Jadakiss, Why | Controversial Songs

In the 3^rd edition of Controversial Songs (2024), we explore the controversy behind the “Why” by rapper Jadakiss featuring Anthony Hamilton.

Bring on the controversy! Controversial Songs is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows, stirred the pot, or were banned. The more censorship censor$hit, the better! The records that grace Controversial Songs are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the 3^rd edition of Controversial Songs (2024), we explore the controversy behind the “Why” by Jadakiss featuring Anthony Hamilton.

Question: “Yo, why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets?” That is one of the many questions (understatement), and memorable lines from the rapper’s 2004 classic, “Why”. “Why” was a big hit on the pop charts, peaking at no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Adding a lift to the highlight from his gold-certified LP, Kiss of Death, Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton lends his gritty, soulful pipes. Hamilton’s part plays out like this in the chorus: “All that I’ve been given / It’s the pain that I’ve been livin’ / They got me in the system / Why they gotta do me like that?” Havoc stitched up a sweet backdrop for both Jada and Anthony. But, the controversy doesn’t surround Hamilton, Havoc, nor the opening question of why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets.  Jadakiss is responsible for the controversy, of course.

The 2000s was a more conservative time in America. A Republican president, George W. Bush, held the White House from 2001 – 2009. In 2001, The United States suffered the terror attack of 9/11.  Everyone was shaken and there was a sense of unity to fight the terrorists who attacked U.S. soil.  Of course, a honeymoon only lasts so long, and opponents of war and the President’s leadership ratcheted up fiercely by 2004, an election year. I say all that to say that politics and a conspiracy theory referenced in “Why” drew the ire of conservatives.  The offending line: “Why did Bush knock down the towers?” Oh, snap! According to the rapper, via Billboard, “I just felt [Bush] had something to do with that… That’s why I put it in there like that. A lot of my people felt that he had something to do with it.” In 2023, he reflected (via Hot New Hip Hop), regarding the backlash, “I was a little nervous, though. I felt people was on me, Homeland Security was like, behind me.” In an Associated Press article (via Fox News), describing the reaction to the song:

Not everyone loves it. Bill O’Reilly called Jadakiss a “smear merchant” this week, and some radio stations have edited out the line in the song, in which Jadakiss talks about perceived injustices, conspiracies and problems affecting the world.

The 9/11 reference is the most offensive part of the song, particularly for right-wingers. According to Complex, O’Reilly also described “Why” as an atrocity, and stated, “Somebody defames a public figure, that somebody in the corporation behind the smear should be held liable.” Jadakiss asks lots of questions, many of which push the envelope. In the first verse, he references a Kobe Bryant sexual assault case: “Why did Kobe have to hit that raw? Why’d he kiss that whore?” Yikes! In another political reference in the second verse, he asks, “Why they let the Terminator win the election?” Colorfully, in the third and final verse, he asks, “Why Halle have to let a white man pop her to get a Oscar? / Why Denzel have to be crooked before he took it?” “Why” is controversial, but, there is a reason it is the biggest song of Jadakiss’ career.  It’s an aughts classic. No surprise it was nominated for a Grammy (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration).

Jadakiss // Kiss Of Death // Ruff Ryders // 2004

Jadakiss, Why: Controversial Songs No. 3 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Ruff Ryders; Tazz Vaughn via Pexels; Elena Arboleda Salas, nikolaytaman90, Tumisu from Pixabay; christian buehner on Unsplash]