The Ownership of Water in “New World Water”

Mos’ Def “New World Water” argues that capitalism exploits people over profit, where businesses have turned human necessities into a commodity. Using figurative speech and internal rhymes, he addresses the privatization of water. The speaker argues how water “used to be free now it cost you a fee” (33). At first, the rhymes “free” and “fee” are similarly audible, relating to the lack of awareness of corporate exploitation resulting in the subtle change in water accessibility over time that can go unnoticed. However, the use of antithesis between “free” and “fee” further emphasizes to the…