For all the time we spend blaming pop music for spreading anti-male cultural attitudes, at least it’s not all bad. For once, an extremely popular artist is using that platform to draw attention to something important. The way Mr. West blames himself here is less than ideal, but he gives a decent impression of the legal battle many fathers face, and that’s definitely a point for the good guys.

Lyrics excerpted from Kanye West’s “All of the Lights”:

Turn up the lights in here, baby
Extra bright, I want y’all to see this
Turn up the lights in here, baby
You know what I need
Want you to see everything
Want you to see all of the lights

Restraining order
Can’t see my daughter
Her mother, brother, grandmother hate me in that order
Public visitation
We met at Borders
Told her she take me back
I’ll be more supportive
I made mistakes
I bump my head
Courts suck me dry
I spent that bread
She need a daddy
Baby please, can’t let her grow up in that ghetto university

As a cherry on top, Kanye also throws in a primer on the dangers of cohabiting with a hypergamous female in a legal climate that takes her word over his and gives her the house:

I slapped my girl, she called the feds
I did that time and spent that bread
I’m heading home, I’m almost there
I’m on my way heading up the stairs
To my surprise a n**** replacing me
I had to take ‘em to that ghetto university

The unfortunately ubiquitous attitude of beta male supplication notwithstanding, at least this song and others like it can have the effect of pushing listeners to wake up to the problems men are facing in today’s society. A step in the right direction – a small step, but a step nevertheless.

Kanye West: All Of The Lights (Youtube)

This article brought to you by Delusion Damage.