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Cabinet Battle

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"Cabinet Battle #1" and "Cabinet Battle #2" are songs performed in the Broadway musical Hamilton. The songs portray discussions in the cabinet of the administration of George Washington (played by Christopher Jackson in the original cast) in the style of rap battles between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, originally played respectively by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs. The cabinet battles were influenced by the rap battles that appear in 8 Mile.[1]

Cabinet Battle #1

"Cabinet Battle"
Song

Verses

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were the Secretary of the Treasury Department and the Secretary of the State Department respectively. Thus, being both members of George Washington’s presidential cabinet, both had influence and a voice in Washington's decision making during his 8 years as President of the United States.

In Miranda's musical, the cabinet meeting in which Hamilton and Jefferson argue is portrayed as a rap battle, each man receiving time to argue and state his case to the president. In the process, they use anachronistic microphones.

Jefferson's verse

Jefferson starts the rap battle by quoting his Declaration of Independence. Jefferson, an avid supporter of state government and individual rights, quotes himself to emphasize those values that he holds dear. These values echo and are modeled after the ideals expressed by John Locke in his 1689 work Two Treatises of Government. The Declaration of Independence would declare that government existed primarily for the reasons Locke gave, and some have extended that line of thinking to support a conception of limited government. Jefferson’s philosophies thus opposed Hamilton’s First Report on the Public Credit because the report analyzed the financial standing of the United States of America and made recommendations to reorganize the national debt and to establish the public credit.[2] Creating national public credit would increase the power of the federal government, something unprecedented in early American history. Also, Virginia, the state of Jefferson’s home and estate Monticello, had already paid off its debts, as well as most of the Southern states. Further attacking Hamilton’s financial plan, Jefferson raps about the length of the plan, a whopping 40,000 word document,[3] New York politicians such as Hamilton who gained wealth through moving the finances of the actual product producing southern states, and even attacking Hamilton as a greedy man who should not be a politician who gains popularity. As he closes, Jefferson references the British Intolerable Acts and the Boston Tea Party to highlight his foreshadowing of the Whiskey Rebellion. As part of Hamilton’s Report, a tax on whiskey became law in 1791, and was intended to generate revenue to help reduce the national debt.[4]

Hamilton’s verse

Hamilton begins his rebuttal with acknowledging Jefferson’s work on the Declaration of Independence, but telling the cabinet that Jefferson is behind the times because of his time in France. In July 1784, Jefferson arrived in Paris and would remain there until leaving in September 1789,[5][6] and therefore missed much of the combat of the Revolution. Hamilton attacks Jefferson for this, criticizing the future 3rd President as a false protector of American Values.

Another aspect of Hamilton’s attack on Jefferson’s person and morals are his slaves. In 1774, the earliest record, it was recorded that Jefferson owned at least 41 slaves.[7] Hamilton makes light of Jefferson's dealing with President George Washington and the discord between the two. Washington nearly dismissed Jefferson from the cabinet, not having to do so because of Jefferson's resignation from the office of Secretary of State in order to run for president against John Adams. However, Washington never forgave Jefferson for undermining and working against the Washington administration and consequently the two never spoke again.[8]

Cabinet Battle #2

"Cabinet Battle"
Song

Like battle #1, this track again starts with George Washington cluing the audience into what's happening; primarily, the discussion on whether to give aid to France during the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 and their potential war with Britain.

Jefferson's verse

Jefferson and Madison start the rap battle by questioning the cabinet as to who aided the American Revolutionaries during their hour of need (the answer: France). Jefferson also argues that because the Americans signed a treaty between themselves and the King of France, they are honor bound to give aid to them as they enter a war with Britain. Jefferson then insults Hamilton, accusing him of being greedy and stating that he is disloyal. Jefferson adds that because he is Secretary of State, he deserves to have the most influence on this decision, not Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton.

Hamilton's verse

Hamilton comes out with a furious statement[9] asserting that Washington would never agree with Jefferson because the new found United States are so young and unstable without involvement in international affairs. Indeed, this is evident in Washington's farewell address (written, at least in part, by Hamilton) as the first president promotes neutrality.

Next, Alexander discredits Thomas Jefferson's wish to uphold the treaty with France by arguing that the United States is not beholden to France because the king that signed the agreement, King Louis XVI, had been killed in the revolution.[10]

Cutting Hamilton's rap short, Washington sides with Hamilton and publicly denounces Jefferson's idealistic approach to the problem. Jefferson, furious, confronts Hamilton and accuses him of abandoning Lafayette, the famed French general who aided the Americans during the American Revolution and one of Jefferson's and Hamilton's closest friends. Hamilton responds quickly, but Jefferson leaves the fight while he warns Hamilton that he is powerless without Washington's support. This would prove true during John Adams's presidential administration.[11]

Critical reactions

The musical has received critical acclaim and praise in its first year on the Broadway track.

Talib Kweli, after seeing the show, noted that Daveed Diggs's performance was especially powerful in the rap/broadway combination Miranda employs in his writing, not to mention in the "brilliance" that is "Cabinet Battle #1".[12] "The guy who plays Jefferson, as soon he came onstage and did a couple of bars, I was like, 'That’s an MC. That’s not a traditional Broadway dude. That’s a guy who raps and was put in this play because he raps.'"[12] This praise may stem from Diggs's LA-based rap and noise band clipping. for which he acts as MC.

References

  1. ^ Wickman, Forrest (24 September 2015). "All the Hip-Hop References in Hamilton: A Track-by-Track Guide". Slate. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  2. ^ Staloff, Darren (2005). Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson : the politics of Enlightenment and the American founding (1st ed.). New York: Hill and Wang. ISBN 0-8090-7784-1.
  3. ^ Ellis, Joseph J. (2000). Founding brothers : the revolutionary generation (1st ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40544-5.
  4. ^ Howlett, Leon (2012). The Kentucky bourbon experience. Morley, MO: Acclaim Press. ISBN 1935001817.
  5. ^ Ellis, Joseph J. (1997). American sphinx : the character of Thomas Jefferson (1. ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-679-44490-9.
  6. ^ Tucker, George (1837). The life of Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States. Carey, Lea & Blanchard.
  7. ^ Cogliano, Francis D. (2006). Thomas Jefferson : reputation and legacy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-2499-7.
  8. ^ Chernow, Ron (2004). Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-59420-009-0.
  9. ^ Miranda, Lin-Manuel; Diggs, Daveed; Jackson, Christopher; et al. (Original Broadway Cast Cast of Hamilton) (2015). Hamilton (album) (CD). New York, New York: Atlantic Recording Corporation. ASIN B013JLBPGE. OCLC 919490894. You must be out of your goddamn mind {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ Miranda, Lin-Manuel; Diggs, Daveed; Jackson, Christopher; et al. (Original Broadway Cast Cast of Hamilton) (2015). Hamilton (album) (CD). New York, New York: Atlantic Recording Corporation. ASIN B013JLBPGE. OCLC 919490894. Should we honor our treaty, King Louis's head?/Uh, do whatever you want, I'm super dead. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  11. ^ Chernow, Ron (2010). Washington : a life (1. publ. ed.). New York: Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-59420-266-7.
  12. ^ a b Kweli, Talib. "Is Hamilton Technically Impressive Rap? Talib Kweli Analyzes the Broadway Smash". www.vulture.com. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
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