Mickey Factz Uses Questionable MLK Sample on “Get By” (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 09/21/10 | Filed under Downloads, Redman

I always find it hilarious when rappers win an award, walk up to the mic and say something like, "First and foremost, I have to give it up to God for making my single 'Shake It You Big Booty Ho' such a success. Jesus, in you all things are possible." Now I'm not a religious man, but I'm pretty sure Jesus wouldn't exactly be too happy to watch you pour champagne over a bikini-clad model's vaginal area.

I was reminded about of that strangely ironic situation listening to Mickey Factz' new record "Get By", a track produced by RefinedHype favorite Big K.R.I.T. and built around a Martin Luther King speech sample. Sure the sample sounds kind of dope in the context of the song, but do a little research and you'll discover that it's from MLK's "Rediscovering Lost Values" speech, in which he essentially says the things Mickey raps about - the pursuit of personal success and material gain - are destroying both America and our souls.

Factz: "Oh, I did a commercial and I'm a sellout? I went and worked with Honda, now I'm shut out?"

Martin Luther King (From "Rediscovering Lost Values": "We just became so involved in getting our big bank accounts that we unconsciously forgot about God—we didn’t mean to do it. We became so involved in getting our nice luxurious cars, and they’re very nice, but we became so involved in it that it became much more convenient to ride out to the beach on Sunday afternoon than to come to church that morning. (Yes) It was an unconscious thing—we didn’t mean to do it.."

Factz: "My eyes on the prize. I see what I want, now it's time to get mine."

Martin Luther King (From "Rediscovering Lost Values": The other thing is that we have adopted a sort of a pragmatic test for right and wrong—whatever works is right. (Yes) If it works, it’s all right. Nothing is wrong but that which does not work. If you don’t get caught, it’s right. [laughter] That’s the attitude, isn’t it? It’s all right to disobey the Ten Commandments, but just don’t disobey the eleventh, “Thou shall not get caught.” [laughter] That’s the attitude. That’s the prevailing attitude in our culture. (Come on) No matter what you do, just do it with a bit of finesse. (All right) You know, a sort of attitude of the survival of the slickest."

Is it too much to ask for rappers to know the samples their using, and craft their lyrics accordingly? Or at the very least pick a sample that doesn't completely contradict everything they're saying? I don't know, maybe it is. But enough of my preaching (see what I did there?). If you care about these things like I do you'll want to listen to the track below, and if you don't care and have been waiting for me to shut up, you'll want to listen to the track below. Enjoy. Or not.