In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.
Vincent Adejumo’s The Return of Black Nationalism and the Death of White Supremacy is an eye-opening examination of Black Nationalism and its effects on the United States over the years.
In his own words, here is Vincent Adejumo’s Book Notes music playlist for his book The Return of Black Nationalism and the Death of White Supremacy:
When I was first asked to write this, I immediately jumped at the opportunity because my entire life has been one seemingly big musical ensemble. When writing this book in particular, certain songs would either pop up on my playlist or I would intentionally select them just to get through writer’s block. Most of the music is Black-centered as race consumed my consciousness in the writing process. However, there are a few tunes that may not have been intentionally written with a racial angle; however, my interpretation may become such given the beat and/or the period in which it was composed. Either way, the book would not have been possible without the sounds to help power me through, especially in moments where there was doubt.
Stillmatic “(The Intro)”
This song is the perfect introduction to anything in life, whether an album, book, play, movie, or concert. It’s so perfect as an introduction for The Return of Black Nationalism… because Nas paints a picture with his lyrics that infuses the mindset of a range of folk from those who are just curious about the topic to the ardent self-identified Black Nationalists. Pertaining to the book, him talking that talk when the song first comes on by stating “I still run with that, that blood of a slave, boilin’ in my veins It’s just hot, until a – can’t take it no more Blood of a slave, heart of a king” gets me pumped every time to start or restart the writing process. And then when Nas proclaims, “This is my ending and my new beginning, nostalgia Alpha and Omega places, it’s like a glitch in The Matrix” it literally pertains to my real-life situation in the sense that this book signals the end of my career on the academic plantation and being a slave to the wage. But at the same time, it marks the beginning of my career as a published author, full-time entrepreneur, and basically a dude that marches to his own beat without the need to play into plantation politics to survive.
Nina Simone – “Strange Fruit”
I’m not going to lie. The first time I ever heard of this song was through Kanye West’s sample for his song “Blood on the Leaves”. Upon hearing this song, I went back and discovered Billie Holiday’s original rendition. And then I stumbled upon Nina Simone’s version. Ever since then, the song has stayed in my personal rotation. The song was especially instrumental in helping me power through in writing a historical outline of Black Nationalism, particularly in revisiting state-sponsored violence against African Americans. Lyrics such as “Southern trees bearing strange fruit / Blood on the leaves / And blood at the roots / Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze” and “Them big, bulging eyes / And the twisted mouth / Scent of magnolia Clean and fresh / Then, the sudden smell Of burnin’ flesh” cuts deep and further contextualize the various responses by Black Nationalists to said violence.
Marvin Gaye “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”
This song is essential for environmentalists in general. But it especially hits hard for African Americans when Marvin sings “Oh, things ain’t what they used to be, no, no / Where did all the blue skies go? / Poison is the wind that blows from the North and South and East”. When the majority of African Americans lived in a country setting after the Civil War, land was plentiful, food was pure, and hardly any chemicals were in the air. Then industrialization happened, and most African Americans, like most Americans, began to make their way into crowded city centers. This song helped me put this into further context, specifically in the Black Enclaves chapter.
Bananarama “Cruel Summer (Extended Version)”
At first glance, you wouldn’t think this song coincides with a book centrally focused on Black Nationalism. However, this song was also part of my writing playlist due to several metaphorical factors. When I think about the different Black centered uprisings in the 1960’s, I think of them happening in the backdrop of summer. “Hot summer streets and the pavements are burning, I sit around / Trying to smile, but the air is so heavy and dry”. I can just imagine heroes such as John Lewis or Fannie Lou Hamer or all the other freedom fighters of that time, either on the frontlines or the back offices, trying to catch a crack of a smile. The circumstances were seemingly impossible in fighting for the rights of African Americans with dogs, water hoses, boisterous crowds, and laws from every level of government being a hurdle for liberation. So, while the beat of the song is fun, the context of some of the lyrics and the title itself aptly applies as the theme for the protests in the hot summers of the 1960s, which is examined in the book.
