Political Rappers

[commiecrusader]

looking for suggestions of good political rappers. i know about some, such as Tupac obviously, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Nas (to a certain extent political) and Klashnekoff, but what other good political rappers are there (American or English or whatever)?

thanks :D

[1949]

The Coup. Unfortunately, I've only heard one song by them: Ride the Fence (link) (http://www.blackmustache.com/ride.html)

I've read that The Coup have strong Maoist sympathies.

Mos Def and Talib Kweli have some socially-conscious music, to a certain extent. More so than Nas, but not quite like Dead Prez or Immortal Technique.

[commiecrusader]

the mos def remix ive heard seemed shite. i mean, it was a remix so it wasnt his own song i dont think, but it just seemed so shit. cant even remember what it was about. as for the others ill have to look into them. thanks :D

[1949]

Interesting fact: Mos Def and Talib Kweli, along with Fat Joe (who is part Cuban) and some others, performed at the 5th Annual Cuban Rap Festival in Havana in 1999. There are a ton of rappers from Cuba. Read about it on this reactionary-ass website (link) (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-campaign2002/734698/posts).

[celtopunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 6 2004, 11:26 PM
looking for suggestions of good political rappers. i know about some, such as Tupac obviously, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Nas (to a certain extent political) and Klashnekoff, but what other good political rappers are there (American or English or whatever)?

thanks :D
Well let's see; Public Enemy, KRS1, Sage Francis, Michael Franti and Spearhead as well as his previous bands Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and the Beatnigs. Steve Zearle is another. Marxman had some good songs with Irish influences, the Iron Sheik has some great stuff from a Palestinian perspective, the Arab Legion, Robby Bee and the Boyz on the Rez did some Native American hip hop, Seanchai does Irish influenced hip hop. Control Machete I believe are from Mexico. All of this stuff is political. If you go on Soulseek you can find most of it. The Iron Sheik stuff can be downloaded from his website, the same with Steve Zearle.

[commiecrusader]

thanks both of you. open for more suggestions from other people as well though lol

[Hampton]

Mr. Lif- Emergancy Rations and I Phantom
Non Phixion
Saigon- Warning Shots
Zion I- Deep Water Slang
Ras Kass, Soul On Ice, Van Gogh
Outerspace- Blood & Ashes
Paris- Sonic Jihad
Tupac Shakur- Still I Rise, All Eyez on Me disc 2, 7 Day Theory, 2Pacalypse Now, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.

[socialistfuture]

add last emporer and Pharoahe Monch to the list.
there are some rappers who only do political songs in cameo's

some songs like that are:

dead prez ft krazie bone - walk like a warrior

de la soul ft mos def - big beat brother

krs one & saul williams - ocean within


man i love political rap. there some clever people out there.

[commiecrusader]

thanks again all. yeah political rap is the best kind i reckon, although some others are just good to listen to like ICP - funny, good rappers, good production. is much of Esham's stuff very political? he's on the Psychopathic Label thats owned by ICP

[Louis Pio]

ICP is wack but extremely funny :D
One of my friends is a die hard juggalo, I have to restrain him from rapping when he's high or else I would go insane :P

On leftist rappers there is quite a few and alot of them has been mentioned here. What strikes me though is that you leave out Public Enemy, they are probably the most succesfull in spreading left ideas. Back in the days their influence was enormous. They made teens all around the world question the political system. And they were even seen as a threat towards the system by the CIA who keept them under surveilance, appart from that they even managed to develop hip-hop untill the industry put an end to that by banning the free use of samples.
A comrade made an interview and a background article about them, I suggest you read it if you are interested.

"We don’t care what color the oppressor is, It is the oppression that connects us for real" - An interview with Public Enemy (http://www.marxist.com/ArtAndLiterature/public_enemy_interview.html)

Public Enemy: Power to the People and the Beats (http://www.marxist.com/ArtAndLiterature/public_enemy_art.html)

Apart from that rappers like Ice Cube or Ice T has made quite social conscious songs even though they have been quite well off for a long time. But the same is the case with most of the rappers you posted also.

[1949]

Damn, Teis is right. I can't believe I forgot Public Enemy. I like Public Enemy too, which is why I have a Flavor Flav quote in my sig, but, I don't particularly like their connections to the Nation of Islam and Jesse Jackson.

[Louis Pio]

I don't particularly like their connections to the Nation of Islam and Jesse Jackson.

Me neither. But artists are normally quite confused and the good they have done is bigger than their bad sides. And a very big plus is that they never jumped the "gangsta" wagon just to sell records.

[Kez]

Dead Prez is really good musically for a Left artist, although more of a black struggle than workers, but still, good.

RedDagger..bit hiphop bit RnB

Whats some of Zachs Rochas work like now? any out yet? lazy bum.

[Comrade BNS]

Corporate Avenger......not too many people have heard of them, but with songs like "Taxes are stealing" and "Fault the Police" you can't go wrong.

Comrade BNS

[1949]

Originally posted by Comrade [email protected] 11 2004, 05:19 PM
Corporate Avenger......not too many people have heard of them, but with songs like "Taxes are stealing" and "Fault the Police" you can't go wrong.

