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Progressive politics and hip-hop

“Broken glass everywhere/
People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care/
I can't take the smell, can't take the noise/
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice/
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back/
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat/
I tried to get away but I couldn't get far/
cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car/”

 

Rappers such as Kool G Rap, KRS-ONE and Big Daddy Kane were known for their straight forward lyrics that dealt with controversial, graphic and political topics. Public Enemy broke into the mainstream with their progressive and controversial political content.   Public Enemy’s front man Chuck D came with outspoken lyrics such as these, “Impeach the president, pulling out the ray-gun,” “Neither party is mine not the jackass or the elephant.” Chuck D and hip hop’s lyrics speak for millions. Chuck D was saying things that were never heard before at a mainstream level. Another politically radical group was Zach De La Rocha and his band Rage Against the Machine. They took their political message to a huge mainstream audience, influencing millions around the world.

 

N.W.A. was widely known for their song F**k Tha Police, which spoke out about police brutality. Eric B and Rakim were widely known for their thought provoking lyrics that raised the bar as well. GURU and DJ Premiere from the legendary group Gang Starr are no strangers to the political arena either with songs like JFK 2 LAX and Robin Hood Theory. Some lyrics by GURU from the song Robin Hood Theory are:

 

“They innocent, they know not what they face/

While politicians save face genius minds lay to waste/

If I wasn't kicking rhymes I'd be kicking down doors/

Creating social change and defending the poor/”

               

The most well-known rapper of all time Tupac Shakur was known for his politically charged lyrics and disturbing depictions of city life. Tupac was the son of a black panther Afeni Shakur so his roots dug deep into political outrage and turmoil. Tupac’s lyrics were drenched in political thought such as his song Panther Power:

 

“I couldn't settle for being a statistic/

Couldn't survive in this capitalistic/

Government cause it was meant to hold us back/

Using ignorant, drugs, to sneak attack/”

 

Tupac’s popular single Changes feature progressive and poignant lyrics such as these:

 

“I see no changes, all I see is racist faces/

Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races/

We under, I wonder what it takes to make this/

One better place, let's erase the wasted/

Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right/

Cause both black and white, is smoking crack tonight/”

 

Rap’s newer generation brought even more artists who dealt with political issues. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and Common all brought controversial topics to the dining room table of listener’s ears across the globe. Mos Def spoke about tainted tap water, police brutality, politically correct racism and how American citizens were neglected during the Katrina tragedy. One of Talib Kweli’s most controversial songs is called The Proud, which features lyrics such as:

 

“Today the paper say Timothy McVeigh's in hell/

So everything's okay and all must be well/

I remember Oklahoma when they put out the blaze/

And put Islamic terrorist bombing, on the front page/

It's like saying only gays get AIDS, propaganda/”

 

On the topic of 9/11 Kweli also wrote this in his song The Proud, “People broken down from years of oppression/ Become patriots when they way of life is threatened” and “America kill the innocent too, the cycle of violence is sad.” Pharoahe Monch who was part of the early Rawkus Records clique is also infamous for his political mind as well. In his song Agent Orange Monch says, “It's not a Game Boy, XBox or PlayStation/ It’s Resident Evil when every President's a mason,” and “It’s a political grab bag to rape mother earth/ Thirty seconds after they bagged dad for what he's worth.” 

 

The rapper Common from Chicago, Illinois wrote a highly acclaimed song called A Song for Assata. The song is about Assata Shakur who was a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army who escaped persecution in the US and found refuge in Cuba.

 

Dead Prez is known for being one of the most controversial and radical political hip hop groups. Their album Let’s Get Free dealt with topics such as the murder of Fred Hampton, poor education, police brutality, the Black Panther Party and how the majority of rap music is a puppet for rich corporate America.          

 

Immortal Technique, Sage Francis, El-P and Nas all write and speak up about conspiracy theories and political cover ups as well. Immortal Technique is an activist both in music and in his everyday life. He writes about media bias and CIA cover ups. Sage Francis’ song Makeshift Patriot caught must attention due to its topic being about the September 11^th attacks. Nas’ latest album was chock full of political conspiracy theories such as UFO cover ups, illuminati and even a mention of William Cooper.   

 

Hip hop has even tackled political issues on the mainstream level with artists such as Bun B (UGK), Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. On Bun B’s latest album II Trill he writes how cities are neglecting the poor and that lower income houses are built with asbestos and lead based paint. Kanye West hit national headlines over a comment he made about George Bush and hurricane Katrina when he said, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”

 

Lil Wayne the best selling rap artist our right now made a controversial song on one of his Dedication mix tapes called Georgia… Bush. On the topic of Hurricane Katrina Lil Wayne’s lyrics were:

 

“So what happened to the levies, why wasn't they steady?/

Why wasn't they able to control this?/

I know some folk that live by the levy/

That keep on telling me they heard explosions/”

 

Jay-Z also had much to say about the Katrina incident in his song Minority Report:

 

“Wouldn't you loot? If you didn't have the loot/

Baby needed food and you was stuck on the roof/

And helicopters swoop down just to get a scoop/

Through his telescopic lens, but he didn't scoop you/

For the next five days, no help ensued/

They called you a refugee because you seek refuge/

And the Commander-in-Chief, just flew by/

Didn't stop, though he had a couple seats/”

 

The list could go on and on with artists that are politically conscious and spreading their ideas while giving sight to others who may not be in their position. The hip-hop scene in Denver, Colorado is also full of politically minded artists as well such as Naeem Oba, Sunkenstate, Slim Pickens, Maneline, Whygee, Ancient Mith, Debajo Del Agua, Damon JeVon and the Flobots. 

 

Hip-hop music is dealing with subjects that governors, mayors and the media aren’t talking about. Much too often hip-hop music is stereotyped as being negative and filled with violence, materialism, homophobia and misogyny. Hip-hop is simply a reflection and perspective of what is going on in communities across the world.