4.3 ( 240 )

Devil’s Work by Joyner Lucas is the second single from his upcoming album ADHD. According to Genius Lyrics, after six months of announcing his new album by releasing a single, ‘I Love’, Joyner is finally back with his second single for the album, Devil’s Work. A mega superstar like Rihanna has praised Joyner Lucas for his work in ‘Devil’s Work’. Let’s review the lyrics of the song Devil’s Work by Joyner Lucas today where he exposes the real-life devils to God.

Introduction

According to Genius Lyrics, Joyner Lucas is influenced by recent tragic deaths of rappers such as XXXTENTACION, Nipsey Hussle, etc. Lucas is in an imaginary confrontation with his God who he thinks took away the people he had loved and admired. However, in the end, he comes to the conclusion that putting the blame of their deaths on God is just an excuse because the deed has been done by Devil all along and it is Devil’s Work.

[Verse]

Let’s review the lyrics in a single verse of the song, Devil’s Work, by Joyner Lucas.

Part I

We supposed to be your children, I thought we family

You’re supposed to be my Father, bruh, I need answers

In the lyrics of the first part of ‘Devil’s Work’, Joyner points out a general feeling of people all around the world on how they feel about God. He says God is supposed to be taking care of us like his children. But instead, he’s been hurting us and he’s been taking good men that inspire us away from us. Joyner isn’t satisfied by what the Lord has done and he needs answers from the Lord.

Part II

I know you’re watching us from heaven thinking, “Who to save?”

Cherry pickin’ who should go next and who should stay

Joyner Lucas keeps it very simple and calm by saying he is not trying to disrespect God in any way possible. But he is mildly pestered by the jurisdiction of God on who to save and who to take from the Earth. The rapper insists that God is taking away people that are beneficiary to human lives, mostly through the emotional strings created by their art.

Part III

The rapper Joyner wants the legend of hip-hop, 2Pac back on earth. On the other hand, he suggests him to take Suge Knight as an exchange because he’s been accused of conspiring with the murderers of 2Pac on the night 2Pac died by a number of artists. Lucas wants the legend to resurrect and he wants fake people who conspired murder of 2Pac to be taken by God of death (Devil).

Part IV

Let’s review the lyrics in the fourth part of Devil’s Work by Joyner Lucas. It is a little controversial part where he connects the art with politics. Just like he wants the resurrection of 2Pac, he wants Notorious B.I.G., Big Pun and XXXTENTACION back on earth. However, he thinks God should trade these three icons with the most hated President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, by major artists. Joyner goes as far as to claim Donald Trump actually has no intellectual values to become the President.

Part V

Joyner Lucas is addressing major one of the social problems, shooting, from this verse. The condition of the mass shooting is so bad that he needs a gun for his own protection. Joyner points out that these shooters are actually bigger threats of the society than a bunch of good people he has chosen to take away from us. He addresses the murder of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez and tragic accident of Aaliyah.

Part VI

I need you to give us back Martin Luther, take Martin Shkreli (Take!)

Give us back Malcolm, take R. Kelly

The rapper once again leaves the niche of artists and goes after a politician and a pharmaceutical fraud. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are respected for their impacts on the Civil Rights movement. While, another Martin, Martin Shkreli, raised the price of Deraprim from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill. Superstar R. Kelly has been accused of his predatory behaviors on teenage girls, where Aaliyah is believed to have been his victim before she died.

Part VII

I’m sending you this message, Lord, I hope you hit me right back

They say I’m on the wrong train, I know I’m on the right track (Yeah)

Joyner Lucas challenges the Lord by telling him that he is correct and the Lord is incorrect in his choices of taking men away from the earth. He wants his Lord to focus on his opinions. Lucas clearly cannot stand the loss of good people while on the other hand, the real devils are enjoying good perks of this life.

Part VIII

Let’s review the lyrics in the eighth part of Devil’s Work by Joyner Lucas. He wants Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson back. Since Joyner isn’t scared to speak his mind in his verses, he is scared that the police are trying their best to shut his mouth by trying to find the ways to conspire against his reputation and imprison him. He wants justice for Sandra Bland who was found dead after getting imprisoned for traffic law violations. People suspect she might have been killed by the authorities because of her skin color.

Part IX

I just kinda thought that you would do more to protect us

They say that the good die young and I ain’t on the guest list

I’ve been drinkin’, Lord forgive me, it’s my blood racin’

Joyner Lucas says he had had faith in his Lord since he was born. He had believed that his Lord would protect them from all the odds. Lucas claims to be a good person and yet God isn’t taking him away from the earth. The rapper has been trying to find the answers for unexplainable conspiracies. He is taking his frustration out by the help of alcohol.

Part X

But puttin’ the blame on you, that’d never work

I know this ain’t your fault, it’s the devil’s work

Devil’s work

Even though Joyner Lucas had pointed his fingers on his God for taking away good people from the earth, he knows the problems wouldn’t get simpler and easier by blaming everything in God. He knows death isn’t really his cup of tea. Joyner is aware of the truth and the conspiracists and he finally puts his blame on the Devil.

Analysis

The music in Devil’s Work consists of old-school hip-hop beats. Joyner Lucas sounds as if he was feeling the beats while he was rapping. The song points out the real devils of our lives and the rapper wants to trade these devils for all the good people taken away from us from the Devil.

Conclusion

The song seems to be for everyone in the age group of sixteen to forty-five. We can visualize a clear picture of the song trying to raise awareness in society. Such underrated songs deserve popularity as they raise important social problems that we as a community are facing.

Personal Take

I give ‘Devil’s Work’ by Joyner Lucas a decent 07/10 in the Lyrics Review category. An awesome track, Joyner Lucas, awesome track!

Click here to play Devil’s Work by Joyner Lucas on YouTube:

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