Post #4: Strange but Important Fruit
The starting track of EVE by Rapsody, “Nina,” uses a sample of “Strange Fruit,” a song originally written by Abel Meeropol in 1937. This song was made popular when Billie Holiday sang it and released the song in 1954. However the sample that Rapsody uses is a version of the song sung by Nina Simone, hence the title of the track. This song sings about “strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees,” a very common and fast growing type of tree in the southern region of the United States. The strange fruit Simone sings of is not fruit at all, but the bodies of black people who have been lynched in the south, and whose bodies now hang on the branches of the tree like fruit. The fruit is described in the song as having “the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,” and later the fruit is described to smell like “burning flesh.” This extended metaphor throughout the song brings up the issues of continued racism and segregation in the United States, even after slavery was delcared illegal.
I think this sample is perfect for this song, because it introduces a main concept of the album, the racism still faced by black people in America, even decades after it was made illegal. Rapsody talks about the obstacles she has to overcome in order to succeed in the music industry as a black female, because many people still have racist ideologies and racist mindsets even in 2019. Her songs make me reflect on my own internal racial biases and preconceived notions, as well as bringing up important historical people in black history that often get overlooked such as Emmett Till, Henry Louis Gates, and Roberta Flack. She talks about the black struggle as a whole, and the sample of “Strange Fruit” used in “Nina” gives her argument more depth and weight.
Upon hearing “Nina” by Rapsody, I also immediately recognized the sample of “Strange Fruit,” not because of Nina Simone or Billie Holiday, but because of Kanye West’s song “Blood on the Leaves.” West’s 2013 song opens up with the iconic line “Strange fruit, hanging, from the poplar trees,” also sung by Nina Simone. In West’s song, he talks about the struggles of fame in creating lasting relationships and racial injustices he faces while being a prominent black figure in the music industry, while also drawing comparisons in his rap to the past lynching of black Americans in the 19th and 20th century. The way West uses the sample of “Strange Fruit” to signal racial injustice and everlasting biases is similar to the way Rapsody uses “Strange Fruit” to highlight the continuous prejudice and challenges she faces while being a black woman.
As a white woman, I am not experiencing the challenges and obstacles faced by West, Rapsody, Simone, or any member of the black community. But throughout these songs, I am shown the impact of historical events, and the domino effect that has led to continuous racism in the United States still today. The sample of “Strange Fruit” in both of these songs creates a haunting image in my mind when I listen, which reminds me of the hardships their community has faced and continues to face. This imagery allows for the song to bear more meaning and create more of an impact on listeners like me, as well as grab our attention. It’s not everyday that we are approached with this evocative imagery in lyrics, so by using this sample audiences are compelled to listen and acknowledge the points being made in the song.
