Rap music often serves as a powerful platform for artists to narrate their personal stories and shed light on societal issues, including the realities of immigrant life. Songs from the genre have authentically captured the struggles, triumphs, and complexities faced by those who have either travelled to new countries as a youth or were born as first-generation citizens. From simple references to detailed accounts, passages from such tracks addressed identity, resilience, discrimination, and -- for those living in the United States -- the pursuit of the American dream.
One notable example is "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done),” K'naan’s contribution to The Hamilton Mixtape with help from Residente, Riz Ahmed, and Snow Tha Product. Inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's acclaimed musical of the same name, this song featured verses that eloquently portrayed the challenges faced by nonnatives. It also emphasized their contributions to society and determination to succeed against all odds.
Another track, Immortal Technique's "Últimas Palabras," was a recorded speech that addressed a variety of topics in sobering fashion. In regard to immigration, the Lima, Peru-born emcee blasted the U.S. powers that be about its policies and what he feels will be the consequences of the government's actions.
REVOLT compiled 15 selections that serve as poignant reminders of the immigrant experience by offering listeners a glimpse into the resilience, cultural richness, and challenges faced by individuals striving to build a new life in a foreign land. Check them out below.
1. Wyclef Jean: “When I landed in America, I got myself a green card, mama say, ‘If I ever break the law, they gon' send me back home...’”
Sometime after his short-lived bid for Haiti’s presidential seat, Wyclef Jean released a six-song EP as an audio reflection of his political aspirations. One track from that project, “Haitian Experience,” was a vivid account of how the Fugees star and his family migrated from the Caribbean island to America in hopes of a better life.
2. Belly: “There's nothin' more priceless than bein' free, immigrant, that's why they hate me just for bein' me...”
Taken from his album of the same name, Belly’s “Immigrant” is one of many songs from the Palestinian-Canadian that directly addressed his family’s migration to a new place in order to escape turmoil and struggle. Featured artists Meek Mill and M.I.A. also added to the song’s message with powerful contributions of their own.
3. K'naan: “I got one job, two jobs, three when I need them, I got five roommates in this one studio, but I never really see them, and we all came to America trying to get a lap dance from Lady Freedom...”
The track, "Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)" was taken from the Lin-Manuel Miranda-curated The Hamilton Mixtape and featured appearances from K'naan, Residente, Riz MC, and Snow Tha Product, all of whom have immigrant backgrounds. The song echoed the theme from the Hamilton musical's "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)." Incorporating samples from "Yorktown" throughout, the collaboration underscored the message of immigrant perseverance and achievement in the face of challenges.
4. Pitbull: “First we shined the shoes, then we own the shoe shop, first we make the sandwich, then we own the restaurants, first we clean the house, then we own every house on the block, not bad for some immigrants...”
Over time, Pitbull has grown from his street rap origins into a megastar that utilizes a mash-up of musical styles to create his string of hits. On the largely pop-oriented Climate Change, he jumped on Ape Drums’ genre-bending production for the closing cut “Can’t Have,” which was largely centered around the illusory “grass looks greener on the other side” idea. The song’s closing verse spoke to his family’s success with moving from Cuba to Miami, Florida.
5. M.I.A.: “They don't want no godd**n foreigners! Say, ‘Hey, you, you wanna marry us?’”
For their fifth studio LP, NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley’s N.E.R.D. teamed up with Kendrick Lamar, M.I.A., and an uncredited ASAP Rocky for “Kites,” a loose reference to the artists' rejection of borders. Notably, M.I.A.’s own “Borders” single more specifically addressed barriers between nations – a notion that’s proved detrimental to migrants in search of a better life.
6. French Montana: “You gon' make it if you're chosen, it's the only way, young Moroccan immigrant made it in the U.S.A...”
While not as prevalent in his music, French Montana has been open about his North African background and the struggles that he and his family endured upon moving to New York City. On the above Mac & Cheese 5 standout, he lets it be known that he’s proud of his journey to becoming an American citizen.
7. Cashh: “Trust me, you don't know the rage, beggin' for a visa but they treat you in the coldest way, if you can't relate, we didn't grow the same...”