Public Enemy ft. Ice Cube & Big Daddy Kane – “Burn Hollywood Burn (Uncut)”
In “Burn Hollywood Burn,” Big Daddy Kane proudly proclaims, “As I walk the streets of Hollywood Boulevard / Thinking how hard it was to those that starred In the movies portraying the roles / Of butlers and maids, slaves and hoes / Many intelligent Black men seemed / To look uncivilized when on the screen / Like, I guess I figure you to play some jigaboo / On the plantation, what else can a nigga do?”. Hearing this not only as a child but also while writing this book gets me pumped and really is the guiding light for my disdain for the ‘Bougie’. In African American vernacular, the term bougie is a euphemism for “Bourgeoisie,” or in other words, a person who thinks and acts like they are better than the rest. This is the common perception of Hollywood itself which makes this song more important to this book. During my time in higher education, I encountered plenty of African American colleagues who thought of themselves as better than the rest. So, when writing about certain characters in the book, I routinely reflected on the word bougie, and in turn, my pen became progressively sharper.
Soul II Soul – “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” (Official Music Video) ft. Caron Wheeler
This song is a lot of fun to listen to. But listening to this song, there is a powerful message. “Back to life, back to reality / Back to the here and now”. That line alone inspired the title of the book, The Return of Black Nationalism. For me, the lyric of “Back to Life” in and of itself symbolizes that there was once death. And in fact, the lead singer for the song, Caron Wheeler, recounted a near-death experience where she was about to die but was sent back to finish her life’s mission. The same concept applies to Black Nationalism. One could argue that its influence died with Malcolm X. However, it is now time to bring it back to life and make it a lived reality for African Americans.
Michael Jackson – “They Don’t Care About Us (Prison Version)” (Official Video)
When people think about Michael Jackson, they automatically default to his infamous “Black or White” song and think that he didn’t believe racism exists. That could not be further from the truth, as Michael Jackson was very pro-Black. I mean, how could he not, growing up in Gary, Indiana, and being raised by Joseph Jackson? His pro-Black views were very pronounced not only in his lyrics but also in his music videos. This was exemplified further in the song and video “They Don’t Care About Us”. In this song, he eloquently pens “Skinhead, dead head, everybody’s gone bad / Trepidation, speculation, everybody, allegation / In the suit, on the news, everybody, dog food / Black male, blackmail, throw the brother in jail… / Tell me, what has become of my rights? / Am I invisible ’cause you ignore me? / Your proclamation promised me free liberty, / Now I’m tired of being the victim of shame”. Riveting lyrics by Jackson and another anthem for returning Black Nationalism to the collective consciousness of the African American.
Tupac Shakur “Where Do We Go From Here (Interlude)”
Tupac Shakur is by far the greatest pro-Black musical artists in Hip Hop history. He routinely called out racism and white supremacy but also held the African American community accountable in his music. Yes, there are contradictions with Tupac the artist, as he himself rapped and espoused anti-Black lyrics. But at the end of the day, he was both an entertainer and, at his core, an activist. This was exemplified in the “Where do we go from here” where he states “See motherfuckers killin’ babies, killin’ mommas / Killin’ kids, puttin’ this in they motherfuckin’ mark / Now what type of mixed up trick would kill the future of our race / Before he would he look his enemy dead in the eye, and open fire?” As I reflected on these lyrics while writing the book, I thought about the dichotomy of Black-on-Black violence as well as the killer of Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman. When George Zimmerman was acquitted on all charges of killing Trayvon, there were Black influencers on social media as well as personalities on traditional outlets who questioned George Zimmerman being alive, but intra-community violence among African Americans being a major issue. In other words, they wondered why it seems quicker for the African American to inflict violence on someone that looks like them rather than the REAL enemy. Tupac questioning who amongst US would kill the future of OUR race cuts deep in this context and inspired some of the conclusions in the book.
