Historical and Social Context

Art, such as music, can have a powerful impact on politics. In the case of Burnaboy's song "Collateral Damage," it sheds light on the deep corruption in West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Corruption is prevalent in various levels of the Nigerian government, costing the country billions of dollars annually. The song resonates with the African community, providing a sense of unity and understanding in the face of corruption. Just like in history, art has the ability to bring people together and address important issues. So let's get into it by talking about the corruption in third world countries, because corruption in third world countries is a topic of political discussion that many outside those nations tend to overlook. In fact, there may be occasions when those country's citizens dismiss it as well. However, art, as we all know, has a staggering effect of having an eye-opening effect on politics, among many other formidable topics. For example, during the revolutionary era, Ben Franklin's join-or-die-snake cartoon had such a big effect on bringing together entire colonies to have a more unified front in the war against Britain. African-American music has a rich history derived from the work-filled songs that made the labor and hardship feel more unified and understood. Similarly, Collateral Damage by Burnaboy is a contemporary R&B piece that delves into the deep corruption ensuing in West Africa. West Africa, specifically Nigeria, has dealt with corruption in its political sectors for nearly three decades. Corruption can be found in nearly every level of the Nigerian government. These include contract fraud, petty bribery, money laundering schemes, embezzlement, seizing salaries from fake workers, and so many other illegal activities. It is estimated that corruption within the state apparatus costs the country billions of dollars annually. This crisis ranked Nigeria 154 out of 108 countries in 2021, where the country ranked last is perceived as the most corrupt. Collateral Damage sings about this impact and how it must be stopped. Reviews and comments on the song show that its listener's demographic is mainly African, with over 20 million viewers and 2,000 comments on its official audio on YouTube relating to the struggle of dealing with corruption in these countries. Upon moving to America, my family and I often watched the Sri Lankan news and worried about the state of our nation, no matter how far away we were from it. Similarly, the community of West Africans living in America also likely have the same experience of stressing about their home country due to corruption. Listening to songs like Collateral Damage helps this community of individuals feel more unified, united, and understood, just like how art has been used throughout history.