Joey BadA$$ serves up his newest track “Land of the Free,” taken from his upcoming album AABA. The song’s arrival comes on Joey’s 22nd birthday and coincides with the anniversary of his debut album’s release but there’s no hints of celebration in its tone. Instead, it’s a look at our sobering reality as a country as we embark on a changing of the guard today as well.
The Pro Era artist wastes no time getting to the heart of the matter on the track, co-produced by Kirk Knight and 1-900. BadA$$ opens the song with words that hit like a splash of cold water to the face as he lays out where he sees his place in society as a young black man. With so many forces tugging at him, his words feel like ones he had to share, otherwise they well up and cause him to erupt.
“Sometimes I speak and I feel like it ain’t my words
Like I’m just a vessel channeling inside of this universe
I feel my ancestors arrested inside of me
It’s like they want me to shoot my chance and change society
But how do I go about it? Tell me where I start?
My destiny rerouted when I chose to follow heart
You told to follow suit, but tell me what it do for you?
Except weigh you down, now you trapped inside the cubicle”
AABA still doesn’t have a release date, but it’s expected to release soon. If Joey stays on this path, however long it takes should be worth the wait.
Stream the song below on SoundCloud and purchase on iTunes and other digital retailers.
