Mixtape: Right Fent Lean

 Jelyse Davis

Dr. Harris

African American Literature

1 December 2024

Mixtape: Right Fent Lean

Theme: The Growing Trend of Black Male Far-Right Political Alignment


Introduction

Inspired by in-class discussions featuring Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman by Michelle Wallace and Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Violence Against Women of Color by Kimberle Crenshaw, this mixtape aims to highlight major Black male artists within the Hip Hop industry who found themselves falling into alignment with far-right republican politicians or conservative values. In her work, Wallace expresses frustration with the various stereotypical definitions of Black men and women and details how they have harmed the general community for so long. She specifically calls back to the words of leader within the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Civil Rights Activist, Stokely Carmichael, as a representation of the way Black men reinforce the oppression Black women face within the United States. “The only position for Black Women in the SNCC is prone.” Building on this theme, Crenshaw calls to another famous Civil Rights Activist and Black Panther (some consider a founding father of the party) Eldritch Cleaver. Cleaver became infamous after he was arrested for the rape and attempted murder of multiple Black women. As his reasoning, he stated he was practicing for white women. This same man later in life became a born-again Christian and a republican politician. Both men had the goal of achieving liberation for Black people in the United States, yet they behaved in a way that put themselves in opposition to that goal. Although far less extreme than Cleaver, the trucks listed in this playlist illustrate the common pipeline through which Black Hip-Hop artists often find themselves in Binary Opposition to the greater Black community. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1iOJlmsNPND5V1dVQAEusI?si=T5WHD6F_QymYZC7vWCvl2g

Tracklist

  1. “Wesley’s Theory” - Kendrick Lamar

This song sets the stage for the rest of the mixtape. Capitalism and systematic racism have Black artists continually fighting the battle of success and artistic autonomy. They are exploited for their success stories for the disingenuous entertainment of those who only wish to bleed them of as much profit as possible. They are doomed to work until they can’t function anymore; when everything is gone, they have nothing to give back to their own community.

  1. “All Falls Down” - Kanye West 

West critiques the materialism he recognizes within his growing generation of young Black adults stemming from the capitalist economy. He theorizes that these flashy possessions take the place of deeper insecurities that this community struggles with as a result of the long-standing oppression established in the United States. “Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coupe.”

  1. My Generation - Nas, Damien Marley, Lil Wayne, and Joss Stone

In the spirit of optimism, this song aims to call to attention the potential of their generation to enact positive change in society, going as far as to directly affirm in the hook, “My generation will make a change.” The various artists on this track emphasize the importance of education, gentrification, and music as a tool to convey their message. Lil Wayne says, “But they thinking that my generation gotta die young. If we all come together, then they can't divide one.” He recognizes the importance of unity to make lasting systematic change. Wayne goes as far as to say, “This generation, I’mma represent a generation led by a Black president.” This is a specific call to the significance of this achievement for the confidence of Black Americans in their achievement of equity within this country. 

  1. Tunnel Vision - Kodak Black

Kodak paints the picture of maintaining focus on his personal goal in the wake of various obstacles he’s faced. Such obstacles include: incarceration, prison corruption, and mental health. He witnesses his peers continuing the path that he left for his art, believing it was best for him. The music video for the song further highlights racial tension in the United States with imagery of Kodak performing in front of KKK members hanging from their infamous burning crosses. In addition, the main visual conflict of the story features a Black man beating up a Skinhead adorned in conferderate flags and sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat that attempted to kill him (this is very ironic later). 

  1. Black - YoungBoy Never Broke Again

In this song, YoungBoy reflects on his childhood growing up in poverty and witnessing violence. These issues were made worse by the systematic obstacles, further inspiring this artistic commentary on his own experiences. Throughout the track uses the word Black as a representation of his resilience and success, reaffirming he’s Black and calling all his luxurious possessions Black. 

  1. King Kunta - Kendrick Lamar

Again, Kendrick Lamar is positioned in this mixtape to set the stage. He uses King Kunta and a title representing his success, power, and influence. He highlights oppressive forces that aim to bring him down and corrupt him. “The yam is the power that be,...The yam brought it out of Richard Pryor. Manipulated Bill Clinton with desires.” He outright rejects them, further going into how the music industry and the country exploits Black people. The aforementioned artists don’t follow in his footsteps. 

  1. Ye. vs The People - Kanye West (feat. T.I.)

This song is understood to be a response to the criticism West faced after publicly expressing his support for president Donald Trump during his first term in office. Staged as a conversation between him and the people he’s advocated for in the past (as T.I.), he claims that the statement he made in his actions shows he is a free thinker and attempted to show that everyone is unified regardless of political affiliation. He challenges the opinion of the general public, claiming they blindly follow the societal expectations placed on them. T.I. rebuttals claiming that his deeper intentions become less significant when his actions can cause harm to people and negatively influence them. 

