“Reagan,” Killer Mike
With the single “Reagan,” Killer Mike produced a song that could easily be taught in a political science classroom. So exquisitely executed in an Atlanta southern drawl, he unpacks all of the consequences that the Reagan administration had on Black and Brown people in the 80s.
The lyrics provide context to the drug wars and the war on drugs — linking it to a socio-political dice game gone wrong. The former president’s voice rings through the track with one steady admission: he didn’t know nothing.
The sample has the 40th Executive speech-a-fying, “ Out government has a firm policy not to capitulate to terrorist demands. That no-concessions policy remains in force, in spite of the wildly speculative and false stories about arms for hostages and alleged ransom payments, we did not, repeat, did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will me.”
History books would reveal that “that was a lie.”
In an interview with Spin Magazine, Mike shared, “A lot of people try to peg me as a political rapper and I’m not. I’m a social commentator and at times people have politicized the things I say, but I don’t care too much for any political party.”
He continued, “I care about people. Under Reagan, drugs were allowed to flood our community and wipe out two to three generations of people that could have kept my community growing and I take exception to that.”
I threw a BBQ when Reagan died. It’s not a vehement hate though, I’m not gonna spit on his “grave. I wanted to break down what the Reagan era was really like.”
And in the song, that is most certainly what he did.
“The end of the Reagan Era, I’m like ‘leven, twelve, or … Old enough to understand that shit’d changed forever … They declared the war on drugs, like a war on terror … But what it really did was let the police terrorize whoever … But mostly Black boys, but they would call us “n*ggers” … And lay us on our belly, while they fingers on they triggers … They boots was on our head, they dogs was on our crotches … And they would beat us up if we had diamonds on our watches … And they would take out drugs and money, as they pick our pockets … I guess that that’s the privilege of policin’ for some profits … But thanks to Reaganomics, prison turned to profits … ‘Cause free labor’s the cornerstone of US economics …‘Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison … You think I am bullshittin’, then read the 13th Amendment … Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits … That’s why they givin’ drug offenders time in double digits … Ronald Reagan was a actor, not at all a factor/ Just an employee of the country’s real masters.”
The song was released in 2012, eight years after Reagan died and at dawn of President Obama’s second term. With a different scope he left two jarring thoughts: that the first Black president had the same agenda as one of the most reviled presidents of all times and that he was glad that he did.
