Just two days after J. Cole drops “Snow On Tha Bluff” which allegedly referenced Noname and her involvement in the social-cultural matters in the USA, she drops a brand new song, titled “Song 33.” The song is an alleged response to J. Cole’s track. The song talks about her role in raising voice against social injustice.
Noname has been very active on social media vocalizing her thoughts on the socio-cultural and racial issues ongoing and even heightening in the United States of America. She also took a major role in protests against the murder of George Floyd by Minnesota policemen.
“Song 33” is part of Noname’s second studio album ‘Factory Baby’ due to release in 2020.
Listen to “Song 33” by Noname
Meaning of “Song 33” by Noname
In the first verse of the song, Noname talks about her appreciation for the Black community and culture: she even dreams black! She also references Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau, who was found dead on June 13, 2020, a week after she went missing. The death ties in after her Toyin confessed her sexual assault on June 6, 2020.
The chorus of the song also references to the death of Toyin, and how likely these are to recur.
In the second verse, Noname seemingly directs her speech towards J. Cole. She says that there are people, idolized by millions around the world, keep their mouths shut and keep themselves in their studio basements when it is time to raise their voices against social injustice. Although J. Cole did not attack Noname in “Snow On Tha Bluff,” Noname seems to be agitated by the fact that he only decided to raise his voice now, and even doing so, he mostly managed to reference Noname in the song. Noname asks him ‘did it take George Floyd laying on the street begging for his mother, drawing his last breath, and protests against his death to engulf the streets of USA in violence and terror, for J. Cole to finally write a song??!!
The third verse of “Song 33” is a call for action. The New World Order or the New Vanguard, she calls it. A new order where people takes the power to their hands as the people who are entrusted with power to protect and serve, are continuously failing to do so. And withthe little power these crooks are given, they abuse it and terrorise humanity!
Despite J. Cole being “indirectly” called out on this track, J. Cole himself retweeted the song to his fans.
Let us hear what you think about this song and what it means to you. Leave a comment below and check out the full lyrics on Genius.