  1. Ain’t Got Time - Lil Wayne (feat. Fousheé)

Lil Wayne uses this song to convey his new priorities in life after being released from jail. Such priorities include: improving his personal life, focusing on the success of his career, and staying at the top of the game. His release from jail was just one of the many presidential pardons for the incarcerated given out by Trump. Some of the most notable being Black male rappers like Wayne. Within the lyrics, he directly thanks Donald Trump for thi,s and later was pictured smiling with the president. He goes on to claim that Trump had asked him for pictures the entire time they interacted. This could have been because he was a huge fan, but King Kunta may disagree. 

  1. ONBOA47RD - Fivio Foreign (feat. Kodak Black and Donald Trump)

Throughout the entire song, Foreign and Kodak openly support Donald Trump, referencing the freedom they were granted by his pardons and their pride in performing for him during his campaign. The song features direct quotes from Donald Trump, blending his messages to his followers into the track. They encourage their listeners to align themselves with the far-right politician, too. 

  1. XXX - YoungBoy Never Broke Again

In an album released soon after, he was also pardoned by president Donald Trump. This song directly glorifies sex and violence through the repetition of them in the main chorus. In addition, he politically aligns himself with Donald Trump, saying, “Make American Slimey Again. Whatever Trump doin’, bitch, it’s good for the youngins.” He faced a lot of backlash from various Americans who felt his great influence on young Black boys could be detrimental to them if he were to celebrate these topics. 

  1. For Sale? (Interlude) - Kendrick Lamar

As a representation of the aforementioned artists who fell to the corruption he warned about in King Kunta and Wesley’s Theory. “Lucy gave you no worries. Lucy million stories…Lucy gone move your mama outta Compton…Lucy just want your trust, are you avoiding me?” He poses these ill-intentioned gifts from Lucifer as “opportunies” given to him if he were to compromise his beliefs for more fame and money. He expresses guilt and uses the production to illustrate how subconsciously haunted he his by the temptation of Lucifer or those who hold weigh in the industry that want to use him. 

  1. We The People… - A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest released this song in 2016, around the time Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. The chorus emphasizes the general opinion of the republican party of an antagonistic view of the various marginalized in America. These opinions stem from established fearmongering stereotypes reinforced by the party’s politicians, then and now. They try to convey that these communities will never back down and continue to fight for equity. This message of empowerment served as a beacon of hope for fans of Rap who found themselves anxious for what the party in power had in store for them. 

  1. KO - NLE The Great, NLE Choppa

This track is the most recently released one on Right Fent Lean. Choppa is directly responding to YoungBoy in XXX and other songs on his MASA (Make America Slime Again) album. He calls him emotional and childish, saying “poisnin’ the youth.” He claims YoungBoy’s glorification of violence and toxic masculinity is grossly reckless. Choppa declares he’s crossed the line and his potential for the Black youth could call for his removal from his position of influence. The music video features imagery of Choppa whipping, beating, and executing YoungBoy, calling him a snake, cockroach, and a “bitch boy.”

  1. Alright - Kendrick Lamar

Alright is a song to reassure those who are trying to survive in an oppressive system that it isn’t over yet. “We gon’ be alright,” is the main chorus and is recited repeatedly to reaffirm that there is still hope in resilience. Lamar highlights his religion as one of his motivators for his unwavering criticism of the oppressive foundation of the United States and hope in the unity of the marginalized communities. This became a sort of battle cry of perseverance. 


Conclusion

Kanye West, NBA YoungBoy, Kodak Black, and Lil Wayne all fell short of their own expectations. In their artistic genius, they shone a spotlight on the systematic oppression they experienced as Black men in America. They had a firsthand account of the many ways this oppression can manifest and hold them back from the potential success they and their peers could obtain. Kodak showed one of the political affiliations that fortifies the regressive beliefs of marginalized people, threatening their lives. Unfortunately, these artist put their beliefs aside for favor and attention, but hope is not lost! Kendrick Lamar, NLE Choppa, and A Tribe Called Quest should serve as reminders that there is still social consciousness within the industry. Not everyone is corrupt. Not everyone can be bought. No one is fighting the system alone. Trust, “We gon’ be alright.”













Works Cited

Blistein, Jon. “Lil Wayne Talks Infamous Trump Photo, Was Asked to Play Inauguration.” Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-wayne-trump-photo-play-inauguration-1235318808/..

Crenshaw, Kimberlé. “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.” Stanford Law Review, vol. 43, no. 6, 1991, pp. 1241–1299.

Wallace, Michele. Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman. Dial Press, 1979.

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