I love Lupe, I play this album almost daily since I purchased it and "Madonna" is one of my top tracks on the album.

The MAIN reason I love this song is because of how it captures beautifully/sonically/metaphorically this comparison of Black boys/men being killed in the streets by cops/rogues vs the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Black man).

"White (t) on their shoulders" => carrying the cross = masterful.

For this song to have come out basically around the same time of #icantbreathe is what makes this song the score to the craziness we've seen escalate recently.

Everytime I hear "I be just tryna make it" I visualize the faces of the men and women who have been struck down in these national executions. Everytime I hear "they be just tryna break us" I see Zimmerman, Wilson, the Staten Island cop, etc. And when I hear "momma said 'my son never been in no trouble'" I think of Mary holding Jesus with a quick cut to Jordan Davis' mother after her son's killer was put in jail.

This video aint that. I relate to the story. My father battled with drug addiction. And its a nice little dramatically shot narrative, but it doesn't fit the song at all. If this is a play to get White folks to make this song/album digestible then all power to him, cause Lupe has earned any prosperity he gets. But to me it is such a missed opportunity. He literally could have saved this treatment for "Blur My Hands", had a poppy crossover digestible hit for White masses, and had more impact. But "Madonna"? Nah. Didn't feel it and I was disappointed in this.

All due respect to the man tho.

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R.I.P. Soulgyal <3
SUPA NERD LLC.
Knowledge Meets Nature
Musica Negra
#13irteen