Comrade BNS
"Taxes Are Stealing" could be a reactionary song. Are they doing that song from the perspective of like a libertarian, or like someone wanting to establish a taxless socialist society, like Albania when it was socialist?

[Kaan]

Definitely check out the coup, really underrated rap group. Way better than Dead Prez in my opinion. The first line of their first album (called kill my landlord) is "Presto, read the communist manifesto", later in the same song it says "I'm down with Mao".

Saigon is really good, but not all of his shit is political, but "Kiss the Babies" is definitely good. Also check out a song called "CIA" by KRS-One, Zach De La Rocha and Last Emperor (Be careful though, 'cause you head just might explode).

[commiecrusader]

compared to Revolutionary Vol. 2, how good is Revolutionary Vol. 1 by Immortal Technique? Vol. 2 is probably my favourite rap album ever its sooo good. also does anyone know if he's doing any new stuff?

[BOZG]

Lyrically The Coup are alright but musically, they're not the greatest. Quite openly communist or claim to be at least.

[commiecrusader]

also are 'jedi mind tricks' good? dunno if they're political or not but on amazon theyre in same category is immortal technique

[RageAgainstTheKennedys]

public enemy is one of the only rap artist's or groups i like.

cause they actually have something to say besides the word tipsy.

[RageAgainstTheKennedys]

public enemy is one of the only rap artist's or groups i like.

cause they actually have something to say besides the word tipsy.

[RageAgainstTheKennedys]

public enemy is one of the only rap artist's or groups i like.

cause they actually have something to say besides the word tipsy.

[Hampton]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 07:14 AM
also are 'jedi mind tricks' good? dunno if they're political or not but on amazon theyre in same category is immortal technique
Jedi's not so bad, not really political but there is some sentiments of it, their new one Legacy of Blood is pretty good, there is a some anti gay stuff on there though. You gotta like Vinnie Paz though I think to like em.

[Hampton]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 07:14 AM
also are 'jedi mind tricks' good? dunno if they're political or not but on amazon theyre in same category is immortal technique
Jedi's not so bad, not really political but there is some sentiments of it, their new one Legacy of Blood is pretty good, there is a some anti gay stuff on there though. You gotta like Vinnie Paz though I think to like em.

[Hampton]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 07:14 AM
also are 'jedi mind tricks' good? dunno if they're political or not but on amazon theyre in same category is immortal technique
Jedi's not so bad, not really political but there is some sentiments of it, their new one Legacy of Blood is pretty good, there is a some anti gay stuff on there though. You gotta like Vinnie Paz though I think to like em.

[Xvall]

The Basement - Final Hour

[Xvall]

The Basement - Final Hour

[Xvall]

The Basement - Final Hour

[dsmtuner]

So are there any fans of hip hop here? not just the political stuff?? It seems that anything that is not political or revolutionary isn't very respected here

[dsmtuner]

So are there any fans of hip hop here? not just the political stuff?? It seems that anything that is not political or revolutionary isn't very respected here

[dsmtuner]

So are there any fans of hip hop here? not just the political stuff?? It seems that anything that is not political or revolutionary isn't very respected here

[Hampton]

It isn't for the most part, but there a couple of people who like non political rap, myself one of them.

[Hampton]

It isn't for the most part, but there a couple of people who like non political rap, myself one of them.

[Hampton]

It isn't for the most part, but there a couple of people who like non political rap, myself one of them.

[DJ B-Lank]

me being another

[DJ B-Lank]

me being another

[DJ B-Lank]

me being another

[dsmtuner]

They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh

[dsmtuner]

They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh

[dsmtuner]

They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh

[percept¡on]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 02:33 AM
later in the same song it says "I'm down with Mao".
Actually he says "How now Brown Cow I'm down with the Mau Mau"

The Mau Mau were an African Independence/Revolutionary guerrilla group

[percept¡on]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 02:33 AM
later in the same song it says "I'm down with Mao".
Actually he says "How now Brown Cow I'm down with the Mau Mau"

The Mau Mau were an African Independence/Revolutionary guerrilla group

[percept¡on]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2004, 02:33 AM
later in the same song it says "I'm down with Mao".
Actually he says "How now Brown Cow I'm down with the Mau Mau"

The Mau Mau were an African Independence/Revolutionary guerrilla group

[The Forum Idiot]

I like very little rap...And I need a reason to like it...here's a list of the 5 (yes, only 5) rap artists I like and why I like them:

Public Enemy: very left wing, political and even described as a punkish rap band
Tupac - Well, I haven't actually heard any of his stuff but I wanna hear some...
The Streets - Clearly inspired by a lot of rock music
Run DMC - Again....heard very little but I think they're kinda leftist and they definately aren't one of those dumbass motherfucker "we hate all rock even though effectively if there had been no rock there would be no rap" coz of their great song with Aerosmith...
hmm....the other was Eminem who I don't really like...I like a few songs but i ain't intending to hunt out his stuff like the others.

