0 Breakdown: New Slaves and Black Skinheads

In case you missed it, Kanye West recently performed two songs off his new album at SNL.  With how much I love Kanye, I couldn't let two new songs be release without doing a breakdown.  Before I get to the breakdown, I have to say, his idea to premier New Slaves by broadcasting it on buildings across the world was so Big Time.  Who needs the media when you can create your own premier?  Now onto the actual songs.

First, New Slaves...

My momma was raised in an era when clean water was only served to the fairer skin
You know Kanye doesn't care what the public thinks about him when he starts off one of his first singles off his new album with a reference to segregation.¹
You see it's broke nigga racism that's that "Don't touch anything in the store" and this rich nigga racism that's that "Come here, please buy more."
Money changes everything but does it really change anything?
You see it's leaders and there's followers but I'd rather be a prick (dick) than a swallower
For SNL he changed the lyric to prick from dick.  So FCC, prick is okay but dick is too far?  And niggas is okay? Sounds about right.  But this is perfect summary of Kanye by Kanye.  He will always pick being an asshole over doing what people say he should do.
They throwing hate at me want me to stay at ease f*&k you and your corporations y'all niggas can't control me
Corporations run the world but they don't run Kanye.
I'm going Bobby Boucher
Only Kanye would throw in a reference to cinematic feat that is Waterboy after talking about not being able to be controlled.
I know that pussy ain't free 
No one, even Ye, get's pussy for free.
You niggas pussy, ain't me
So all you other rappers who don't actually say what you think, you are the real pussies.
Y'all throwing contracts at me.  You know that niggas can't read.  Throw 'em some Mayback keys"
Exploiting of others, fun times.
F*&k it, c'est la vie
I too like to end conversations about depressing and unchanging subjects with c'est la vie.  For example, when talking about how ridiculously corrupt money has made politics I will end the conversation by saying, "Well money controls everything.  Nothing we can do about it. C'est la vie."
 Y'all niggas can't fuck with Ye  I'll move my family out the country so you can't see what I stay so go grad the reporters so I can smash their recorders
Kanye loves his privacy.³  If I was famous, I'd smash the paparazzi too.  They are horrible human beings profiting on the ridiculous celebrity culture we have.
Like the New World Order Meanwhile the DEA teamed up with CCA they trying lock niggas up they tryna make new slaves see that's that privately owned prisons get your piece today they prolly  all in the Hamptons braggin' 'bout what they made
I love me a good conspiracy theory.  And this is a good one from Kanye.  The CCA is a company that manages more than 60 prisons.  The CCA pays lots of its inmates below minimum wage for many different jobs. The CCA also likes to get contracts that guarantee prison occupancy rates at 90%.  So basically Kanye is saying the drug war is designed to keep the prisons filled with low wage workers.  The Drug War is complete BS.  Waste so much time and money over drugs.  And it does seem really strange to me that the CCA gets contracts guaranteeing prisons will be filled.  Shouldn't we be working to make prisons as empty as possible?  Also, why are prisons ever privately owned?  It makes no sense to me.  So maybe Kanye is onto something, but then again I love me a good conspiracy theory.
F*&k you and your Hampton house I'll f*&k your Hampton spouse came on her Hampton blouse and in her Hampton mouth
Hey all all you rich dudes in the Hamptons, the scary Kanye West is coming for your wives.
Y'all bout to turn shit up I'm 'bout to tear shit down I'm 'bout to air shit out now what the f*&k they gonna say now?
Kanye is going to say things as he sees them and you can't do anything about it.  Yep, that's Kanye for you.

Second, Black Skinhead...⁴
For my theme song my leather black jeans on my by any means on pardon I'm getting my scream on
Leather black jeans seem like an appropriate thing to wear during a theme song.  By the way, thanks for being so courteous about your impending screams that we are going to have to listen to.
They see a black man with a white woman at the top floor they gone come to kill King Kong
A black man couldn't marry a white woman until the 60s in some states in America.
Middle America packed in came to see me in my black skin
I was one of those middle Americans who pay to see his black skin.  His concerts are awesome and are worthy every penny.
My homey was number one draft pick they still burned his jersey in Akron
LeBron James shout out.  If LeBron James hadn't been such a dick about his decision, then I really doubt any of the anger happens.  No one burned anything in Pittsburgh when Barry Bonds left.
Like them black kids in Chiraq bitch
One of the facts that I learned while writing this entry, Chicago is sometimes called Chiraq by black kids in Chicago due to the high murder rate.  Fun times right?
So follow me up cause this shit's about to go down I'm doin' 500, I'm outta control now but there's nowhere to go, no and there's no way to slow down runnin' out of time - moving fast so just close your eyes and then enjoy this crash
Kanye thinks he's hit a creative zone and that you are going to want to come along with him for the ride even including the crash.

So that's the lyrics.  As songs, I like New Slaves better than Black Skinheads. It definitely takes a while to get used to the primal screaming on Black Skinheads.  But a lot of Kanye West songs take multiple listens to really like.  I didn't like 808s and Heartbreaks until after a bunch of listens.  Now I love his auto-tuned break up album.  Overall, both songs are pretty over the top filled with over-the-top and controversial statements and Kanye being Kanye.  But would you expect anything less from Kanye at this point?  I know I don't and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I can't wait for the whole album to see what else Kanye West has in store for us.

¹I know a lot of people hate Kanye.  But there is a lot to appreciate about Kanye as an artist.  He could have easily released album after album that sounded like one of his earlier albums such as Late Registration and he would have been really successful.  However, he doesn't do that because that's not who he is.  He says true to himself regardless of his haters.  You gotta at least respect him for that.  I have a lot more to say about Kanye that I'm going to save for a much longer post.
²L.L. Cool J and that country singer dude would not approve of this song.
³So you ask, why is Kanye with Kim K.?  I have no idea.  It makes no sense.  Kanye loves privacy. Kim has no idea what privacy means.  I guess you really can't pick who you fall in love with.
⁴ I made the breakdown of Black Skinhead shorter because I felt that I had already rambled on way too long. Think of it as an early weekend present to you, my loyal reader.