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Political Hip Hop


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Now purely coincidentally, i just posted some stuff elsewhere on The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (who I happen to be "listening to right now"), citing them as an example of how skilful, intelligent, articulate and insightful social/political commentary can exist in the context of song. If you're not familiar with them already, I would strongly recommend their album "Hiphoprisy Is The Greatest Luxury"; it sounds like it might be right up your alley.

PS. Its not much more recent than Public Enemy (1992): I didn't read that caveat until afterwards...Sorry. But check them out anyway, I don't think you'll be disappointed...

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Where is the Love - Black Eyed Peas

"Wrong information always shown by the media

Negative images is the main criteria

Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria

Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema

Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity

Whatever happened to the fairness in equality

Instead in spreading love we spreading animosity

Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity"

The Proud - Talib Kweli

N**** with knowledge is more dangerous than than n**** with guns

They make the guns easy to get and try to keep n**** dumb

Target the gangs and graffiti with the Prop 21

I already know the deal but what the **** do I tell my son?

I want him livin right, livin good, respect the rules

He's five years old and he still thinkin cops is cool

How do I break the news that when he gets some size

He'll be percieved as a threat or see the fear in they eyes"

Some more politically minded recent rap artists are Mos Def, Common and Nas. Good luck.

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Diamonds are Forever (remix) - Kanye West

Good morning! This ain't Vietnam, still

People loses hands, legs, arms, for real

Little was known of Sierra Leone

and how it connected to the diamonds we own

When I speak of diamonds in the song

I ain't talking bout the ones to be glown

I'm talkin' bout Roc-a-Fella, my home

My chain, these ain't 'Conflict Diamonds'

Is they Jacob? Don't lie to me, man

See, a part of me say keep shinin'

How? When I know what a 'Blood Diamond' is

Though it's thousands of miles away

Sierra Leon connected to what we go through today

Over here, it's a drug trade, we die from drugs

Over there, they die from what we buy from drugs

The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charms-es

I thought my Jesus piece was so harmless

'Til I seen a picture of a shorty armless

And here's the conflict...

It's in a black person's soul to rock that gold

Spend your whole life tryin' get that ice

Oh, the Polo rugby, you look so nice

How could something so wrong make me feel so right?

Right before I beat up myself like Ike

You could still throw your Roc-A-Fella Diamond tonight

Because...

Diamonds are forever

[Jay-Z]Yup! I got it from here, 'Ye, damn

The chain remains, the game is intact

The name is mine, I'll take the blame for that

The pressure's on, but guess who ain't gon' crack?

Pardon me, I had to laugh at that

How could you falter, when you the Rock of Gibralter

I had to get off the boat, so I could walk on water

This ain't no tall order, this is nothing to me

Typical takes a day, impossible takes a week

I do this in my sleep

I sold kilos of coke, I'm guessin' I could sell CDs

I'm not a business-man, I'm a business, man!

Let me handle my business, damn

Kanye-z, you got me, Freeway then Foxy,

YG's, Tearri Mari, Peedi, watch me

Bleek could be one hit away his whole career

As long as I'm alive, he's a millionaire

And even if I die, he's in my will somewhere

So he could just kick back and chill somewhere

Oh yeah, he don't even have to write rhymes

The Dynasty, like my money last three life times

Shirley Bassey in rear, saying "exactly''

Whatever, saying "practically" my whole career

The Diamond is forever, I be monumous forever

Now the Louis Vuitton Don is comin', couldn't be better

People lined up to see the Titanic sinking

Instead, we rose from the ashes like a phoenix

If you waitin' for end of the Dynasty sign

It would seem like forever, it's a mighty long time

I'm Young, b*****s!

Goodnight!

Heard 'Em Say featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5

Mr. West(echoes)

(Kanye West)

Uh, Yeah, Uh, yeah, uh, yeah, uh, yeah

Piano drops

And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

From the CHI, like Tim its the Hard-a-way,

So this is in the name of love, like Robert say,

before you ask me to go get a job today, can i at least get a raise on a minimum wage?

And I know the goverment administered aids,

So I guess we just pray like the minister say,

Allah Akbar and throw em some hot cars,

Things we see on the screen is not ours,

But these niggas from the hood so these dreams not far,

Where im from, the dope boys is the rock stars,

But they can't cop cars without seein' cop cars,

I guess they want us all behind bars.

I know it.

-Chorus- (Adam Levine)

Uh,And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

(ooooooooo)

And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

(Nothing's ever promised tomorrow today.)

But we'll find a way

(And nothing lasts forever but be honest babe, it hurts but it may be the only way)

(Kanye)

They say people in your life are seasons,

And anything that happen is for a reason,

And niggas gun clappin and keep to squeezin',

And Gran (Grandma) keep prayin' and keep believin',

In Jesus and one day that ya see him,

Till then walk in his footsteps and try to be him,

The devil is alive I feel him breathin',

Claimin' money is the key so keep on dreamin',

And put those lottery tickets just to tease us,

My aunt Pam can't put them cigarettes down,

Now my lil' cousin smokin them cigarettes now,

His job trying to claim that he too niggerish now,

Is it cuz his skin blacker than licorice now?

I can't figure it out...

I'm Stickin it out....

-Chorus- (Adam Levine)

Uh, And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

(ooooooooo)

And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

(Nothing's ever promised tomorrow today.)

But we'll find a way

(And nothing lasts forever but be honest babe,

It hurts but it may be the only way)

(Cuz every worthless word we get more far away, and nothing's ever promised tomorrow today, And nothing lasts forever but be honest babe,

It hurts but it may be the only way)

(Oooh, ooooh oooh)

(oooooooh, oh, oh, oooh, oh oh oh)

i know he's criticised for being too middle class but i still think he has alot to say about politics and society.

found this forum for discussing political hip hop if it's any good to you. haven't checked it out so it might be rubbish!!

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how bout the latest tupac song - he keeps releasing more and more topical stuff! :P

Ya know...i saw him the other day walkin down the street...then his posse came up to me and flashed a little light in my eye and tried to give me a new memory...the retards were facin it the wrong way though...so..now they think that they are 19 yr old whiteboys who sit at home all day on there computer and watch movies.

Anyway...im actually able to stand Jaime Foxx and a LITTLE bit of Eminem...he puts alot of heart into his songs and you can feel it. He talks about his kid his wife...his life...not JUST about sex killing and drugs. Its cool. He also put a background into one of his songs...he used Dream On by Aerosmith. Pretty cool.

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Ya know...i saw him the other day walkin down the street...then his posse came up to me and flashed a little light in my eye and tried to give me a new memory...the retards were facin it the wrong way though...so..now they think that they are 19 yr old whiteboys who sit at home all day on there computer and watch movies.

my brother told me about a sketch about a couple who are in a club discussing how the new tupac singles are magically so topical and then as they're dancing a new tupac song comes on where he's rapping about them and what they're doing and they're like...whaaaaaat?!

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