One genre of music you can usually count on for commentary or motivation for social change is, of course, hip-hop.. There's a pretty interesting split in the hip-hop community.
Some artists (in my opinion, most of which comprise a group of talentless sell-outs) are speaking out in a very pro-war fashion.
From a recent Canibus song called "Draft Me":
“Lurkin’, to leave y’all with bloody red turbans/ Screamin ‘Jihad!’ while y’all pray to a false god/We ready for all out war, it’s time to settle the score.”
Scary.
Others have rallied around GWB and the war: Wu Tang, R Kelly, etc.
But, the bright spot is that a good portion of hiphop artists, both mainstream and underground are speaking out pretty loudly against the war, but, curiously very few have done so musically (yet) But thoughts, letters, and diatribes abound:
Russell Simmons has written an open letter to GWB. (http://www.sohh.com/thewire/read.php?contentID=4392) No doubt he's feeling a little listless since his pretty uncompelling boycott of Pepsi.
Paris wrote a big rant here (http://www.guerrillafunk.com/thoughts/doc1083.html).
And a bunch of hip-hop artists (Busta Rhymes, Capone & Noreaga, Missy Elliott, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep, Outkast, Pharoahe Monch, Bubba Sparxx, Jay-Z and Nas) got together to film an ad speaking out against the war. From the snippets of it I read it sounds good, although I found myself occassionally wishing an artist here or there would have have been more succinct with something like "This isn't a just war" instead of sharing his insight into "Bush's beef with Saddam".
But, no, very little actual music. Maybe it just doesn't sell?
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hiphop
Date: 2003-03-12 08:55 pm (UTC)Some artists (in my opinion, most of which comprise a group of talentless sell-outs) are speaking out in a very pro-war fashion.
From a recent Canibus song called "Draft Me":
“Lurkin’, to leave y’all with bloody red turbans/ Screamin ‘Jihad!’ while y’all pray to a false god/We ready for all out war, it’s time to settle the score.”
Scary.
Others have rallied around GWB and the war: Wu Tang, R Kelly, etc.
But, the bright spot is that a good portion of hiphop artists, both mainstream and underground are speaking out pretty loudly against the war, but, curiously very few have done so musically (yet) But thoughts, letters, and diatribes abound:
Russell Simmons has written an open letter to GWB. (http://www.sohh.com/thewire/read.php?contentID=4392) No doubt he's feeling a little listless since his pretty uncompelling boycott of Pepsi.
Paris wrote a big rant here (http://www.guerrillafunk.com/thoughts/doc1083.html).
And a bunch of hip-hop artists (Busta Rhymes, Capone & Noreaga, Missy Elliott, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep, Outkast, Pharoahe Monch, Bubba Sparxx, Jay-Z and Nas) got together to film an ad speaking out against the war. From the snippets of it I read it sounds good, although I found myself occassionally wishing an artist here or there would have have been more succinct with something like "This isn't a just war" instead of sharing his insight into "Bush's beef with Saddam".
But, no, very little actual music. Maybe it just doesn't sell?
--Chris