Joey Badass – ‘Like Me’ Video Is Vivid Hip Hop-Based Social Commentary

Joey Badass attended Brooklyn’s Edward R. Murrow High School for its theater program, so had his music career not taken off, the young upstart might be on television or on the silver screen right now, acting his ass off or perhaps even directing. Yet, Joey opted to concentrate solely on creating music and when you look at the breadth of material he has dropped over the past few years, you have to admit that this charismatic 20 year old leader of the Pro Era collective is on an impressive run with no end in sight.

Thinking back to when I saw Joey Badass perform for the first time on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2012, I was somewhat surprised. Not because anything crazy happened, but I was just sitting there. thinking to myself,  how did this young cat with one mixtape, who isn’t even signed, get to score a gig on the famed Tonight Show with an audience of millions. You have to be something special, and indeed, Joey was special that night as a rookie in one of the biggest major league games of his life. A Tonight Show appearance doesn’t just fall into your lap, you know.

Now in 2015, only a week before Joey’s major label debut B4.DA.$$ hit stores, we were once again treated to another live performance by Joey on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, this time performing “Like Me.” Joey’s moving performance, complete with background vocals by BJ The Chicago Kid, Statik Selektah on the cuts, and The Roots providing live instrumentation, proved that Joey Badass can hold his own with any of the guest performers that have ever graced the late night show’s stage.

Joey Badass has been able to sustain his reputation for churning out quality music videos for his singles that feel more like mini-movies than promotional vehicles. Joey Badass doesn’t just throw videos together, he clearly has some directorial input in them, and makes sure these visuals stand up to a higher cinematic standard, while maintaining the song’s message at the same time.

Music videos that are able to entertain, stimulate, and in some cases educate will always resonate with those looking for something more than jiggly model types that adorn many rap videos, but sometimes videos exploring real topics like police brutality often force the message, without allowing the viewer to absorb the message organically.

With the video for “Like Me,” Joey explores the reality of living as a black man in America, but doesn’t get carried away with being too overtly political.  “Like Me”  is not a full on indictment of police, but we are asked to look at their behavior. In one scene, we see an armed black man, wilding out, giving cops no choice but to shoot, but then we see the horrible alternate side of the coin when Joey is shot in the back for no reason other than being black, echoing the shoot first, ask questions later mantra that is seemingly so pervasive in police departments across the United States.

Directed by Nathan R. Smith and Joey Badass, “Like Me” is letting you know that all the Michael Browns, all the Trayvon Martins, and all the black victims of senseless violence are just like him. Joey Badass could all-too-easily be dead now, simply because he was born black. Sometimes in this country, being born black is equivalent to being born with a “Scarlet Letter” on your chest. You are always on guard and prepared for the worst. It shouldn’t have to be this way, but for many, sadly, it is. We shouldn’t have to be watching videos like “Like Me” to get it or to view commentary on the distressing situations that exist in this country, but these narratives need to be told and it is all-too often overlooked when done in hip hop.

The smoothed out beats provided by the late J. Dilla give this track a certain kind of intimacy that allows you to be swept in, and the video provides a true platform for Joey, allowing him to deliver a convincing and natural performance that never feels forced.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr_Gzz6ZRaE]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpJP8Dfc5EA]