“Citizen Trap” by MA Shalom is a sharp, socially conscious track that tackles the frustration and suffocation of modern bureaucracy. With vivid imagery and personal narrative, the song captures the struggle of navigating endless forms, contracts, and red tape that limit freedom and complicate even the simplest tasks.
The hook, “Red tape sittin’ ’round, blocking my move / Bureaucrats keeping me from breaking through,” sets the tone of a citizen caught in a system that prioritizes procedure over people. The verses explore the evolution from simpler times, when trust and a handshake sufficed, to a modern world dominated by legalese, digital contracts, and surveillance disguised as protection.
Through its storytelling, the song raises critical questions about individual autonomy, government oversight, and the cost of compliance, ultimately expressing a universal desire for freedom and clarity in a labyrinthine system.