Media Device #1

JAY-Z LYRICS

"99 Problems"

If your having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one

[Verse One]
I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol
Foes that wanna make sure my casket's closed
Rap critics that say he's "Money Cash Hoes"
I'm from the hood stupid what type of facts are those
If you grew up with holes in your zapitos
You'd celebrate the minute you was having doe
I'm like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward
Got beef with radio if I don't play they show
They don't play my hits well I don't give a shit SO
Rap mags try and use my black ass
So advertisers can give em more cash for ads...fuckers
I don't know what you take me as
or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has
I'm from rags to ritches nigga I ain't dumb
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

[Chorus]
99 Problems but a bitch ain't one
If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

[Verse Two]
The year is '94 and in my trunk is raw
In my rear view mirror is the mother fucking law
I got two choices yall pull over the car or
bounce on the double put the pedal to the floor
Now I ain't trying to see no highway chase with jake
Plus I got a few dollars I can fight the case
So I...pull over to the side of the road
And I heard "Son do you know why I'm stopping you for?"
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo?
"Well you was doing fifty five in a fifty four"
"License and registration and step out of the car"
"Are you carrying a weapon on you I know alot of you are"
I ain't stepping out of shit all my papers legit
"Do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so is the trunk and the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrent for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack are some type of lawyer or something?"
"Or somebody important or something?"
Nah I ain't pass the bar but I know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
"Well see how smart you are when the K-9's come"
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

[Chorus X2]

[Verse Three]
Now once upon a time not too long ago
A nigga like myself had to strong arm a hoe
This is not a hoe in the sense of having a pussy
But a pussy having no God Damn sense, try and push me
I tried to ignore him and talk to the Lord
Pray for him, cause some fools just love to perform
You know the type loud as a motor bike
But wouldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight
The only thing that's gonna happen is i'mma get to clapping
He and his boys gon' be yapping to the captain
And there I go trapped in the kit kat again
Back through the system with the riff raff again
Fiends on the floor scratching again
Paparazzi's with they cameras snapping them
D.A. tred to give the nigga the shaft again
Half-a-mil for bail cause I'm African
All because this fool was horrasin them
Trying to play the boy like hes saccarin
But ain't nothing sweet 'bout how I hold my gun
I got 99 problems but being a bitch ain't one
Hit me

[Chorus X3]

You're crazy for this one Rick
It's your boy


[Thanks to MrFisk731@webtv.net for these lyrics]
[Thanks to raiders_playa@hotmail.com, one_lpfreak22@yahoo.combwaldorf@constancebillard.com, one_lpfreak22@yahoo.com, codyjones1212@hotmail.com for correcting these lyrics]

[ www.azlyrics.com ]


For my first media device I chose the lyrics to Jay-Z's song 99 problems. The song is about a young male who gets pulled over, everything seems to be going wrong except for with the ladies. The one line states that he’s being pulled over because he's young and black, and all young black males have drugs on them. He alludes to being educated and that he knows his rights, but the cop comes back and says that the k-9 is coming.
This could be related to the constant stereotypes of African Americans in the United States. The pictures we looked at that talked about the stereotype of the Cleveland Indians and how other people make stereotypes against other cultures. I think some of the general stereotypes consist of, being violent, drug users, and overall "gangsters". Whether right or wrong, people out there believe that all people of African American race are like this, and common sense tells you that there are always exceptions; this song portrays the life and hardships of a young African American teen, in a society dominated by white men in the higher authoritarian positions. I think that this is a perfect example of a common stereotype that young African American kids deal with probably more frequently than they should. Just like those pictures of the different faces the Indian portrayed.
Are the lyrics in this song accurate to some of today's authority personnel? Some would argue yes, however without actually experiencing it most people have no say. Most of the people defending the higher authority would claim that more times than not the authority figures are correct, statistics have shown that minorities have a higher crime rate than whites. However we cannot prove that that's why they are accused of crime more often than not. I think some people have a bad experience with someone of a different race or culturally different and they set those stereotypes that ALL people of that race are like that. However, most people know that this is not the case, whether they acknowledge this reality or not, we as a society cannot change. Its like the rule we all learned as a kid, one person can ruin it for everyone. Even though this may not be fair, or true, subconsciously that person will always remember that bad experience and correlate that to EVERYONE. The only possible way to reverse this effect is to educate people on different cultures.