Diamonds from Sierra Leone by Kanye West Analysis

Shifting from speaking of the problems in Sierra Leone to joking around, in “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” Kanye West and Jay Z use thought-inducing irony, clever pun, and strong symbolism that can make the listener imagine all the diamonds they speak of.

Poetic devices can encourage thought in a listener or reader of a work. Irony can make an audience stop and contemplate the differences between the two situations compared. Kanye talks about Sierra Leon in Africa and how it is affected by the diamond mining that is all too common there. He says “Over here, theres the drug trade; we die from drugs. Over there they die from what we buy from drugs: the diamonds, the chains….” He is showing the irony that people in America die from selling narcotics, but also have people die in Africa from buying diamonds with their money earned.

A pun is another device that can make a listener think and maybe even laugh. Jay Z makes the analogy of himself to a business. He states “I’m not a business man, I’m a business man, let me handle my business, damn.” He is saying that he is a business instead of being a mere salesperson. The added emphasis on “man” the second time he said it is to show that it is local color. This gives the statement a whole new meaning.

Symbolism makes lyrics deeper than they would be if something was said straight out. Jay Z questions “How could you falter, when you the rock of Gibraltar?”, and the rock of Gibraltar is a symbol for him. It is a land mark that marks the entrance of the Mediteranean Sea which countries could control it to control the major sea. Jay is saying that he controls the rap industry like it controlled the mediteranean. He then says “People lined up to see the Titanic sinking, but instead we rose from the ashes like a phoenix.” His career is the Titanic and people expected a great disaster but the simile afterwards showed he pulled a miracle.

Jay Z and Kanye use devices throughout the song that cooperate to keep a listener entertained. Irony proves an interesting point that requires thought. Pun can also do the same, except it is also humorous. Symbolism stops the person in their tracks compared to these other thought creating devices. “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” is a well thought through track that brings up interesting ideas.