September 12, 2010

  • WHERE IS THE REBEL MUSIC? - PIMPING PAST THE REVOLUTION

     

     

     

     

    "Music is supposed to inspire...Everything you drop is so tired..."
    Lauryn Hill - "SUPERSTAR"

     


    BIG PIMPIN Jay Z    BIG PIMPIN 2 Tha Dogg PoundEARLY MORNIN STONED PIMP Kid Rock

    AIN'T NOTHIN LIKE PIMPIN Too Short
    (etc....ad infinitum)



    AMERICAN SKIN Bruce Springsteen    DIALLO Wyclef Jean

    41:19 Public Enemy

    DEVILS IN A BLUE DRESS Will Villainova



     
    I am weary with music that degrades, exploits, and poisons minds.
    I am sick of misogyny in syncopation. There is so much more to sing
    about.We are at war in Amerikkka. We who are poor or Black or female or
    gay or uneducated or unemployed or underemployed or underpaid... Music is
    supposed to heal our war weary souls. Increasingly, music is most
    often simply soundtracks of oppression, rather than solace for the
    oppressed.This pains me greatly. The only thing that pains me more is the fact
    that the faces of the mindless singers of these moronic songs look like
    my own. That manic mirror reflection bothers me more intensely than I
    can describe...

    Does it bother anyone else that a gifted humanitarian like Bruce
    Springsteen is being deservedly praised for his tribute to a brother
    martyr like Amadou Diallo, while a ludicrous aging gangsta rapper like
    Dr. Dre is STILL pumping out genocidal garbage; with a new
    trainee-wigga-of-the-month named Eminem (as in M & M; Misogyny
    and Machismo) in tow???!!!

    It is truly ironic that a rich white male has chosen to pen a protest song.
    Clearly, it is poor black men like Diallo who bear the brunt of
    epidemic police brutality and municipally sanctioned mass murders.
    So, what are most of Springsteen's young black male industry peers
    singing about as he mourns Diallo? Money, booty, jewelry, pimping,
    bimbos, cars, and other hedonistic madness!!!

    What motivates a racist industry that showers any fool who can rhyme
    with millions of dollars? Why are there no industry scouts grooming
    the next Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, or Dinah
    Washington?     How many more cloned gangsta rappers do we need to
    hear????

    I am a musicologist and a DJ. Music is like oxygen to me. I could
    never live without it. I am depressed by how much popular music bores and repulses me.

    To say that most music on the radio is meaningless would be
    inaccurate. Meaning is always subjective. Certainly, most popular
    music is meaningless to me.There are those who argue that music is supposed to be escapist. To
    them I say: Music should never be exclusively escapist! To sing
    exclusively about fantasy is to deny and lose touch with reality. The
    revolution will not be televised. It will also not roll up on us in a Benz,
    sport a thong, flash ice, or stroll in pimping...This pervasive and peculiar obsession with pimping has moved beyond
    music and movies to children's animation! A whole new generation of
    youthful minds is soon to be poisoned by "Lil Pimp". This animated
    Internet series from Mediatrip.com is now set to become an animated
    feature film. Misogynist mentacide is now being marketed to the
    Pokemon demographic!!!

    I revere those artists who sing about things that are more real and relevant
    than pimping. I thank all of them who dare to pay tribute to Diallo and
    use their musical gifts to soothe and expose all of the wrongs and pains
    that we endure...We need such odes to physical, mental, and spiritual
    executions that occur en masse globally and daily.

    No sane person can deny that Diallo was publicly executed. Like so
    many others, he was simply Black, male, and disposable in eyes,
    and at the ends of gun barrels, that belonged to rabid agents of martial
    law, also known as police officers.

    Fortunately, there are always exceptions to every rule. Many African-
    American artists and others have composed political songs. I deeply
    regret that so very few of them are young or currently in rotation on radio or
    video shows.

