Analysis and Breakdown of Akon's, "GHETTO".
- Yvvana Yeboah Duku
- May 31, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 23, 2020
Produced by: Akon & Benny-D.
Album: “Trouble”
Song
This is a very powerful song, that is structured upon strong issues within minority filled communities. The songs aura goes hand in hand with the title; The original track starts with the muffled sound of a disc entering a CD player, and goes into the beginning of the song where it is just the beat. This puts the listener into an imaginative state, and sets the right tone. The lyrics are thought provoking and very meaningful to the message of the song. They are delivered in a soft, soulful, and mellow tone. The melody of the song is catchy and memorable, and the background vocals are expressive and warm. This also adds to the conscious, distinctive tone of the song. Similar to the muffled sound of the CD player in the beginning, there are various sound effects throughout the song in accompaniance of the lyrics. This contributes to the rawness of the song, and makes everything feel very real. This is the type of song to leave you with goosebumps. A thoughtful piece of art.
Lyrics
The lyrics in this song are very striking, because they touch on such strong issues that are prevalent, but hushed. In “Ghetto", Akon addresses these issues blatantly with his lyrics.
[Intro]
Ghetto, ghetto
Ghetto, ghetto livin'
[Verse 1]
These streets remind me of quicksand
When you're on it, you'll keep goin' down
And there's no one to hold on to
And there's no one to pull you out
You keep on fallin', no one can hear you callin'
So you end up self-destructin'
On the corner with the toolie on the waist line
Just got up out the thing doin' state time
Teeth marks on my back from the K-9
Dark memories of when there was no sunshine
‘Cause they said that I wouldn't make it
I remember like yesterday
Holdin' on to what God gave me
[Hook]
‘Cause that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
And eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto)
Ghetto, that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
And eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto, ghetto)
[Verse 2]
No need to cherish luxuries
‘Cause everything come and go
Even the life that you have is borrowed
‘Cause you're not promised tomorrow
So live your life as if every day is gon' be your last
Once you've moved forward
You can't go back just to remove your past
‘Cause you gotta be willin' to pray
Yes, there gotta be, there gotta be a better way
Yes, you gotta be willin' to pray
‘Cause there gotta be, there gotta be a better day
Whoever said that the struggle would stop today?
A lot a n*ggas dead or locked away
Teenage women growin' up with AIDS
[Hook]
‘Cause that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto)
Ghetto, that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto, ghetto)
[Bridge]
Gunshots every night in the (ghetto)
Crooked cops on sight in the (ghetto)
Everyday is a fight in the (ghetto)
Oh oh oh oh oh (ghetto livin')
Got kids to feed in the (ghetto)
Sellin' coke and weed in the (ghetto)
Everyday somebody bleed in the (ghetto)
Oh oh oh oh oh (ghetto livin')
[Hook]
‘Cause that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto)
Ghetto, that's the life
When you're livin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, eatin' in the (ghetto)
Oh, sleepin' in the (ghetto, ghetto)
I’ve decided to focus on three parts of these lyrics: The beginning of verse one, bits from verse two, and the bridge.
Verse 1:
“ These streets remind me of quicksand
When you're on it, you'll keep goin' down
And there's no one to hold on to
And there's no one to pull you out
You keep on fallin', no one can hear you calling'
So you end up self-destructin' ”
Here, Akon uses quicksand as a metaphor to describe the lives of many people living in the ghetto. Living under poor conditions with few resources and no financial stability, leaves many people feeling trapped in a downward spiral. He also describes the feeling of helplessness within these people when he mentions there being “no one to hold on to, no one to pull you out”. This refers to the grown men and women bearing numerous responsibilities under limiting circumstances. This refers to the youth struggling under inadequate education systems with very few options. This refers to ghetto communities as a whole. Living under such means breeds feelings of despair, depression, and causes many people to feel as though their problems are impossible to escape. This feeling of helplessness leads people into self destructive behaviours, such as self harm, drugs, violence, gang affiliation etc. The risks and consequences of such behaviours are not considered because of the desperate state that these people are in. They adapt to dangerous lifestyles because it feels like that is their only option.
Verse 2:
“Even the life that you have is borrowed
‘Cause you're not promised tomorrow”
In these lyrics, Akon speaks on the constant feeling of living on the edge. With everything that goes on in such communities, death becomes a commonality and this is what brings forth the feeling of uncertainty that is addressed in these lyrics.
“Whoever said that the struggle would stop today?
A lot a n*ggas dead or locked away
Teenage women growin' up with AIDS”
These lyrics struck out to me more than any other part of the song. As I mentioned earlier, the desperation and feeling of helplessness harboured within many of these individuals, forces them into lifestyles that slowly become detrimental.
Many youths end up in the streets, selling drugs, joining gangs, in and out of jails, and often falling right back into the same destructive patterns due to the lack of tools and coaching they receive before being released. People are placed back into a functioning society without knowing how to navigate accordingly, because they’ve lived most of their lives inside a cell. It is almost inevitable that these people will fall right back into the same patterns that got them locked up.
Many young girls grow up with little guidance, no father or poor father figures, low self esteems and nobody to look up to. Some girls grow up with a void as a result of having no real father figure, and attempt to fill this void with abusive relationships. Some girls turn to the sex trade industry to make livings for themselves. Some girls are raped. The education systems do not properly educate the youths on sex and sexually transmitted diseases, so in many communities, HIV and AIDS have become a common occurence. I respect how blatantly this issue is brought up, because it is something that society has turned a blind eye towards.
Bridge:
“Gunshots every night in the (ghetto)
Crooked cops on sight in the (ghetto)
Everyday is a fight in the (ghetto)
Oh oh oh oh oh (ghetto livin')
Got kids to feed in the (ghetto)
Sellin' coke and weed in the (ghetto)
Everyday somebody bleed in the (ghetto)
Oh oh oh oh oh (ghetto livin')”
Finally, in the bridge, Akon describes the harsh realities that are lived in the ghetto. In some neighbourhoods, violence and gun use is a casualty that is witnessed almost daily. For various reasons, communities develop tension and hostility towards the police; One main reason for this hostility, that is pointed out in these lyrics, is the abuse of power and the constant struggle with police brutality. Many of these individuals have lost trust and respect for the policing systems within their communities, hence cops being referred to as "crooked".
These areas often lack peace and unity, because so many people live in frustration and generally do not know how or where to channel their frustration. At that point, it is almost inevitable that these individuals will butt heads. There always seems to be a divide. Mothers and fathers have no other option but to raise their children under inadequate conditions, and financial instability due to the lack of opportunities for work. This leads some fathers, young fathers especially, into lives of selling drugs and other crimes.
Conclusion
All in all, Akon has obtained a substantial amount of respect from me for his choice of words in this song, and creating a piece of art that is able to confront numerous issues head on. As a young woman who has lived and experienced some of the matters addressed in this song, I am glad that artists like Akon have chosen to be the voice for people like me. It is important that awareness is raised towards these issues, because we who live in the midst of them are often silenced or ignored. Artists using their platforms to express and validate a universal struggle, whatever it may be, is an action that is worth being commended for; Because unfortunately, not enough artists do this!
Comments