]

i gotta be honest i had to replay parts of the video cus i'd zone out thinking how pretty you are and how stunning that lipstick is on you. idk what to say. congrats?? good job?? wow you're pretty

[@ampgorky]

The eyeshadow and gloss are very beautiful too.

[@theklr]

🙏🏽 thank you for this comprehensive analysis of black men and their god complexes and the nuances between them and their beliefs with their presentation

[@ahkenaten522]

[Verse 1: 2Pac] You probably crooked as the last trick Want to laugh at how I got my ass caught up with this bad bitch? Thinkin' I had her, but she had me in the long run It's just my luck, I'm stuck with fuckin' with the wrong one Wise decisions, based on lies we livin' Scandalous times, this game's like my religion You could be rollin' with a thug Instead you with this weak scrub, lookin' for some love

[@angelar.5683]

Glad you included Kendrick in this. I didn't listen to his last album. Something about DAMN just wasn't sitting with me. And then the role out and social media praise of the new one just turned me off in a way that I just couldn't explain. This analysis helped it all come together

[@TheLily97232]

I saw him live and I felt weird about the performance, I felt like it was something more than just a show. Couldn't understand why

[@VirgoGoddessXxo]

Same thoughts

[@ummmm_okay]

what was the roll out?

[@ummmm_okay]

@@TheLily97232 then why did you go? lol

[@BlissfulMartini]

@@ummmm_okay I'm pretty sure they expected to enjoy the performance but realized it wasn't what they thought it would be. You don't always know what you think of something without trying it.

[@anony1596]

15:58 Everytime I finally delete that sound bite out of my memory, someone brings it back up 😔

[@alisharo58]

Thank you for captioning!

[@nadinehall9631]

great analysis, first time watching your channel...subbed

[@mckenziegillespie3044]

Your hair is gorgeous Jouelz

[@MLee0584]

you killed this! extremely well spoken and expertly stated. you got a new subscription

[@jadorejoe]

Whewwwww I don’t come across many video essays I wanna rewatch. But you said THAT. Thank you for this perspective. Would love to read more of the sources you used here!

[@erikapapi]

And I know God is Love because the way no lightning has struck…

[@smithdb08]

Jouelzy , I want to say thank you for creating content that expands our insight into our culture as black and brown people AND cultivates conversations and community! Also you look FREAKING beautiful!

[@artofambra]

Thank you for this video. As a follower of the real Jesus. Some of these acts these guys have been trying to get away with are just sick. Especially prosperity Gospel and the clear false messages to save themselves from their bad behaviour. And ppl are eating it up.

[@slllllll1b]

just have to say i LOVEE the videos your been posting. so happy your back on youtube and i’ll cherish however long this will last lol❤️

[@fedoramcclaren4294]

This was an interesting look into this perspective. Being a part of the Era in the eighties where the Nation of Gods and Earths were being taken more seriously on a public and popularised scale as opposed to now, I will say this. To my knowledge, Asiatic derives from Africa and Asia as one whole nation at one time, before Europe's involvement in attempts to segregate the two nations (as well as continents and borders developing). There were actual black people in places such as India and China, who were eventually looked at as lesser than when both nations had more European based leaders. There were more, but a few of the earliest emcees which were associated with the Nation of Gods and Earths were Lakim Shabazz, Big Daddy Kane and King Sun. Later on, Brand Nubian, Rakim and Poor Righteous Teachers became well known in the circles. Many of the Semites (North Africans and North Asians, excluding Europeans) merged together. I cannot say the Asiatic connection is based on an obsession with Japan, although indeed, Hip Hop has developed an obsession with Japanese culture, just as the youth in Japan obtained an obsession with Hip hop culture. Secondly, if you are aware of martial arts films, particularly from filmmakers such as the Shaw Brothers, there may be a deeper comprehension of the connection between Hip hop and Japan/China. There is a deeper meaning as to why black people are obsessed with wealth too. That is based on the lack of wealth for generations, and now seeing it, there is a desire to promote it. There will forever be a connection to how Jesus/God is viewed within the black community because it is engraved within us generationally. Black people (especially yonnger people in the U.S.) are recently becoming open to discovering other beliefs and lifestyles, such as atheism and other carribean beliefs, such as Santeria and Vodun. Hotepian culture began forming shape in music in the mid nineties, with the Neo soul movement, which has been around, just not popularised.

[@yunglynda1326]

absolutely fire analysis here. i am feeling so inspired by and uplifted by you speaking this truth to power❤️

[@nomms9653]

An excellent video as always

[@catchinzzs7022]

The fact that I wasn't able to find out about Kendrick being a hotep while listening to him for awhilr is pretty concerning and goes to show how much a blk woman's perspective can illuminate certain issues.

