Letter to the frees csp

1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?

He debuted a longer version of the song at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.  

2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?

The amendment stated that slavery was abolishes as well as involuntary servitude, but this was negated if a person was punished for a crime. Passed by the house in 1865

3) What were the Black Codes?

They were laws passed in the Southern states in 1865 and 1866 restricting African Americans' freedom and compelling them to work in a labor based economy on low wages or debt. It was a part of a bigger problem of Southern Whites who tried to supress the freedom of African-Americans.

4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

After the abolition of slavery and segregation, mass incarceration was introduces to take the place of both constrictions. Criminals are used as an excuse to keep restricting the freedom of African Americans's and plays a huge role into the racism in America.

5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

This was a personal venture for her, she was interested they companies were making billions of of 'black bodies'. She wanted to be an advocate for change, and to bring hope.

6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?

The late 80s early 90s was reflective of a movement of black empowerment, love, consciousness and being aware. 

7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?

Artists like N.W.A, Daddy Kane, and Mo D, were talking about a pro black movement. They were apart of the significant time period as mentioned above.

8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.

Album: Black America Again

The majority of the reception was critically acclaimed. Metacritic gave the album 88/100. One review from the Chicago Tribune was that is 'one of the year's most potent protest albums'. Also, Entertainment Weekly said that the album is, 'a vital contribution to the national conversation'.

Close-textual analysis and representation

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).

There is a strong creation of diaspora with the camera shots used. There are no close-ups of the performers apart from one with Common. The rest of the shots and mostly long to wide shots, obscuring the face of the artist. It also links to the dehumanisation of African Americans in the prison and penal system. The long shots show the wide space the performers are in, which contracts the reality of how crowded they were with mass incarceration; it also emphasises that they are in a prison. There is only a human height shot of the performers, it advocates the reality of the lack of freedom as there is always a sense of being watched.

The only close-ups are of the black square. This may link to diaspora, the entrapment they faced because of the 13th amendment took away who their freedom of movement, which in itself contradicts the constitution. This is the only thing that they remember or identify with since 1865.

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?

The constant slow movement may represent the passing of time, and the amount of the time it has taken to really have a change regarding the treatment of African Americans. Things haven't really changed in the last 300 years, it emphasises the time spent under control and constricted.

3) Why is the video in black and white?

The most recognisable reason is to show blacks vs whites in America. But also it may personify the simplicity of how the song tries to communicate meanings or messages with us. The message that what they're fighting for is simple, to have rights for black people in America and not to be subjects of racism.

An alternative meaning is that their freedom isn't easily gained. The black and white juxtaposes how easy it is to gain freedom.

Gives a dark, serious, ominous tone.

4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?

Setting: The fact that it is in a prison shows the isolation and marginalisation people face being in the prison system. It links to the 13th amendment and the documentary this song was made for, the mass incarceration of black people in the USA. The cells and the exercise yard show the texts, 'no excessive noise', which is telling African Americans to just deal with the situation they are in and keep quite abut it, don't complain. But it also could link to slavery and how slaves used to sing songs to keep their spirits up, this text could be a reference once again to silence African Americans who are slaves again to the prison system and the 13th amendment.

5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?

At several times in the video he mentions the 13th amendment but also says that America now call them 'criminals', referencing mass incarceration.

6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.

As soon as the word 'freedom' is mentioned, the black square appears and stays on the screen for 10 seconds. It forced on to reflect on what the videos message is. It could represent the constitution, but also it looks like a monument, meaning it is set in stone just like the constitution. At the end of the video the black square is in a field for 24 seconds, increasing the slow pace and gives time to reflect on the whole video. The meaning of this could be that slavery used to be in the field but now the penal system has taken it into prisons, which is the setting of the video. The black square is also reflective, perhaps showing the social state of America. However, it also casts a shadow, meaning that slavery and the history of the oppression and treatment of African Americans has left a stain on modern America.

7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.

The cells and the exercise yard show the texts, 'no excessive noise', which is telling African Americans to just deal with the situation they are in and keep quite abut it, don't complain. But it also could link to slavery and how slaves used to sing songs to keep their spirits up, this text could be a reference once again to silence African Americans who are slaves again to the prison system and the 13th amendment.

At the end of the video the black square is in a field for 24 seconds, increasing the slow pace and gives time to reflect on the whole video. The meaning of this could be that slavery used to be in the field but now the penal system has taken it into prisons, which is the setting of the video. The black square is also reflective, perhaps showing the social state of America. However, it also casts a shadow, meaning that slavery and the history of the oppression and treatment of African Americans has left a stain on modern America.

8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?

The entrapment they faced because of the 13th amendment took away who their freedom of movement, which in itself contradicts the constitution. This is the only thing that they remember or identify with since 1865.

9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.

Hall's representation of black people - the dehumanisation. They are seen as the slave figure.

10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video? 

Donald Trump being made president, mass incarceration.