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Rexx Life Raj’s “War” is the answer to Marvin Gaye’s “Whats Going On”
Abstract
Rexx Life Raj’s “War” reminds us that Black music is rooted in the cultural tradition of West African griots. His 2019 release and subsequent re-release during the 2020 summer Uprisings speaks to the heart of the revolution taking place. For so many Black people we have been in the war for years, but we are just waking up the rest of the world as life has slowed due to Covid. Raj delivers a masterful performance on the track and it is sure to be considered a lasting contribution in the history of Black protest music.
Historical Setting — Connection to the Continent
When studying the ancient West African civilizations like Ghana, Mali and Songhai it is easy to find some very similar cultural traditions to Black people globally. This is, of course, because of the close to 20 million Africans kidnapped and enslaved during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, roughly 40% came from the western coast of Africa. As we study these civilizations we begin to learn of the importance of salt and gold, we learn of Mansa Musa and his unfathomable wealth. As we begin to study Black people across the globe on a cultural level we can see some quick connections to these civilizations, with maybe the most obvious to spot, usually around our necks, wrist or in our mouth: gold. While gold…