[@nyshyn307]

I agree with the Jay Z and Nas assessments but T.I. and DaBaby are T.I. and DaBaby, I wouldn't expect any deeper points to them using Jesus imagery and it's probably just the face value idea of them being crucified as you said. I doubt anyone's look at either of those 2's examples very seriously in the ideological regard Kanye is a weird case because his belief in Christ has always been prevalent and I don't think the point was to ever portray himself as Jesus, yes the name "Yeezus" invokes that idea but he never tied himself in to actually say he's Christ. Even the song "I Am a God" is just portrays his character with delusional levels of pride to later be addressed and undone on the same album Your Kendrick assessment seems off too. Obviously there's the thorn crown imagery but the album's entire idea is that Kendrick ISN'T Christ-like. The two most important songs have Kendrick repeat that various celebrities are "not your Savior" [on 'Savior'] and "I choose me I'm sorry" [on 'Crown']. He also stated that he isn't Pro Black on the album so to me the theme being pushed is that Kendrick's fans placed a "crown" on him by expecting him to be their leader of sorts. MM&TBS makes it clear that Kendrick never wanted the role and received it unjustly in the same manner that Christ never placed the crown of thorns on his own head. That all may seem like a stretch but when you look at how people were slandering Kendrick for not speaking during COVID and the George Floyd riots (he trended on Twitter multiple times due to such requests) I think it's fair to say many have absolutely "crowned" him as a voice of the people but he's not saying that's good or even true on Mr. Morale he's just attacking the unfairness of it. "DAMN." on the other hand was meant to show Kendrick's confusion on whether he should follow his religion or use his platform to try and help the world as a figurehead of it (which the Bible actually advises against). The end result of this conflict is the fact that Kendrick is "damned if he does and damned if he doesn't" which DJ Dahi, who exec-produced the album, explained a few times. The record has NOTHING to do with him being like Jesus and he gets killed for entirely different reasons on the project P.S. 25:14 How did Kendrick "reinforce tired gender wars?" I can only think of 'We Cry Together' that addresses the gender war but it only aimed to show both sides as flawed with no real conclusion on how to fix it in my eyes

[@Brooklyn94269]

But this comment won’t get too many likes, I agree with almost everything you mentioned especially the Kendrick takes. Her opinion comes off as someone who did not actually listen to the album. I have never heard misogyny or gender wars be associated with Kendrick Lamar’s musical content and it seemed grossly incorrect to label him as such

[@charlestaylorco8713]

@@Brooklyn94269 I mean I agree with the original comment but that isn’t to say that Kendrick is devoid of misogynistic takes as even in Mr. Morale he discusses his own misogyny, but I do agree that’s it seems a bit unfair to lump him in with the rest of the group she talks about in this video

[@Brooklyn94269]

@@charlestaylorco8713 I would still love to see examples, perhaps I missed something . I recall Kendrick discussing his sex addiction and infidelity, however , that is different from being a misogynist. Misogyny would imply that he dislikes women and I don’t recall hearing any indication of that .

[@charlestaylorco8713]

@@Brooklyn94269 I’m not saying he’s a misogynist but that he’s repeated misogynistic rhetoric that many had to unlearn, most notably in his earlier work. Like his verse on Memories Back Then could definitely fall into that distasteful perception of black women (like that meme with the nerd who gets rich)

[@Brooklyn94269]

@@charlestaylorco8713 considering Kendrick’s use of rhetoric (back then) is different from the listener’s experience of his music. One has to critically ask, does the rhetoric reinforce the actual content? If we are using that song for example, sure you can say he has misogynistic rhetoric (language ) in his lyrics, specifically referring to a girl as a ho. However it conflicts with what the actual verse is about , which is about a girl thinking she is too good for him or for a regular guy. That is wholly different from say Jayz , who would use misogynistic rhetoric in his delivery to reinforce misogynistic content in his verses ( see Girls , girls , girls ) . Now i agree , the use of words like ho, bitch, thot etc, are misogynistic rhetoric. However, not trying to down play it, but it is just that, rhetoric. Meaning , the use of language for effective impact on the audience - simply put , delivery. Rhetoric is empty without content behind it, and Kendrick’s content has consistently (in my opinion) not been disrespectful or shown contempt to women. Now if you want to argue that the language shouldn’t be used at all because it’s more harmful than whatever content is behind it , that’s different, although I would disagree, but to describe his music as misogynistic because he may have used words considered misogynistic rhetoric, I think that is wrong.

[@vlllcxrvllcxr7309]

To me it didn’t sound like Jay Z was comparing the n word & the term ‘capitalist’. I think he was saying that he has been called so much worse (n word, monkey) that being called a capitalist (in a capitalist society) is like…laughable. They have to come up with a more aggressive insult

[@tbonsu3125]

Well said Jouelzy as always, you hit the nail right on the head with this one 🗣🗣🗣

[@brycetheoddball]

Fun fact. Kanye has been running around with Joel Osteen. There’s videos of it.

[@emenanjonwadiei]

Just a few corrections. The group, The Furious Five, was founded in 1978. One of the members, Rahiem, was a 5%er. Rakim and Big Daddy Kane predate the Wu Tang Clan by 5 years. NaS' debut album was Illmatic. It was Written was NaS' 2nd album.