Lauryn Hill – “Forgive Them Father”
Lauryn Hill’s album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is by far the greatest musical album by a woman artist in hip hop history. This classic has spun so many pro-Black anthems and samples for decades since its creation in 1998. The song “Forgive Them Father” is especially rife with Black Internationalism themes, which are examined in the “Liberation” chapter of The Return of Black Nationalism… . In “Forgive Them Father,” Lauryn raps “Sick of men trying to pull strings like Geppetto / Why black people always be the ones to settle? / March through these streets like Soweto”. Although Soweto sounds like just a cool name, it is important to note that it is actually a town in South Africa where an uprising by the native Black Khoisan peoples took place during protests against the Apartheid government mandate that a form of Dutch called Afrikaans be used as the standard language in their education system. The protests in Soweto were deadly and would be the impetus for the Apartheid government’s eventual downfall in 1994. It was powerful for Lauryn to intentionally reference this in her music and again was the inspiration for some of the book.
Bone Thugs N Harmony – “Don’t Worry”
Growing up in the 1990s, I was a big fan of Bone Thugs N Harmony. Their style was so different from most artists of their time, from their lyrics to beat selection to cadence on the microphone. The song “Don’t Worry” is on their Resurrection album in reference to their three-year hiatus as a group, which is also another theme for the title of my book. In the song, one of the members, Krayzie Bone raps “We gon’ be strugglin’ forever running forever / The way that I see it won’t get no better / Until armageddon goes down it’s not a legend”. This lyric again strikes hard in the context of my book in that the African American will continue to struggle in comparison to other ethnic groups as America designed it to do so unless there is Armageddon which in this context means revolution. He then raps “it is not a legend” which in this circumstance, legend means folklore, which is often associated with stories from the Bible. Including Death of White Supremacy in the title of the book pays homage to the notion that my argument for killing white supremacy is not folklore but can be a reality with a revolutionary mindset and framework. Black nationalism is that revolution.
Jazmine Sullivan – “Fear”
The song “Fear” by Jazmine Sullivan regularly stayed in my rotation because, as I was writing this book, I had a lot of fear. Fear of losing my career, fear of what critics would say, fear of my and my family’s safety, and fear of destroying my reputation. However, further internal reflection and a general reassessment of my life’s purpose help me overcome these fears. Jazmine Sullivan also has fears that she addressed in the song “I’m scared to try ’cause I’m scared to fail / I’m scared to die ’cause I’m scared of hell / I’m scared to fight ’cause I’m scared to bleed / I’m scared of love ’cause I’m scared he’ll leave / I’m scared to swim ’cause I’m scared to sink / I’m scared to learn ’cause I’m scared of truth”. In contextualizing these lyrics in the book, Jazmine’s fears can be relatable to the African American community. The fear of trying something new or fighting back in the ways in which “they” fight. Or the fear of loving yourself and being unapologetic about it as a community due to fearing what they, as white political leaders or bosses, may say and do based on their own consciousness of how you, as in the African American community, should behave according to their sensibilities.
Jadakiss Feat. Styles P & Eve – “We Gonna Make It (Remix)”
“We Gonna Make It (Remix)” was another anthem in the early 2000’s that made waves during pivotal points of protests within the Black Community. The beat and rugged lyrics kept me going as I wrote the book; the title itself giving me more hope with every pen stroke that someone out there would give the book a try. When Eve rapped, “I’m still as hungry as the day I began,” I felt that in my core because a baby is constantly fed to satisfy their hunger. The same applies for those who hunger for knowledge, and it is my hope that the Return of Black Nationalism and the Death of White Supremacy satisfies that hunger.
