Rappers like Joey Bada$$ are using their influence for good

Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ is coming to Syracuse on Saturday as part of Syracuse University’s first-ever Cuse for Good: Social Justice event. Casual fans know that Joey is one of the best true lyricists in the game, but without listening closely, people miss that in many of his songs, he’s rapping about political and social issues.

Joey Bada$$ uses his platform to shed light on and give his opinion about issues affecting his community. In addition to spreading awareness, he also actively participates in community events and donates to causes he believes in.

His work has made an impact, which goes to show the power artists can have on their local and global communities. He’s in good company among rappers who help their communities.

Chance the Rapper is another example. With his debut mixtape “10 Day,” Chance broke onto the scene with a new “weirdo” approach to rap. He began his career rapping about school, drugs and love. As he matured and his career progressed, he moved towards messages of love, God and unity with choir-powered hooks. Chance has shown tremendous growth as an artist and as a person.

He has become a great role model by regularly contributing to his city. In 2017, he donated over $1 million to the public school system in Chicago, Illinois — giving thousands of kids resources and opportunities they may have otherwise missed.

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He followed up this individual contribution by raising an additional $2 million through his organization SocialWorks, founded to “empower youth through the arts, education, and civic engagement.” Chance has helped bring Chicago together as a community and his organization continues to do its best to help move the city forward.

J. Cole, one of the top rappers of his generation, has produced two classic mixtapes and four solid albums. Throughout his decade-long career in the spotlight, Cole has proven that the questions and issues he raises through his music are things that he also tries to address in his personal life.

To accompany his last project, “4 Your Eyez Only,” Cole released a 48-minute documentary featuring the personal stories and experiences of people from Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Atlanta; Ferguson, Missouri; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Jonesboro, Arkansas. This documentary touched on things like music, poverty, activism, law enforcement and hopes for the future. It served as a platform for people who had none and helped push many conversations forward.

Aligned with his personal activism efforts, Cole has also been a vocal supporter of Colin Kaepernick. He’s spoken on multiple media outlets, from GQ to Twitter, of his admiration for the stand Kaepernick took against the NFL. Earlier this week, Cole donated $10,000 to Kaepernick’s charity campaign that provides donations to underserved organizations.

Meek Mill is another one of the most popular “gangsta rappers” during my lifetime. Throughout his career, his lyrics have been filled with stories of the “street life,” struggles, sacrifices and the occasional mention of money and jewelry.

While his music has stayed somewhat similar throughout the years — at least in its theme — Meek has shown growth on a personal level. The man who first entered the prison system at age 18 has released three successful albums and a bunch of classic mixtapes. Sometimes movements grow bigger than who or what started it. This is the case with Meek Mill.

Recently Meek was sentenced to two to four years in prison for violating his probation that was set in 2008. Opinions on the individual case notwithstanding, Meek’s sentence is symbolic of a larger problem in the criminal justice system that targets and incarcerates communities of color at disproportionate rates.

For many, seeing their favorite rapper get in legal trouble for such a relatively minor offense was the spark that ignited action. This action has come in the form of a #freemeek movement that’s included protests, tributes and parades, and stayed at the top of our Twitter mentions. So far #freemeek has gathered nearly half a million petition signatures and captured the attention of many capable activists.

Whether it’s donating to schools, combating injustice or even planting gardens, those who are able have the responsibility to give back. Many of our favorite artists are doing just this, making them strong advocates and role models. It’s important that fans find inspiration in their good deeds and encourage them to do even more. The power of music goes far beyond your speakers, and it can literally change the world.

Jalen Nash is a sophomore political science major. His music column appears biweekly in Pulp. You can email him at janash@syr.edu or follow him on Twitter @ja_nash3.