Boondocks Theme Song

The song embodies the spirit of the African American journey. It's struggles, triumphs and promise. It exemplifies McGruder's message vividly. Was this song written for the show or selected?

I am the stone that builder refused

• As a few have said, its from the bible. The stone the builder refused would be the African race in reference to the unfair treatment of blacks throughout history.
  but they will be made the cornerstone. Hip Hop, sports, entertainment.. see how that works?

I am the visual

• Through what you see, I represent all that was.

The inspiration That made lady sing the blues

• Billy Holiday, one of the triumphs.. yet one of the tragedies.

I'm the spark that makes your idea bright

• The innovation, music, sports, entertainment..again. the progression, the advancement

The same spark that lights the dark So that you can know your left from your right

• to know your left from your right is to have sense, common sense. Evolved into enlightenment. Lighting the dark.

I am the ballot in your box The bullet in your gun

• Malcom X. The point is to make a choice. Both actions bring upon change.

The inner glow that lets you know To call your brother son

• The inner glow is the bond between all African Americans, due to the shared struggle. Son is a common slang term used in urban communities. Its a term of endearment of sorts but also fits into the innovation. It catches on.

The story that just begun

• Exactly what it means. People's grandparent's grandparents were slaves. This story has JUST begun.

The promise of what's to come

• The new generation. The boys represented in The Boondocks.

And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won

• This fight isn't over, there is still a lot of f'd up SH!t going on still. I won't forget. I will see this through.

Just my thoughts.

yeah, shenlong's totally right. because rap and hip hop is all male too. i mean, it's not like there are female rappers like peaches rap about sex. NO. all rap is about sex with WOMEN and drugs. oh, and jesus freak? that's ALL about sex and women. damn, that christian rap sure is vulger...

But independent hip hop isn't shit like mainstream is.

Give the OP a break, he didn't say all rap, he said all mainstream rap.

At any rate, when you take the song into context it does have a more central meaning, but it does hold meaning outside of the show, and a good lot.

The first section"I am the stone...builder refused" is symbolic to being a castaway by society because you don't fit the mold. Next comes "I am the visual...sing the blues." The first two lines are obvious, visual...inspiration? He's the physical of what the blues are. The Lady refers to Billie Holiday who was known as "Lady Day" and had a movie made called "Lady Sings the Blues" which was named after her autobiography.

"I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...same spark...left for your right" refers to the ignition of change and that once the "revolution" occurs that those who follow will know what to do.

I'm the ballot in your box...your gun" simple here, Malcolm X's speech, "The Ballot or the Bullet"

"The inner glow...call your brother 'son'" Brother here can be applied not as a sibling but as a spiritual brother, a brother working towards the same end. To call him son would mean to assume leadership. The inner glow is a call to leadership.

"The story that's...of what's to come" This is to the changes that people like Malcolm X, MLK, Gandhi, and all other revolutionaries have started, they never truly got to see them finished, they were only the first chapter, the promise of what's to come.

Last line is fairly straightforward. Keep in mind this is what I get from the song, and I do believe it is fairly accurate interpretation but as with most songs, words can be applied to different things.

"And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner" Mark 12:10

The inner glow that lets you know To call your brother "Son"

This either intentionally refers to Christ or the artist is using Christian language to call himself some sort of messiah.

CHUK CHUK CHUK

does that ending have a meaning?

the genius of this short rap is how such a powerful meaning is portrayed in a manner that is both not obvious (following the old axiom "show, don't tell"), powerful, and in terms easy enough to understand and feel the impact of its meaning.

it is the height of what a rap can aspire to. clever, poignant, powerful, deeply meaningful, and accessible.

I'm not really a hip hop fan, because all mainstream rap is about women and drugs, but undergroung is more original, and has thought put into it, deeper messages, as this song does.

btw, if you havent watched the boondocks, an teletoon(canada) or on cartoon network/adultswim(USA) then ur missing out

Irrelevance. Back on topic.

This little rap's meaning is pretty obvious and straightforward. It's pretty clear from the beginning that it's a representation of one of the show's main characters, Huey Freeman. He's a radical, left-wing 12 year old black boy who has devoted his life (which is part of the joke--he's only 12, albeit a really smart, perceptive one) towards black rights and justice. Huey does his best in almost every episode to make the other characters quit being stupid, and usually fails, not out of incompetence, but because the other characters are embodiments of society's stereotypes. Anyway, the theme song's actual lyrics don't have much depth, they just represent Huey and his struggle.

I agree with Ivory Tusk. Anyway, doesn't "the story that just begun and the promise of what's to come" mean they want us to fight for what we beleive in and that people like MLK just wanted to give us a headstart to taking control of the world around us?