In the remix of “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” Kanye opens the song with a couple of powerful lines: “Good morning, this ain’t Vietnam stillpeople lose hands, legs, arms for real / Little was known of Sierra Leone / and how it connects to the diamonds we own.”

First, he’s not only asking his listeners to open their eyes (”good morning”); he is also asking himself to wake up from self-centered world of the original song. But he’s not just ask’n people to get outta bed; he’s asking them to see the world in a different light, to see something through a different perspective.

Instead of imagining “Vegas on acid,” West is asking us to look at Sierra Leone, an important site of the old slave trade and, during the twentieth century, a site of war crimes and labor exploitation. Although the slave trade might be long gone, the diamonds from Sierra Leone follow a path across the Atlantic that is similar to that of the slaves. But these diamonds, unlike the slaves, are ending up in the hands of everyone on the other side of the Atlantic, both wealthy white and wealthy blacks.

"Though it's thousands of miles away"

West insists that, like the master/slave relationship, the relationship between diamonds and their owners is multifaceted. In the case of slavery, the master not only used the slave to work the plantation and produce wealth, but also exploited the slave for his (the master’s) own psychological benefit. The master was able to see himself as a human as long as he de-humanized the slave. In other words, the master could see himself as a “master” as long as there were “slaves” under his control. When West talks about the “diamonds that we own,” he is not simply talking about the ownership of diamonds and the social status that these diamonds represent. He is also talking about the diamonds “we on.” The pun doesn’t quite work when speaking the lines in white english, but when West raps the line, its double meaning hits home. We not only “own” diamonds, but we’re also “on” diamonds. In other words, he’s say’n that we use diamonds like we use drugs, as a means of psychologically making ourselves feel better about our place in society–to make us feel like we are the “masters” of society. And those that mine the diamonds in Africa, or those that cannot conspicusouly display their wealth in America, are the inferiors.

Religion has always played a role in (neo)colonialism

Spit’n sparkling imagery, West gets to the heart of his struggle: “I thought my Jesus piece was so harmless / ’til I seen a picture of a shorty armless / And here’s the conflict: / It’s in a black persons soul to rock that gold / Spend ya whole life try’na get that ice / On a polo rugby it look so nice / How could somethin so wrong make me feel so right, right?”

West’s criticism of bling contrasts with his attitudes toward bling in the original song. In the original, he feels that “diamonds,” or the material culture that they represent, are his just rewards for hard work and determination. In the remix, he asks himself if these are really the things he wants. Indeed, in the remix, he not only questions the diamond industry, but also challenges his own position within that industry and within a highly commercial society. He asks himself: can I really do something that I now know is wrong, even though it feels right and society is tell’n me that it’s ok?

He offers a realistic answer, basically say’n, “I don’t know, that’s a tough question, but at least I’m ask’n myself the question.” By not giving us an easy answer (such as, “screw diamonds, I’m getting rid of all my diamonds!”), West draws our attention to the strength of the societal forces that drive America’s addiction to diamonds and other similar luxury commodities. Like any drug addict will tell you, it’s hard to get of the junk no matter how much you know it’s kill’n you. And, perhaps, it’s equally hard to get out of a luxury-obsessed society after you’ve been born into, raised, and supported by that same society. But, like all of us should be, West is disturbed by his position as an advocate and consumer of diamonds. Even though he might not be ready to take on the diamond industry, he has developed a critical consciousness of his own commercial consumption, and this might be the start of political action, not just for West, but for his listeners too.

In the end, West tells us that we need to be real about the historical, social, and political processes that connect Sierra Leone to the diamonds we own.

Like all good teachers, West doesn’t come out and say, “Stop buying diamonds!” or “You’re perpetuating a system of labor exploitation that is similar to the slave trade!” Instead, he gives us two similar songs that contain vastly different messages, showing us how he personally came to see diamonds (and everything that they represent) from a different perspective. Leading by example, Kanye investigated the history of Sierre Leone, saw how it connected to the culture that he is a part of, and faced the moral questions that his investigation has presented him with. Like West, we all need to face these moral questions on our own. That’s not to say that discussions with others won’t help us (in fact, discussions with others are a crucial part of answering moral questions that pertain to society); instead, it means that we have the agency, as individuals, to make individual choices that reflect our personal answers to these moral questions. West’s song reflects the feminist maxim “the personal is political,” asking us all to come to our own conclusions, but also reminding us that whatever decision we make will ultimately have political and social consequences.

So be real, think on it, and know your role.