I'm Not Racist
| "I'm Not Racist" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Joyner Lucas | ||||
| Released | November 28, 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 6:48[2] | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Joyner Lucas singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I'm Not Racist" on YouTube | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"I'm Not Racist" | ||||
"I'm Not Racist" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Joyner Lucas, released on November 28, 2017, by Atlantic Records. It features a heated discussion about race and society from the perspective of a white man and a black man. Lucas has said that the song's lyrics represent the uncomfortable race talk that people shy away from.[5]
Composition
The track features Lucas rapping from a white man's point of view in the first verse, then rapping from a black man's point of view in the second verse, a
Music video
The song was first released as a music video on Lucas' YouTube channel and has since garnered over 151 million views. It was directed by Lucas and Ben Proulx.[7]
The video starts off with a white man wearing a
The black man then gives his own unfiltered point of view, synced to Lucas' second verse (Lucas does not physically appear in the video), countering the white man's stereotypes and critiquing the
Following the argument, the two men embrace each other, having heard each other's point of view and desiring to reconcile despite their differences.
Critical reception
The video for "I'm Not Racist" went viral within a few days of release.[8] It has been characterized as "polarizing". Some critics have called the video necessary to spark conversation about race by tying in both extremes of the debate, while others criticized it as "clichéd" and "cheesy", and that it oversimplified the race debate by reinforcing stereotypes.[9]
On December 7, 2018, the video was nominated for the
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ "Joyner Lucas releases "I'm Not Racist," a powerful visual exploring race relations". Revolt Media & TV. November 28, 2017. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ "I'm Not Racist / Joyner Lucas". Tidal. Retrieved August 6, 2018..
- ^ "I'm Not Racist". BMI Repertoire. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/BqtAirFh4Rp/ [dead link]
- ^ Criss, Doug (29 November 2017). "'I'm Not Racist' is the brutal race conversation nobody wants to have". CNN. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
- ^ Guan, Frank (December 4, 2017). "Joyner Lucas's Viral Hit 'I'm Not Racist' Is Exhausting". Vulture. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ Joyner Lucas (November 28, 2017). I'm Not Racist. YouTube.
- ^ Young, Damon (November 30, 2017). "The Problem(s) With Joyner Lucas' 'I'm Not Racist,' Explained". Very Smart Brothas. The Root. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ Roisin O'Connor (December 4, 2017). "Joyner Lucas video for 'I'm Not Racist' divides opinion: 'Is this the fifth time racism is over?'". The Independent. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ Joe Lynch (December 7, 2018). "Grammys 2019 Nominees: The Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ "American single certifications – Joyner Lucas – I'm Not Racist". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
