Letter to The Free

Social and cultural contexts

1) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

2) What were the Black Codes?

Black codes, sometimes known as black laws, were rules that governed the behaviour and conduct of African-Americans. This was done to limit black freedom and force them to work low-wage occupations.

3) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

The legacy is significant because the American judicial system is still heavily biassed towards black people, including police brutality and lengthy sentences for black individuals in the United States.

4) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

DuVernay learned a lot about prejudice and slavery, which are still relevant today. She explained that she had to make the 13th due to a personal matter.

5) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?

The 1990s were both the golden period of hip hop and the most problematic age of hip hop.

6) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they?

. 50 Cent

. Tupac

. Slick Rick

Media Factsheet #223: Common's Letter to the Free

1) How is Letter to the Free described on the first page and what album is it from? 

Letter to the Free is a political protest song that mixes rap and other musical genres such as gospel to express how America's slave past and the different political laws governments have implemented.

2) How does the factsheet link Common to the mythology of the American Dream?

The American Dream is the idea that everyone, no matter who they are, may be successful. Letter to the Free appears to appreciate this message of promise, but it also recognizes that the route to success for African Americans is far more difficult, due to the practice of colonialism, and that the social institutions in the United States continue to be detrimental to people of colour.

3) How does the factsheet apply Todorov's narrative theory to the song? Does this three-act structure also work for the video?

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene, lighting and cinematography?

The factsheet places the viewers in a perspective to empathise with the people who experienced everything that was depicted.

5) The factsheet offers some interesting ideas regarding representation and the positioning of the artist and musicians in the video. Summarise the main points here.

The first performer we encounter is drumming with his back to us, completely oblivious to the audience behind him. This contradicts the image of the black artist as only a performance.

6) How can Paul Gilroy's ideas on diasporic identity and double-consciousness be applied to the Letter to the Free music video?

This is consistent with Paul Gilroy's thoughts regarding the effects the slave trade has had and continues to have on Western civilization. He contends that the slave trade fundamentally altered the Western civilization, and that creative genius affected music and the arts in a good and distinctive way.

Close-textual analysis of the music video

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience?

Throughout the film, there is slow camera movement, which may help the viewers to feel empathy for all of the Black individuals who are detained and treated cruelly. It might also signify the agonisingly slow progress of Black people's liberation.

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?

The importance of the rolling camera is that it represents the ongoing protests for black people's rights. The cultural movement against the system that restricts change vs. worldwide unity fighting for black people's rights is a recurring trend in society, and the consistency of movement in this film illustrates this thought.

3) Why is the video in black and white?

Perhaps to depict the sentiments of slaves and inmates, as life behind bars was colourless.

4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?

The final picture is taken outside the jail, metaphorically portraying freedom once more. The field is an indexical symbol since the plants resemble cotton plants and relate to familiar slave-era signifiers, despite the fact that they are wild and free. The action is set in the cells, corridors, and gymnasium.
The cells' doors are left open throughout, which provides a feeling of irony because we know they would be shut if anyone were in them. This is one manner in which the video alluded to the concept of liberty.

5) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.

It might be a communal reflection and representation of the black captives and slaves who have experienced and suffered injustice.

6) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? 

The gospel singing of the female musicians glorifies black culture at a time when black culture is being mocked. The image of the dark square in the jail cell represents how uneasy it is for someone to dwell there and how jail life dehumanises inmates.