“Otherside of America,” Meek Mill
It makes sense that Philadelphia emcee Meek Mill would make a song about the socio-political landscape of America. Afterall, he is a man whose public entanglement with the law has created a movement of reform and help liberate a number of men and women behind bars— fighting for fairer sentences and just treatment. With “Otherside of America,” he paints a story that could very well be his own.
The problem is that it can also be the story of far too many other young Black kids in this country. Simply consider that households are destroyed and unbalanced, older male role models are lost to either jail and the grave, and too many youth are required to figure out adulting through the graphic overtures of the street.
Meek paints this urban reality that presents what happens when money is not pumped into the community.
“I’m where the AKs is, we like the Bébé’s Kids … Ain’t have a daddy, I listened to suckers the same way that Ray Ray did … I’m totin’ Smith &’s and HKs and I just was a grade A kid … Ain’t have no guidance, we grew up with hitters and did everything they said … Point out the block, we spinnin’ that (spinnin’) … Run in the spot, we gettin’ that (get it) … Give us some work, we flippin’ that (flippin’) … I’m hittin’ from jail, they ain’t hittin’ back … I need a lawyer, money for commissary, and nobody ain’t sendin’ that … I’m in my cell like, “When I get out, I’m makin’ a movie, no Cinemax” (woo) … Yeah, back home and I’m fresh on bail … Phone chirpin’, it was next to tell … Block popppin’, it was extra sales … Big dogs, they ain’t showin’ remorse … I was beggin’ just to catch a sale … Same block, we was goin’ to war … I was prayin’ I ain’t catch a shell (check).”
For Meek, the other side of America is at war with the very idea of liberty and justice: a battle won by radical reconstruction or systemic reimagining. The tools of combat is stepping up and showing people that that Black and brown people are not animals, despite being locked up and locked down forever. Seeing why choices are made, should invokes compassion and empathy. And that is what “Otherside of America” does … it is one hell of a movie that should be watched by all.