Longtime British rap frontrunner Cashh – formerly known as Cashtastic – abruptly found himself deported back to Jamaica as part of the U.K. government's controversial Windrush scandal. Long after the worst of his situation was over, Cashh told the entire story to VladTV. He also addressed the turbulent chapter on his well-received body of work, Return of the Immigrant.
8. Immortal Technique: “We talk about immigration in this country. Might doesn’t make right, ladies and gentleman; it just makes right now...”
As an interlude of sorts, “Últimas Palabras” (or “Last Words” in Spanish) served as the penultimate track for Immortal Technique’s The Martyr, a project that took aim at the political system, corrupt corporations, and the social divide. For the above offering, the Peruvian-American talent – or a persona he portrayed – delivered an increasingly scathing speech to a crowd about America and its many issues before his apparent assassination.
9. Tinie Tempah: “Kofi, tell the UN we need an immigrant mob full of Blacks, full of Irish, full of women and dogs...”
The above line was pulled from “A Heart Can Save The World,” an Emeli Sandé-assisted effort from Tinie Tempah’s Demonstration album. On the Craze & Hoax, Mojam, and Naughty Boy-produced offering, Tinie referred to a speech from United Nations ex-Secretary General Kofi Annan, who provided his feelings on immigration in Europe.
10. 21 Savage: “Been through some things, but I couldn't imagine my kids stuck at the border...”
In these lines, 21 Savage critiqued the immigration policies of the United States, particularly at its border with Mexico – a huge national issue at the time of the song's release. These lyrics gained added significance following the “a lot” star’s arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which revealed the Atlanta-raised rapper’s British background. His legal team suggested that the above words may have contributed to ICE's specific targeting of him, a claim 21 himself emphasized after his release.
11. Kelechief: “I was too Black for the white kids, too African for the Black, too American for my parents’ friends, so what was I to do with that?”
Kelechief’s "Immigrant Son” (or “Immigrant Song,” depending on the platform) featured assists from Ikey, Phay, and Ezzie and was taken from Before The Quarter. Kelechief rapped about how, despite living in the States, he identified strongly with his Nigerian roots as an immigrant. He was also candid about his youth experiences and how he didn’t have a sense of belonging due to cultural differences.
12. Common: “Close my eyes, imagine a place next to me, where I no longer can be labeled a refugee...”
For many, having to escape war, poverty, and instability is a major part of their migration to a better home. For World Refugee Day, Keyon Harrold, Andrea Pizziconi, and Jasson Harrold connected with Gregory Porter and Common for the poignant track “Running,” which was released for charity and specifically addressed the civil unrest taking place in Syria.
13. Akala: “Yeah, they say that you’re British and that lovely patriotism they feed ya', but in reality, you have more in common with immigrants than with your leaders...”
As a rapper, journalist, author, activist, and poet, Akala has long been considered a Hip Hop and community legend in London and the U.K. as a whole. For his first of many visits to Charlie Sloth’s “Fire In The Booth” series, the Kentish Town talent let off a flurry of bars about war, racism, the prison system, and – of course – the views and treatment of the migrant population in his hometown.
14. Jin: “Take you back to my pops and mom's grind, they both immigrated to this country as teenagers, you know, typical American dream chasers...”
Taken from I Promise, “Chinese Food” was Jin’s heartfelt tribute to his late grandfather. He also used the track to explain how his parents decided to move to America – specifically, New York City – and open a restaurant business, as well as what his family and friends taught him during his upbringing in the Big Apple.
15. Afrikan Boy: “One day I came to England without a real passport, I got past immigration without getting caught, now I'm in England, I must go secondary school, I am 19, but I lied and said I am 14...”
Early in his career, Afrikan Boy unveiled the humorous “One Day I Went To Lidl,” which told an honest account of when the Nigerian-British star attempted to shoplift from a couple of supermarkets. The final verse turned into a larger story about how he entered into the United Kingdom illegally and lied about his age in order to enroll in grade school. As the last line revealed, things apparently took a turn for the worse.