The Blackstone Rangers

“Stokely” (Line 13) refers to Stokely Carmichael, a political figure who went from nonviolent political action as a student to black militance, and then to Pan-Africanism (the notion that it would take a global movement to free people of the African Diaspora).

Carmichael is thus a symbol of young people’s fruitless search for effective politics. The Blackstone Rangers aren’t interested in exploring other forms of affiliation because they’ve found one that works in their small corner of the world.

“Rap” (Line 13) symbolizes the evolution of Black political thought on the uses of violence and the importance of Black Power on a global scale. “Rap” (Line 13) refers to H. Rap Brown, who followed the same path as Stokely Carmichael from the nonviolent student movement to Black Power but ran afoul of the FBI when he called for revolt if the nation did not address systemic racism (Cable, John. "H. Rap Brown." New Georgia Encyclopedia, 20 Dec. 2021).

Brown embraces violence like the Blackstone Rangers, but unlike them, he believes he can organize Black people nationally and internationally to create a revolution. The Rangers reject that notion because their power is hyperlocal.

“Black Jesus” (Line 13) is a symbol for Black spirituality. The concept of Black Jesus is rooted in the belief that Christ was racially Black/of African descent, or that adherence to the values of Christ should lead all Christians, regardless of race, to support Black people’s nonviolent struggle for freedom.

Neither the Christianity of “King” (Line 12) nor the Islam of “Malcolm X” (Line 13) have made Black freedom a reality; the Blackstone Rangers don’t aspire to broad movements like these two figures.