Liv Dussere 

Maddie Martin 
Jordan McAuliff 
Period 3 
 
Playlist: Chapters 13-16  
(The Rise to Prominence - In and Out of the Nation) 
 
Fight the Power- Public Enemy 
 
Verse 2/3:  
What we need is awareness, we can't get careless 
You say what is this? 
My beloved let's get down to business 
Mental self defensive fitness 
… 
Elvis was a hero to most but he 
Elvis was a hero to most 
Elvis was a hero to most 
But he never meant shit to me you see 
Straight up racist that sucker was 
Simple and plain 
Mother fuck him and John Wayne 
'Cause I'm Black and I'm proud 
I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped 
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps 
Sample a look back you look and find 
Nothing but rednecks for four hundred years if you check 
Don't worry be happy 
Was a number one jam 
Damn if I say it you can slap me right here 
(Get it) let's get this party started right 
Right on, c'mon 
What we got to say (yeah) 
Power to the people no delay 
Make everybody see 
In order to fight the powers that be 
 
Refrain: 
Lemme hear you say 
Fight the power (lemme hear you say) 
Fight the power 
Fight the power 
Fight the power 
Fight the power 
Fight the power 
Fight the power 
We've got to fight the powers that be 
 
“Fight the Power” encapsulates what Malcolm X is preaching to black people 
through the Nation of Islam because it uses a passionate and angry tone to call out 
racism.  
In their song, Public Enemy present a call to action that utilizes funky beats 
to create hype. In chapters 13-16 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Minister X is 
trying to get the attention of black Americans and convert them to his cause by 
fighting back against “the power.” Both the song and the autobiography are calling 
out racists in positions of power, as well as the general powers working against 
them. They are both unafraid to speak their minds and call out racism where they 
see it. Neither X nor Public Enemy shy away from controversial statements; while 
the former describes JFK’s assassination as being like the chickens coming home to 
roost, the latter openly bashes Elvis Presley for appropriating traditionally black 
elements of music.  
They are also both fundamentally calls to action. While X is specifically trying 
to recruit converts to the Nation of Islam, they share the desire to “get down to 
business” and defeat the oppressive power structure. They use bold strokes to get 
their message across. Lyrics like “'cause I'm Black and I'm proud, I'm ready and 
hyped plus I'm amped” draw a direct parallel to the black power movement that X 
was at the forefront of. They emphasize pride in their heritage and are not afraid to 
defend themselves. In addition, the song and chapters call the listener/reader to 
acknowledge the legacy of racism in America. The lyric, “nothing but rednecks for 
four hundred years if you check” connects to X’s arguments about the U.S. being a 
fundamentally racist and oppressive country.  
 
 
Express Yourself- N.W.A. 
 
(Refrain is more of a musical interlude so I didn’t include lyrics) 
 
Verse 1: 
Yo man there's a lot of brothers out there 
Flaking and perpetrating but scared to kick reality 
 
Man, you been doing all this dope producing 
You ain't had a chance to show 'em what time it is 
 
So what you want me to do? 
 
Express yourself! 
 
I'm expressing with my full capabilities 
And now I'm living in correctional facilities 
Cause some don't agree with how I do this 
I get straight and meditate like a Buddhist 
I'm dropping flavor, my behavior is hereditary 
But my technique is very necessary 
Blame it on Ice Cube, because he said it gets funky 
When you got a subject and a predicate 
Add it on a dope beat, and it'll make you think 
Some suckers just tickle me pink, to my stomach 
Cause they don't flow like this one 
You know what? I won't hesitate to diss one 
Or two before I'm through, so don't try to sing this 
Some drop science, while I'm dropping English 
Even if Yella, makes it a-capella 
I still express, yo, I don't smoke weed or sess 
Cause it's known to give a brother brain damage 
And brain damage on the mic don't manage, nothing 
But making a sucker and you equal 
Don't be another sequel (Express yourself!) 
 
This song reflects X calling out racism and his contempt for black people who 
do not call it out.  
He believes that only the Nation of Islam is calling things as they are, while 
black leaders who support integration and other, less drastic actions, are just 
puppets of the white man. N.W.A. are also open about sharing their views, and 
“won't hesitate to diss one” in the process. While N.W.A. use rap to express 
themselves, X uses speeches and interviews to get across his views. Both show their 
opposition to being censored or their voices being filtered. Plus, the song mentions 
‘living in correctional facilities” and then getting “straight and meditat[ing] like a 
Buddhist.” This draws a direct parallel to Malcolm X’s life, where discovered the 
Nation of Islam while he was incarcerated, which led to a complete shift in values.  
 