[The Forum Idiot]

I like very little rap...And I need a reason to like it...here's a list of the 5 (yes, only 5) rap artists I like and why I like them:

Public Enemy: very left wing, political and even described as a punkish rap band
Tupac - Well, I haven't actually heard any of his stuff but I wanna hear some...
The Streets - Clearly inspired by a lot of rock music
Run DMC - Again....heard very little but I think they're kinda leftist and they definately aren't one of those dumbass motherfucker "we hate all rock even though effectively if there had been no rock there would be no rap" coz of their great song with Aerosmith...
hmm....the other was Eminem who I don't really like...I like a few songs but i ain't intending to hunt out his stuff like the others.

[The Forum Idiot]

I like very little rap...And I need a reason to like it...here's a list of the 5 (yes, only 5) rap artists I like and why I like them:

Public Enemy: very left wing, political and even described as a punkish rap band
Tupac - Well, I haven't actually heard any of his stuff but I wanna hear some...
The Streets - Clearly inspired by a lot of rock music
Run DMC - Again....heard very little but I think they're kinda leftist and they definately aren't one of those dumbass motherfucker "we hate all rock even though effectively if there had been no rock there would be no rap" coz of their great song with Aerosmith...
hmm....the other was Eminem who I don't really like...I like a few songs but i ain't intending to hunt out his stuff like the others.

[commiecrusader]

Yeah I still like non-political rap if it's a) good and b) doesn't go on about fucking bling too much.

Example, ICP rock the kasbah. Little John and the Eastside Boyz are pretty wicked. And some Jay-Z songs are quite good like 99 problems, which doesn't seem that obsessed by the bling in that song. Twisted is another good rapper on the ICP label.

[commiecrusader]

Yeah I still like non-political rap if it's a) good and b) doesn't go on about fucking bling too much.

Example, ICP rock the kasbah. Little John and the Eastside Boyz are pretty wicked. And some Jay-Z songs are quite good like 99 problems, which doesn't seem that obsessed by the bling in that song. Twisted is another good rapper on the ICP label.

[commiecrusader]

Yeah I still like non-political rap if it's a) good and b) doesn't go on about fucking bling too much.

Example, ICP rock the kasbah. Little John and the Eastside Boyz are pretty wicked. And some Jay-Z songs are quite good like 99 problems, which doesn't seem that obsessed by the bling in that song. Twisted is another good rapper on the ICP label.

[Louis Pio]

I like non-political hip hop too (and by saying hip hop I don't mean pop rap like 50 cent)

Especially the more wack stuff like Kool Keith (in all his various personas) and Del Tha Funky Homosapien (especially Deltron 3030).
Also stuff like Ice Cube, Ice T, Devin the Dude and various others

[Louis Pio]

I like non-political hip hop too (and by saying hip hop I don't mean pop rap like 50 cent)

Especially the more wack stuff like Kool Keith (in all his various personas) and Del Tha Funky Homosapien (especially Deltron 3030).
Also stuff like Ice Cube, Ice T, Devin the Dude and various others

[Louis Pio]

I like non-political hip hop too (and by saying hip hop I don't mean pop rap like 50 cent)

Especially the more wack stuff like Kool Keith (in all his various personas) and Del Tha Funky Homosapien (especially Deltron 3030).
Also stuff like Ice Cube, Ice T, Devin the Dude and various others

[celtopunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 04:51 PM
They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh
Who is this "they" of which you speak?

I do listen to some apolitical rock stuff like the Cramps and some other Rockabilly/Psychobilly mostly because it makes me laugh and I dig the music. But to be honest if there is nothing substantive being said I get bored after a while. Whereas if the lyrics are political it gets my brain going and I can listen to it for a long time without wanting to hear something else. So the same holds true for me with hip hop, plus I don't care for the style of a lot of the newer hip hop that I hear. Just like I don't care for the newer style punk that has been coming out over the past few years.

[celtopunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 04:51 PM
They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh
Who is this "they" of which you speak?

I do listen to some apolitical rock stuff like the Cramps and some other Rockabilly/Psychobilly mostly because it makes me laugh and I dig the music. But to be honest if there is nothing substantive being said I get bored after a while. Whereas if the lyrics are political it gets my brain going and I can listen to it for a long time without wanting to hear something else. So the same holds true for me with hip hop, plus I don't care for the style of a lot of the newer hip hop that I hear. Just like I don't care for the newer style punk that has been coming out over the past few years.

[celtopunk]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 04:51 PM
They all like non-political rock but not hip hop mostly, eh
Who is this "they" of which you speak?

I do listen to some apolitical rock stuff like the Cramps and some other Rockabilly/Psychobilly mostly because it makes me laugh and I dig the music. But to be honest if there is nothing substantive being said I get bored after a while. Whereas if the lyrics are political it gets my brain going and I can listen to it for a long time without wanting to hear something else. So the same holds true for me with hip hop, plus I don't care for the style of a lot of the newer hip hop that I hear. Just like I don't care for the newer style punk that has been coming out over the past few years.