Young Jeezy – “Change the World”
By the mid-2000s, Atlanta’s trap music scene, first initiated by the rapper T.I., had become mainstream thanks in part to the rapper Young Jeezy. Young Jeezy’s music remains relevant nearly 20 years after he gained national attention. With the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Jeezy’s music became more politically pronounced, as evidenced by songs such as “My President” and “Trapped”. The song “Change the World” is a continuation of the political themes with a smooth beat but a rugged message. “They take away your freedom, but it’s really business though / Nigga you seen the county jail, business never slow / Last thing you want to see is a judge not a lawyer / One greedy and the other got something for ya’”. This lyric is an indictment on the business of criminal justice and especially as it pertains to African Americans being pipelined to the prison industrial complex. It is also a comment on attorneys, whether they are paid privately or provided by the state, not caring about the well-being of their Black clients that they are paid to defend. So, either way, the defendant rarely gets true justice. This is also examined in the book and provides another angle for my final arguments.
Common – “It’s Your World (Part 1 & 2)”
Common is a rapper that comes from the so-called “Back Packer” generation of artists, which includes Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Rah Digga, and Lauryn Hill. In that sense, Common’s lyrics are subtle but very powerful when reflecting upon Black culture. In “It’s your World” he extolls “We paint pictures of the chains under their names and scriptures / Removed from Earth, only to return through birth”. This line can be interpreted as him referring to freedom fighters who died for the liberation of their people, such as Che Guevara, whom he mentions in the first couple of lines of the song, or Patrice Lumumba. Their spirit returns each time the next generation learns of their heroism. The same concept applies to The Return of Black Nationalism… . I want the book to be the start of a rebirth of a Black Nationalist framework in an effort to kill white supremacy.
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
And finally, Kendrick Lamar himself has experienced a resurgence of his career, thanks in part to his beef with Drake, as well as his unapologetic pro-Black lyrics. “Not Like Us” became such an anthem in 2024 that it propelled Kendrick Lamar to being the headliner of the 2025 Super Bowl with over 125 million people watching globally on various platforms. However, before reaching that point in his career, Kendrick was regarded among hip-hop heads as one of the last Back Pack rappers of his generation. Even though he is not seen as such today, the cleverness in his pro-Black lyrics remains in full display, even on the song “Not Like Us”.
On “Not Like Us” he raps, “Once upon a time, all of us was in chains / Homie still doubled down callin’ us some slaves / Atlanta was the Mecca, buildin’ railroads and trains / Bear with me for a second, let me put y’all on game / The settlers was usin’ townfolk to make ’em richer / Fast-forward, 2024, you got the same agenda”. This line was not only deep in its historical reference to Atlanta being the Mecca of Black culture going back to the era of enslavement, it also dissed Drake for being a culture vulture due to him making references to slavery in prior songs but in sadistic settings, all the while growing up in Canada in a Jewish household. Hence why in part Kendrick Lamar named the song “Not Like Us” and signals that an African American who grew up in the culture would not reference slavery in such a manner, even if it was for entertainment purposes. In that same vein, my book holds accountable not only suspected white supremacists, but also those who may look and sound like Us, but do not function in the best interest of Us.
Dr. Vincent Edward Oluwole Adejumo is currently a Senior Lecturer of African American Studies, affiliate faculty of the Department of Political Science at the University of Florida, and President of the Olu Institute of Learning Inc. In the Summer of 2015, Dr. Adejumo graduated from the University of Florida’s Political Science PhD program majoring in policy and administration.
He currently teaches Introduction to African American Studies, The Wire, Mentoring At-Risk Youth, Black Wall Street, and Black Masculinity. Dr. Adejumo has also published numerous peer-reviewed articles and given presentations in the central Florida community that center on the African American experience in the U.S. and, more specifically, in the South as part of the Florida Humanities Council Speaker’s Bureau.
Due to his continued involvement and reputation for teaching at the University of Florida, Dr. Adejumo was selected as the Professor of the Year by the UF Black Student Union for the 2015-2016 school year. He was also selected as the Professor and Advisor of the Year by the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the 2017-2018 school year.