Untitled- mixtape

 Precious Esters 

5/1/25

Dr.Harris 


Major Project 

Bell Hooks explains in Salvation how music changed the perspective on romance and love. Bell Hooks also discusses how race and ethnicity were important topics in her era and how musicians used their songs to communicate how they felt about that specific situation dealing with civil rights, police brutality, etc. I gained a lot of knowledge about the Black community and how they can support or oppose anything. These are the songs i chose: 

  • A Change is Gonna Come ~ Sam Cooke. With bell hooks explaining how artists change the view on things through their songs i chose this song because Sam Cooke explained

the emotional weight of the Black American experience in the 1960s. A period marked by protest, violence, and segregation is captured in the song. It began to represent tenacity, transformation, and the struggle for equality. “I go to the movies and I go downtown. Somebody keep telling me "Don't hang around". This particular lyric explains how Cooke addresses segregation and racism. He describes in this phrase what it was like for many Black Americans to be unwelcome in public places due to Jim Crow legislation.

  • So Amazing ~ Luther Vandross. In Salvation bell hooks explains how people in her time would view love from the music people release. The song is a sincere expression of the singer's profound love and gratitude for the person who has won her heart. In addition to romantic love, the song's lyrics convey awe and surprise at the singer's relationship with their lover. The term "so amazing" is used to define the relationship's beauty and intensity. “Love has truly been good to me’’ He begins by saying that love has made him happy and at ease. It has made life more cheerful.

  • Freedom ~ Beyonce. The song reflects to Black suffering throughout many generations and the struggle to overcome it. Lyrics like "I'ma keep running, 'cause a winner doesn't quit on themselves" capture the tenacity of civil rights activists who persisted in the face of injustice, brutality, and arrests. By connecting the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow laws, and slavery to mass incarceration, police brutality, and institutional racism in contemporary America, Kendrick draws a connection between the past and the present.

  • Alright ~ Kendrick Lamar. "Alright" by Kendrick Lamar is a potent hymn to Black protest, optimism, and resiliency in the face of generational suffering, racial injustice, and police brutality. the outrage and anxiety around police brutality, contextualising Kendrick's story within the larger political crises. "Alright" has its roots in the Black experience. Though its heart is full of resiliency, spiritual grounding, and unwavering optimism, it speaks candidly about pain, systematic injustice, and terror. It's a proclamation that we will endure, overcome, and survive whatever comes our way.

  • Black Parade ~ Beyonce. Beyoncé's song "Black Parade" honours Black activism, pride, resiliency, and culture. It was released on Juneteenth, 2020, a day that honours the abolition of slavery in the United States. It is a potent anthem that combines political protest, contemporary Black identity, and African heritage. It serves as a rallying cry as well as a tribute. "I made a picket sign off your picket fence and rubber bullets bounced off me." then makes allusion to police brutality, but then flips it by saying that Black bodies are strong and unbreakable.Making a picket sign out of a "picket fence," which is a representation of white suburbia tranquilly, is a metaphor for upending the status quo.

  • Brown Skin Girl ~ Beyonce. Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl” featuring Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, and WizKid celebrates dark-skinned Black women and girls, particularly those who have frequently been disregarded, undervalued, or stereotyped by the media and society. The story promotes the strength, value, and beauty of brown-skinned girls worldwide and serves as both a love letter and a corrective tale.In salvation bell hooks tells us that she use to watch beauty pageants and realize how all the contestants were white and always white, but her mom always reminded her that she’s beautiful the way she is. 

  • Lift Every Voice and Sing ~ James Weldon Johnson.  For African Americans, the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing," by James Weldon Johnson is a potent anthem of pride, hardship, and hope. Commonly referred to as the Black National Anthem, it was composed in 1900 but found even more emotional and cultural resonance during the Civil Rights Movement. For African Americans, the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing," written by James Weldon Johnson and composed by J. Rosamond Johnson, is a potent anthem of pride, hardship, and hope. Commonly referred to as the Black National Anthem, it was composed in 1900 but found even more emotional and cultural resonance during the Civil Rights Movement.

  • Love ~ Musiq Soulchild. Musiq Soulchild's poignant and soulful ballad "Love" delves into the deeper, more profound meaning of love, going beyond fleeting attraction or infatuation. Fundamentally, "Love" is a song about defining love in a way that transcends what society or idealised ideas frequently suggest. According to Musiq Soulchild, love is about dedication, comprehension, and development rather than perfection or ephemeral feelings. It emphasises the intricacy of love, the fragility, the sacrifices, and the readiness to support someone no matter what.

  • Just To Keep You Satisfied ~ Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye's "Just to Keep You Satisfied" is a profoundly poignant and reflective song about love, sacrifice, and the difficulties of relationships. The song discusses issues of selflessness, unwavering commitment, and the difficulties of attempting to win someone over in a relationship.The song's central theme is that of a man who is so devoted to and in love with his lover that he will stop at nothing to ensure their happiness, sometimes even losing himself in the process. It examines the psychological toll of always attempting to satisfy someone, even at the price of one's own needs or wants. 

  • All Night ~ Beyonce. Beyoncé's song "All Night" explores forgiveness, healing, and unconditional love in a profoundly personal and reflective way. One of the album's softer and more vulnerable songs, it depicts a path of emotional healing following heartbreak and betrayal. Beyoncé considers the intricacies of love, its resistance to adversity, and the transformational potential of forgiveness.

  • How You Gonna Act Like That ~ Tyrese.Tyrese's soulful R&B song "How You Gonna Act Like That" examines themes of betrayal, heartache, and emotional disorientation in a relationship.The protagonist's bewilderment and emotional suffering following his partner's lack of responsiveness and distance are at the heart of the song.It also has to do with feeling deceived or abandoned by someone who has abruptly ceased caring or showing interest.

  • Butterflies ~ Michael Jackson.The romantic ballad "Butterflies" by Michael Jackson captures the emotions of love, attraction, and emotional vulnerability that accompany entering a new or transforming relationship. The song employs the metaphor of butterflies in the stomach to represent the delight, anxiety, and excitement that frequently come with having a strong emotional bond with someone. It's an exquisitely nuanced and heartfelt illustration of how love may evoke feelings that are simultaneously overwhelming and light. is a love song that captures the emotions of attraction, affection, and emotional vulnerability that accompany entering a new or fulfilling relationship. The protagonist of "Butterflies" experiences the psychological and bodily repercussions of love. The delicate, fluttery feeling that one experiences when they are deeply infatuated or in love is symbolised by butterflies.

  • Me, Myself & I ~ Beyonce. Beyoncé's song "Me, Myself and I" is a potent hymn to independence, self-determination, and letting out of a poisonous or unfaithful relationship. The song tells the story of a woman who has been harmed by her lover and, after a period of mental turmoil, decides she is better off living alone. It's a statement of power and self-worth. 

   






Songs: A change is gonna come ~ Sam cooke, Freedom ~ Beyonce, Alright ~ Kendrick Lamar, Black Parade ~ Beyonce, Brown Skin Girl ~ Beyonce, Lift Every Voice and Sing ~ Lift Every Voice and Sing , So Amazing – Luther Vandross, Love ~ Musiq Soulchild, Just To Keep You Satisfied ~ Marvin Gaye, All Night ~ Beyonce, How You Gonna Act Like That ~ Tyrese ,Butterflies ~ Michael Jackson,Me, Myself & I ~ Beyonce 

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