On a collaborative album titled “Interesting Flavours” many promising African artist come together to assemble a musical work of art. One group on the album is the female rap trio Godessa, which is formed by Eloise “EJ von LYRIK” Jones, Bernadette “Burni” Amansure, and Shameema “Shame” Williams. Their track on the album is entitled “Social Ills” and speaks upon a lot of crucial subject matters.
In “Social Ills” Godessa talks about all the problem and issues society has that make people clones and not individuals. These issues are coming from the media and commercials showing what is hip or not. An issue that they talk about is the materialistic society we live in. People want to buy the newest Nikes, Levis, etc. They also touch on society’s beauties standards for people. One of the standards they talk about is one that seems to be universal amongst colored races, which is the thought that lighter skinned people are better looking. All the issues that they talk about basically sum up to the lack of originality amongst people and how they want to be like everyone else from the clothes they wear to the way they want to physically look.
These issues that a Godessa talk about weren’t given without a solution. They say these issues can be fixed with self-awareness. They express that self-awareness and knowing who you are can give you the key of originality. Finally, through originality people can change society so they can stop being clones of each other and be individuals.
I believe this song is universal and can be related to what is going on today amongst everyone. It is not just relative to black people, but to people of all races. I give this song two thumbs up and for it to have been Godessa’s first single it was great and pleasing.
“Social Ills” x Godessa Lyrics
[Chorus: Godessa]
So many social ills, society breeds
It’s like sobriety kills the reality that feeds
Off the air that we breathe there is no need to decieve
Through the eye of the beholder, I can see
[Verse: Shame]
Is it your Nike sneakers or Filas that breaches
The code of conduct that features in stores
Collecting salaries like whores on low calories
Both trying to marry me with fashionable jeans
So expensive can’t tear the seam apart
From the need to laugh at a gifted form of art
Switch the norm from light to dark
Don’t you know that Adam and Eve draped leaves right from the start
It’s hard to understand why you don’t wear what you like
You wear what you think that they think is tight
And I don’t think it’s right
To find replicas of Jennifer’s all over the world
Every boy and girl as fake as extentions or curls
Those keeping it real and those chilling of coz
Keep flossing that s*** to spinning these words
Coz popular culture’s a b***h is what I heard
[Verse: EJ]
Right if I’m different never judge me by your book
See what I wear and how I look, might leave the in crowd shook
Like the fingerprints of a crook (crook)
You can immediatley make that distinction by just one look
It’s like society conditions you to be a clone
And when your seeds grow up they lack a mind of their own
And the media perpetuates the situation
With advertising rituals as the exclamation
[Repeat Chorus 2x: Godessa]
[Interlude: Godessa]
Eye of the beholder… so many social ills (social ills)
[Verse: Burni]
It’s the possible critcal multi cutural particles
Phsyological visuals the typical individual
Don’t wanna bordem with oricals, wanna stick up their nostrils
Guillible one syllable mediocre individuals
If you don’t fit the conventional essential
Editorial like cartoon pictorials
Individual development ain’t affortable so this is in memorial
Of people with hair in all the wrong follicles
Probable cause as society flaws caught in the claws
Can’t be original of course
I got a divorce from Levi’s jaws and musical whores
Media is the source when it comes to mental source
And public applause
Knowledge of self is personal wealth we need to question ourselves
And kick pink panther mickey mouse snouts with big mouths
Below their motherf***ing belts (that’s what I’m saying!)
[Verse: EJ]
Deviation from the norm
Is similar navigation in the storm
This mainstream slave ship is sailing and before long
You will mourn when your individuality is gone
So caught up in material bulls***
That the thought of being real seems putred
Whatever else you hear seems to be muted or strange
Coz imitations the epitome’ of fear for change
[Repeat Chorus 2x: Godessa]