99 Problems and a B***h ain’t one?

This morning on the way to work, I was listening to tunes and one of the numbers was Jay-Z's 99 problems from his excellent record called The Black Album. Although, I have listened to this rap number many times, today I paid more attention to the lyrics. The entire context just was mind blowing. I have respected and liked Jay-Z as an artist and his rap numbers were very good to listen to. His collaborations with Pharrell Williams (of NERD fame), Beyonce (his gal), his mash up with Linkin Park (which I think is a brilliant mix of two distinct styles of music). But never have I paid attention to the lyrics.

Back to 99 problems. The lyrics presented a side of the problems faced by disillusioned youth growing up in disfranchised or poor areas with limited education, opportunities and slide into drugs, depression and violence. You would expect this from a third world country but this situation from a so-called first world country just boggles your mind. Some very potent lyrics went like this:-

"And I heard Son do you know why I'm stopping you for? Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know Am I under arrest or should I guess some MO? Well you was doing fifty five in a fifty four.
License and registration and step out of the car, are you carrying a weapon, I know a lot of you are! "

WOW! That's harsh stereotyping. And we thought our version of stereotyping was bad. But it's interesting how Jay-Z decided to focus on a road stop and arrest as a scenario for his song and a brilliant music video (all in B & W).

"I ain't stepping out of shit all my papers legit "Do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?" Well my glove compartment is locked so is the trunk and the back And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that "Aren't you sharp as a tack are some type of lawyer or something?" "Or somebody important or something?"

Great writing. So just because you are able to say that you need a warrant, the impression is that either you are a lawyer or someone important. But you are not a ordinary person. The next sentence is absolutely mind blowing

Nah I ain't pass the bar but I know a little bit enough that you won't illegally search my shit

This sentence was also use in one of CSI: New York episodes (Tanglewood boys) where the protagonist states the same. But of course, the shit part was smoothed over by a dialog interruption.

I am not sure how to interpret the thoughts behind the next phrases. Our roots do not give us the same nature of problems faced. Racism, profiling has always existing in Indian culture but its more inward. Affirmative action is given to lower castes to bring them to the main stream of the population.

And there I go trapped in the kit kat again Back through the system with the riff raff again Fiends on the floor scratching again Paparazzi's with they cameras snapping them D.A. tried to give the nigga the shaft again Half-a-mil for bail cause I'm African All because this fool was harassing them Trying to play the boy like he's saccharin But ain't nothing sweet 'bout how I hold my gun. I got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one, Hit ME!

I wonder if Britney Spears would ever make such powerful verses in her songs. Well, she did shave her head like Persis Khambatta (she played the role of Lt. Ilia in the first Star Trek movie. She is a former Miss India, of Parsi ethnicity).

I can see several similarities in applying Indian mythology to most of the lyrics as our ancestors have definitely encountered similar profiling. There is a saying My friend's enemy is my enemy, my enemies enemy is my friend. Indian mythology has several stories that reflect the sense of being trapped, judged and prosecuted with no opportunity to explain or even redemption.

Oh! Well! Just thought I will share this online.