Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Fuck Yer Money’ By Javid Music Party
The post was originally published at Ongoing History Of Protest Music.
When speaking out against injustices, sometimes the most appropriate response is to raise your voice and say, “fuck you.” Examples in protest music include Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing in the Name” (“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me), N.W.A’s “Fuck Tha Police” and YG’s “Fuck Donald Trump.”
Javid Music Party, an independent Chicago and Los Angeles-based artist and activist follows a similar tact with his latest tune, “Fuck Yer Money.” The song and accompanying video are an indictment of political and corporate greed.
The only lyrics are “fuck yer money,” “you can keep it,” and “keep it all to yourself.” It is a clear rejection of a status quo created by the almighty dollar.
The music video is a powerful work of protest art. It starts with Javid addressing Donald Trump and his administration. It goes on to state why he doesn’t support the current administration, including the fact that they don’t care about women, minorities, and the planet.
Javid also writes on the window about his life principle of living by ultimate forgiveness and unconditional love. He extends those principles to the corrupt individuals that he previously addressed. He refers to them as lost brothers, holding out hope that one day their missing humanity could be rediscovered.
Toward the end of the video, he expresses how he prays for the healing of their closed minds and hurting hearts. It is the rare blend of indignation and optimism.
On the YouTube page, it states that the video cost only one dollar to make. That dollar bill figures prominently into the visuals, which leads to some fitting symbolism.
Javid wears a Public Enemy T-shirt in the video, and he flashes the logo of the socially conscious rap group on the screen.
Even though the music may not exhibit the same level of aggression, the intent of the message is the same. Just like his musical heroes, Javid fights the power through his music and art.