Fortitude USA



'American Hands (U2)' is about real people. Not heroes, not celebrities. Just regular folks who get up, do their job and keep pushing forward. And honestly, that's what really builds a country. Now, looking beyond superficial narratives of success, this Hip-Hop track brings your attention to the dignity of labour. 

It's a rap that confidently argues the true national identity, which is not built by institutions or leaders, but by the daily efforts and strength of common people. To start with, the rap itself is tough on money and how it works. Fortitude USA, the artist behind this non-profit piece, raps about how big companies and rich folks want to keep people stuck, how the 'King dollar' tries to control people, promising help but actually keeping them down.

And with that, the rapper brings the fight, with a singing voice in the chorus and some sleek delivery with intense, poetic verses filled with gritty, unromantic words, celebrating the human effort in the face of economic and social challenges.


Then you have the music, which has this modernised old-school beat with a vintage-style piano and a rhythmic, tight bass at the centre. Sounds like an original sample layered calmly behind vocals. You also have a nice,  atmospheric reverb in the chorus with some interesting sound effects related to the message. 

It ends with a speech about a wall beyond physical labour, an intellectual wall that's been systematically dismantled. Just like these lyrics are about hands building America physically, the final extract is a motivation to rebuild America intellectually.

Apart from the music, Fortitude USA raps about the apocalypse, black holes and even the four horsemen. Scary as it sounds, it is quite a bold and somewhat metaphorical way to describe bigger changes in society. These things are also being said out of the artist's wisdom from all the hardships.

Basically, all those dramatic images sort of illustrate that transformation doesn't happen smoothly, but through intense, sometimes painful experiences that totally remake how we understand ourselves and the world around us.

To conclude, freedom in this song means surviving, doing your work, and staying true to yourself. To truly build something meaningful, whether it's a country or an understanding, you need dedicated, thoughtful effort.

And so, those American hands become a symbol of both physical grind and resistance, an ongoing process of creating and recreating individuality and nationality. Never forget, that those hands are witnesses and creators of American history.