Rap-philians,
To me, it comes as no surprise that Lin-Manuel Miranda chose rap to talk about controversial topics with deep emotional roots. One thing I love about this genre is how it has nothing to lose and it is not afraid to take on controversial issues. Common themes in rap and hip-hop are social issues. This time I am bringing a song that really gets to me. Immigration is a hot topic nowadays. Thanks to globalization, people move around more than ever.
Immigration has caused the clash of different groups of people. It is part of human nature to perceive the known as positive and the unknown as negative. When people get to your land bringing different languages, traditions, morals, and more generally, culture, I think it is normal to have some sort of resistance towards their acceptance. Nevertheless, to me, immigrants prove their worth over and over with their hard work. In theory, by seeing the their hard work and by being exposed to them for a period of time, their acceptance should naturally evolve, but in reality, it does not happen. Why? I think there are many explanations to this, but for the purpose of this post I just want to make a case for immigrants.
As an immigrant myself, I can tell you about the challenges an immigrant faces. First off let me tell you that people do not leave their country and their families just for the heck of it, there is always a motivator. This motivator can be many things, looking to earn more money, insecurity, the escape from a political regime, etc. It takes an immense amount of courage to leave of your social network that held you in society. And leave it for what? For the unknown. For the chance of flipping a coin with the hopes of better outcomes. One thing is clear to me, immigrants do not leave their country to be lazy somewhere else. They are really hard workers. The reason is simple, if they do not work hard, all the sacrifices and challenges they have overcome would be in vain. We work, and we get the job done.
After saying these words, in my head all I can hear is Trump saying how Mexicans are not sending their best, but they are sending drug dealers and rapists. To this I have one thing to say: in the past five years, the Oscar for the best director has been given to a Mexican director four times. So if Trump's argument is true and these are the worst Mexicans, then what are the best ones capable of?
[Hercules Mulligan:]
And just like that it's over, we tend to our wounded, we count our dead
[John Laurens:]
Black and white soldiers wonder alike if this really means freedom…
[George Washington:]
Not yet
[K'Naan:]
I got 1 job, 2 jobs, 3 when I need them
I got 5 roommates in this one studio but I never really see them
And we all came America trying to get a lap dance from lady freedom
But now lady liberty is acting like Hillary Banks with a pre-nup (Banks with a pre-nup)
Man I was brave sailing on graves
Don't think I didn't notice those tombstones disguised as waves
I'm no dummy, here is something funny you can be an immigrant without risking your lives
Or crossing these borders with thrifty supplies
All you got to do is see the world with new eyes
[Chorus:]
Immigrants
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Immigrants
We get the job done
[Snow Tha Product:]
It's a hard line
When you're an import
Baby boy it's hard times
When you ain't sent for
Racist feed the belly of the beast
With they pitchforks, rich chores
Done by the people that get ignored
Ya se armó
Ya se despertaron
It's a whole awakening
La alarma ya sonó hace rato
Los que quieren buscan
Pero nos apodan como vagos
We are the same ones
Hustling on every level
Ten los datos
Walk a mile in our shoes
Abrochenze los zapatos
I been scoping ya dudes
Ya'll ain't been working like I do
I'll outwork you, it hurts you
You claim I'm stealing jobs though
Peter piper claimed he picked them he just underpaid Pablo
But there ain't a paper trail when you living in the shadows
We're Americas ghost writers the credit is only borrowed
It's a matter of time before the checks all come
But…
[Chorus:]
Immigrants
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Immigrants
We get the job done
Not yet
[Snow Tha Product:]
It's Americas ghost writers the credit is only borrowed
It's Americas ghost writers
It's Americas ghost writers
It's Americas ghost writers
It's Americas ghost writers the credit is only borrowed
It's Americas ghost writers the credit is only borrowed
It's Americas ghost writers the credit is only borrowed
It's...
[Part Chorus:]
Immigrants
We get the job done
[Riz MC:]
Ay yo aye immigrants we don't like that
Na they don't play British empire strikes back
They beating us like 808's and high hats
At our own game of invasion, but this ain't Iraq
Who these fugees, what did they do for me
But contribute new dreams
Taxes and tools swagger and food to eat
Cool, they flee war zones, but the problem ain't ours
Even if our bombs landed on them like the Mayflower
Buckingham Palace or Capitol Hill
Blood of my ancestors had that all built
With the ink you print on your dollar bill, oil you spill
Thin red lines on the flag you hoist when you kill
But still we just say "look how far I come"
Hindustan, Pakistan, to London
To a galaxy far from their ignorance
Cause immigrants, we get the job done
[Residente:]
Por tierra o por agua
Identidad falsa
Brincamos muros o flotamos en balsas
La peleamos como Sandino en Nicaragua
Somos como las plantas que crecen sin agua
Sin pasaporte americano
Porque La mitad de gringolandia Es terreno mexicano
Hay que ser bien hijo e puta
Nosotros Les Sembramos el árbol y ellos se comen la fruta
Somos los que cruzaron
Aquí vinimos a buscar el oro que nos robaron
Tenemos mas trucos que la policía secreta
Metimos la casa completa en una maleta
Con un pico, una pala
Y un rastrillo
Te construimos un castillo
Como es que dice el coro cabrón?
[Chorus:]
Immigrants
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Immigrants
We get the job done
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Look how far I come
Immigrants
We get the job done
Not yet
Now, I can say it with my head up high:
"Look how far I come".
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