Looking through a psychoanalytic lens allows us to see Lil Wayne’s mental process and motivations through singing about his dreams. As the song begins, the chorus sings about how Wayne was chosen because of his unbreakable spirit. He heralds himself as a savior, or uniquely gifted to have success. He goes on to say “In 1982, my momma take me to a space shuttle, so now I’m raising you and ain’t no baby food.” His metaphorical use of a space shuttle points to the unbreakable spirit that allowed him to rise out of the low socioeconomic status stated by not having baby food. The irony of raising details not only the dream of his mother to see him raised right, but also to raise him to a higher level socioeconomically. His latent mental desire to live in a world where he does not have to worry about things like food is manifested through his life’s work, this song included. He goes on to sing, “go and take the neighbor’s food,” describing how desperate of circumstances his childhood entailed. This line is contrasted with a later statement “At least bills are paid, the children safe.” As an adult and successful musician now, he is manifesting his internal motivation to make his family’s life better than his. Just as his mother did in raising him, and he does for his family, this is the essence of the American Dream: to make the lives of the next generation better than your own.
However, there is normality in the description of poverty where he grew up. Wayne describes himself as “chosen,” given an environment where he is an anomaly for his wealth. He talks about rampant crime through, “And be afraid of who, I made the loot.” This line describes the harsh personalities of impoverished areas, as well as his mental process of deciding to loot or steal in order to acquire sustenance. Wayne’s lyrics therefore mention a first limit to the American Dream: rampant crime. His description of crime as almost necessity shows us the mental process behind not only his morality, but also his supreme internal desire to change his situation. Having committed crimes, Wayne is stigmatized in the higher socioeconomic level where he resides, yet this crime is a consequence of his childhood.
He also alludes to an impersonal they in, “They do all they can, but they can’t break unbreakable. They scared to face the truth because they hate the view.” These lyrics point to his unconscious feeling of not fitting in the wealthier levels of society and the disgust some feel with his success. His use of “they” therefore refers to a better-off part of society. “They do all they can,” points to the marginalization, lack of opportunities, and initial ghettoization of the communities similar to where Wayne grew up. History has created this second limit to the American Dream characterized by the lack of opportunity of the marginalized and a desire to keep impoverished people in poverty. As a “chosen” member of a marginalized community, he comes to represent a savior for the hopes of others in his situation. As “they” continue to hold people like Wayne down with current social injustices like police brutality, poor education systems, and lack of access to basic resources such as healthy food, quality shelter, and in some areas clean water, Wayne is making a statement about hope. For those who are limited in their quest of the American Dream, Lil Wayne’s lyrics offer hope as he represents a societal anomaly given his achievement of the illusive dream.
In their latent unconscious, most all people desire to be successful and make money like Lil Wayne. While he sings about limits to the American Dream, his hopeful message of achieving this dream is displayed by his life. The relentless pursuit of changing his situation will never stop as he says, “I’m not going to brake or fix the breaks.” Therefore, the song “Can’t be Broken” is not only a personal story of success, but also a call for others to keep going despite their life circumstances.
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