New Music: Joey Bada$$ feat. ScHoolboy Q - 'Rockabye Baby'
A week before dropping his sophomore album All-Amerikkkan Bada$$, Joey Bada$$ unleashes “Rockabye Baby,” his highly-anticipated collaboration with ScHoolboy Q.
Over hard-hitting drums, Jozif Badmon takes aim at the President once again. “If you ’bout this revolution, please stand up,” he raps. “We ain’t got no one to trust / Time is running up, feel the burn in my gut / And if you got the guts, scream, ‘Fuck Donald Trump!'”
But beyond being critical of Trump, Joey also turns the song into a cry for peace amongst Bloods and Crips. “Peace to my Slimes, and peace to my Crips,” he raps. “Neighborhood police and they always on the shift / Protect my Bloods, look out for my cuz / When it’s all said and done, we be the realest there was.”
Groovy Tony picks up on the song’s politically-charged theme, too. “The murder weapon on me,” he rhymes. “Fuck if this bitch start flamin’ / The cops patrollin’, get that punk ass American flag ceremony / Oh, ah, damn am I going too far?”
Later, he reflects on history to better illustrate his point. “From gettin’ lynched in fields to ownin’ buildings,” he raps. “Getting millions, influencin’ white children / And oddly we still ain’t even / Still a small percentage of blacks that’s eating / Same routines, the same dope fiends / Them nightmare dreams, forever murder season / Bad intentions to them picket fences / They gave us guns but won’t hire us, ni**a? / So we killin’ senseless.”
Additionally, Joey unveiled the official cover art for All-Amerikkkan Bada$$, which features the Pro Era MC, hanging out of a car window, waving two blurred middle fingers in the air.
The paisley print American flag, which is prominently shown on the sleeve, can be seen on the artwork as well. It waves in the air, using the car antenna as a flag pole.
He also gave a sneak peek at the packaging to show what the CD and booklet will look like. Both feature a photo of Joey’s ride in the desert, a theme that appeared in the album trailer and in the video for “Land of the Free.”
Due April 7, All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ features additional appearances from J. Cole (“Legendary”) and Styles P (“Super Predator”).