Wiki
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Length
3:43
On “MASSA” Tyler calls back to the era of slavery in the United States which took place from its founding in 1776 until 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, criminalizing slavery outside of prisons. Tyler uses this time period to exemplify the dramatic contrast between the limitations given to African Americans in the 18th and 19th Centuries, to the modern-day U.S.A. where black men such as Tyler himself have forged great amounts of success for themselves.
However, the allusion to slavery in itself reminds the listener that, despite the U.S. being a much better place for African Americans now, the mere existence of this practice is enough to suggest there is still a problem in contemporary society, due to the deep-rooted racism that this era created.
The use of the word “massa” in the title, as well as in the chorus, is where the reference to slavery lies, as Tyler uses this as dramatic irony, due to the typical Southern mispronunciation of the word “master” by the enslaved African Americans in this era. The contrast between this era and Tyler’s situation is evident throughout the song, especially in the first verse where he references his past successes–such as 2015’s Cherry Bomb and 2017’s Flower Boy. The second verse, rather, touches on topics of over-indulgence and the fact that despite all of this success Tyler has accumulated throughout his career, this is all trivial without other factors playing a role in his life, such as love, security, and friendship.
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