Instant Karma- John Lennon 
 
Verse 1: 
Instant Karma's gonna get you 
Gonna knock you right on the head 
You better get yourself together 
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead 
What in the world you thinking of 
Laughing in the face of love 
What on earth you tryin' to do 
It's up to you, yeah you 
 
Refrain: 
Well we all shine on 
Like the moon and the stars and the sun 
Yeah we all shine on 
On and on and on on and on 
 
This song relates to this section because it shows how Malcolm and the 
Nation believe that white society is collapsing and Allah is on their side.  
Although the original song preaches more of a message of holistic peace and 
love than Malcolm X really believes in, there are still consistent similarities in the 
content of the lyrics. The concept of “instant karma” relates to the tenent of 
ideology of the Nation of Islam that says that white people will pay for their sins. 
Karma means that white society will fail, and that black people will come out on 
top. The flip side of karma, the positive side, means that separationism is what will 
allow black people to “all shine on.” The song illustrates a utopian place where 
everyone shines “like the moon and the stars and the sun,” utilizing celestial 
imagery to create an uplifting message. At the same time, it’s a wake up call to 
people who don’t believe in loving each other and a warning that they will suffer the 
consequences. 
 
 
I’m America by Cilver 
 
I'm America, drink the water 
I'm America, bring you life 
I'm America, I'm your daughter 
Nobody left behind 
I've been bloodied, I've been muddied 
Brought down to my knees 
I stood in line waiting to shine 
Now is my time 
 
My mother said, that day, to me 
This land is for the free 
And I've been waiting for so long 
No one, no one knows 
Now it's my time 
I won't be left behind 
 
This song relates to the chapters in tone because it is angry and resentful 
while vowing to overcome the oppression that the artist has experienced.  
It was probably written with more of a focus on feminism, but the lyrics have 
a lot of unintended meanings that speak to X’s view and experiences during this 
time period. The Nation stresses that Africa is the original home of humanity and 
believes that white people are an abnormality and offshoot of the original humans, 
which relates to Cilver’s assertion that she brings life to America.  
Cilver also describes feelings similar to X when she describes the American 
promises that have not been true for her, such as freedom and “nobody left 
behind.” She expresses her belief that America is not going to provide her with 
these things and she needs to demand them herself; this is shown in the change in 
lyrics from “nobody left behind” to “I won’t be left behind.” This goes along with the 
Nation beliefs that Black people should not be seeking integration or acceptance 
but strength and independence -- creating their liberation instead of asking for it. 
Cilver’s description of standing in line and the idea that her time is coming 
also parallels the teachings of the Nation of Islam because Elijah Muhammed taught 
that white people were destined to rule for a certain amount of time, but their 
society was doomed to be destroyed and their rule was coming to an end. 
 
 
Stay with You by John Legend 
 
We've been together for a while now 
We're growing stronger everyday now 
It feels so good and there's no doubt 
I will stay with you as each morning brings sunrise 
And the flowers bloom in springtime 
On my love you can rely 
And I'll stay with you 
 
Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs 
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around 
And when the dark clouds arise 
I will stay by your side 
I know we'll be alright 
I will stay with you 
 
This song is a good representation of X’s marriage because it prioritizes 
loyalty and dependability over exciting new love.  
X long believed he would never get married, and he believes that the western 
view of love is unhelpful and destructive. He says that it is primarily lust and not 
real love. In the song, Legend doesn’t write descriptions of what his significant 
other looks like, but rather focuses on the relationship itself and the loyalty he has 
in it. This is similar to how Malcolm sees marriage as primarily a functional thing. 
Furthermore, the song portrays love as an active rather than passive thing. 
Instead of talking about “falling” the focus is on “growing stronger.” Love is 
something that must be worked on instead of just happening. This relates to X’s 
beliefs because he feels that false expectations of fairytale marriages are ruining 
them. It is only after being married for a long time that he says he loves his wife, 
similar to how Legend says he and his partner are still growing stronger after being 
together for a long time 
 
 
“You’re Somebody Else”- flora cash 
 
Well you look like yourself 
But you're somebody else 
Only it ain't on the surface 
Well you talk like yourself 
No, I hear someone else though 
Now you're making me nervous 
 
You were the better part 
Of every bit of beating heart that I had 
Whatever I had 
I finally sat alone 
Pitch black flesh and bone 
Couldn't believe that you were gone 
 
This song focuses on the more emotional and vulnerable part of Malcolm X’s 
history with the Nation of Islam. It represents the themes of betrayal and 
heartbreak found at the end of chapter 16. The lyrics that are part of the chorus 
“you look like yourself but you’re somebody else only it ain’t on the surface” 
encapsulate Malcolm’s relationship with Elijah Muhammad after he discovered how 
he broke the Islamic doctrine of staying celebate, and when Muhammad silenced 
him for being too outspoken in the press. Elijah had been a holy and devout, almost 
fatherly, figure for Malcolm for years. He helped him through his time in prison and 
gave him purpose when he got out. This is shown in the lyrics “you were the better 
part of every bit of beating heart that I had, whatever I had”. Malcolm was so 
devoted to Elijah that when he realized he wasn’t the honorable Elijah Muhammad 
he had known, but somebody else, it was difficult to believe.