None of you have heard of Brother Ali?
Give this a listen! (Second verse is better)
Wow I haven’t posted in a while but this thread is right up my alley since I’m both a “hip hop head” and a libertarian.
Firstly, I’m not sure I share the critique of Immortal Technique. His rap to me seems mainly critical of government, secondly of big business. But this appears to be essentially a critique of corporatism and the military-industrial complex etc. (e.g. “government ties is really why the government lies/read it yourself instead of asking the government why/cause then the cause of death’ll cause the propaganda to die” – that was off the top of my head so I apologise if it’s slightly off). There are tons of other emcees that have a similar message, easily interpreted in an anti-authoritarian, rather than necessarily socialist way. Public Enemy, The Coup, Immortal Technique, Paris and plenty of the best political rappers fit into this segment. Incidentally, I don’t think Immortal Technique is a very skilled rapper, although he has made two very good albums. Dead Prez are pretty ignorant, their stuff is essentially anti-white racism, but they do have good stuff on the police state and they are very very skilled (ignore bloopers like “we do for self like ants in a colony/organise the wealth into a socialist economy/a way of life based on the common need”). Ras Kass is one of my favourite emcees but he also believes the WHO intentionally created aids to kill africans, and other propositions with little evidence.
Secondly, there are plenty of non-political rappers (too many to list), or emcees whose political stances would offend very few people (e.g. A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul), and if one just wants to listen to hip hop rather and not be annoyed by low-level political/economic arguments then this category would fit the bill. If one wants recommendations just ask.
Thirdly, there is plenty of good (some of it commercial, some not) self-aggrandising, consumeristic, greed-based hip hop which to some extent fits in with the types of capitalistic models we prescribe. Examples of good stuff like this would be: Jay-Z, Kool G Rap, Raekwon and many others.
Fourthly there exists on youtube plenty of decent (not amazing but pretty good) rap based on libertarian subject matter. Emcee “sleuth” has three good songs “Impeach Obama”, “End the Fed” and “You Hate Freedom”, and the “I Own Me” song linked before is pretty good.
Immortal calls himself a Socialist in this freestyle, make what you will of it, really I could care less.
I thought of this right away though..
Did you do the proper thing and punch him in the face and then tell him that Lil Wayne can suck a big one?
It was an employee, so I’m not trying to lose my job, yet. That morning at an employee meeting my GM pretty much said Lil Wayne’s a dumbass.
That’s free enterprise.
Yo, voluntary society, all based on propriety
Nujabes produced excellent hip-hop.
Probably my favorite Bush-era antiwar song:
“No matter what you do, G.W
There will be no dollar for you”
Busdriver is excellent if you are down with his rather distinct rhymings style. “Unemployed Black Astronaut” is an excellent track, and the video to his recent “Me Time” is deliciously weird.
Restiform Bodies last LP, “TV Loves You Back” is IMO a huge pointer in the direction hip-hop needs to go if it doesn’t want to disappear up it’s own posterior altogether.
Aesop Rock is always excellent. Made a fantastic grindhouse-inspired video for the song “Coffee” off the album “None Shall Pass”. Zombieliscious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrsj653088E
I don’t listen to hip hop but what I do listen to sadly does contain leftist rhetoric, Roger Waters from Pink Floyd has identified himself as a socialist and this occasionally comes through in the lyrics especially on the album Animals. I think other english classic rock is pretty leftist as well.
It isn’t uncommon to see creative minds who are ignoramuses on political economy, trying to get fancy by voicing their political views in their music. They figure they can get people who are big fans of their music who know even less then they do about political economy involved.
Just like that piece of shit bono who for some reason was invited to that world economic forum.
and
Aesop Rock is always excellent.
Agreed, but he’s also a member of the group The Weatherman, named after the political organization of the same name, hardly libertarian.
Drake, Kanye, Lil Wayne, etc. One guy asked me if I listen to Lil Wayne, and I asked if I look like I listen to Lil Waye, and he said yes. If he was serious, I’m really confused.
Anybody who likes hip hop and doesn’t think Kanye is amazing is trying too hard to be edgy.
I enjoy the music of DJ Quik from time to time. He’s an excellent rapper, and not a leftist (as far as I can tell). I’m not even aware of any pronounced political views of his.
I have loved Kanye ever since this.
Kanye can be amazing, but he can often dud as well, tons of plus points for stuff like
That doesn’t mean that 808’s wasnt among the most awful things i’ve ever heard.
I could name like 15 producers I think are better off the top of my head.
I’ve seen Technique a good 4 or 5 times live, as well as Mos Def. Amazing stage presence! I wish there was an anarchocapitalist version of technique.
Anyone listen to Pharoahe Monch?
Yep, Monch is one of my favorites.
Rich the factor seems like he would be a libertarian. Don’t know if any of you would like his style or what he particulary raps about but heres a couple songs that have some libertarian themes
For the individualists out there-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKD2EWLKcNU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2fwrImVfF8&feature=related
I thought 2pac, Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, and Outkast were all great. I don’t think they are very political. Maybe they are too mainstream.
I know Public Enemy is political, but I don’t know if they are left or what. If so, they are left in a good way like many of the black power radicals were. One of their songs “911 is a Joke” is actually a pretty good song from an economics point of view. Point out the incentives problem in so-called public services.
“Now I dialed 911 a long time ago
Don’t you see how late they’re reactin’
They only come and they come when they wanna
So get the morgue, embalm the goner
They don’t care 'cause they stay paid anyway
They teach ya like an ace they can’t be betrayed
I know you stumble with no use people
If your life is on the line they you’re dead today”
lol at 2pac not being political.
His after prison album was titled Killuminati. He preached how the illuminati was using rap music to keep black people down and caused them to commit black on black crime, etc. Go listen to some of his youtube videos.