    The following partial list is a tribute to those who use music to inspire
    rather than sabotage Revolution. (I welcome your additions to this list
    indefinitely at: ambwww@yahoo.com)


    STRANGE FRUIT Billie Holiday    SOUL ON ICE Me'Shell NdegeocelloSUPERSTAR Lauryn Hill

    LOST ONES Lauryn Hill

    STRANGE FRUIT D'Wayne Wiggins

    REDEMPTION SONG Bob Marley & The Wailers

    THEM BELLY FULL BUT WE HUNGRY Bob Marley & The Wailers

    EXODUS Bob Marley & The Wailers

    BURNIN' & LOOTIN' Bob Marley & The Wailers

    WAR Bob Marley & The Wailers

    NO MORE TROUBLE Bob Marley & The Wailers

    IN THESE TIMES Errol Walker

    SONG FOR ASSATA Common

    CELL THERAPY Goodie Mob

    AXIOMS OF CREAMY SPIES Diggable Planets

    GET IT STRAIGHT AFRICANS Sister Carol

    COLUMBUS Calypso Rose

    SONG FOR HUEY Hugh Masakela

    WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER Timmy Thomas

    BIKO Sweet Honey in the Rock

    FANNIE LOU HAMER Sweet Honey in the Rock

    JOAN LITTLE Sweet Honey in the Rock

    NO IMAGES Sweet Honey in the Rock

    SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG Labi Siffre

    MANDELA Hugh Masakela

    PEARLS Sade

    FEEL NO PAIN Sade

    LETTER TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING Sweet Honey in the Rock

    JOANN LITTLE Bernice Reagon

    JONATHAN Elaine Brown

    BALL OF CONFUSION The Temptations

    POWER TO THE PEOPLE The Chi-Lites

    FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH Buffalo Springfield

    BRING THE BOYS HOME Freda Payne

    WAR Edwin Starr

    ONE TIN SOLDIER The Original Caste

    FORTUNATE SON Credence Clearwater Revival

    GIVE PEACE A CHANCE The Plastic Ono Band

    A DAY IN THE LIFE The Beatles

    WAR PARTY Eddie Grant

    NEW WORLD ORDER Wailing Souls

    NO MIRRORS IN MY NANAS HOUSE Sweet Honey in the Rock

    WITEMAN COUNTRY Mutabaruka

    PEOPLE'S COURT Mutabaruka

    GREAT QUEENS OF AFRICA Mutabaruka

    GREAT KINGS OF AFRICA Mutabaruka

    BLACK WOMAN Marcia Griffiths

    KEEP YOUR HEAD UP Tupac Shakur

    FREEDOM OF SPEECH Ice-T

    WHITE MAN'S GOT A GOD COMPLEX The Last Poets

    DEAR ROSA LaBelle

    SISTER ROSA The Neville Brothers

    WHEN THE REVOLUTION COMES The Last Poets

    BLACK PEOPLE WHAT Y'ALL GON' DO The Last Poets

    JOHANNESBURG Gil Scott-Heron

    WHEN THE REVOLUTION COMES The Last Poets

    THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED The Last Poets

    NIGGERS ARE SCARED OF REVOLUTION The Last Poets

    JUST BECAUSE The Last Poets

    STAY ON THE BATTLEFIELD Sweet Honey in the Rock & Sonia Sanchez

    COLOURS Sweet Honey in the Rock

    MANY RAINS AGO Lletta Mbulu

    SOWETO BLUES Miriam Makeba

    WELELA Miriam Makeba

    ALUTA CONTINUA Miriam Makeba

    19 Harold Faltermeyer

    VIETNAM Jimmy Cliff

    ELECTRIC AVENUE Eddy Grant

    A REAL MOTHER FOR YA Johnny Guitar Watson

    AIN'T THAT A BITCH Johnny Guitar Watson

    WINTER IN AMERICA Gil Scott-Heron

    TUMBLING DOWN Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

    CONSCIOUS PARTY Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

    TOMMORROW PEOPLE Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

    RE-RON Gil Scott-Heron

    "B" MOVIE Gil Scott-Heron

    BLACK COP KRS-ONE

    SOUND OF DA POLICE KRS-ONE

    HANDS OF A STRANGER Hard Knocks

    A DIRTY COP NAMED HARRY Hard Knocks

    ROAD TO THE PRECINCT Hard Knocks

    ARE MY HANDS CLEAN? Sweet Honey in the Rock

    PIRATE JENNY Nina Simone

    REVOLUTION The Beatles/Nina Simone

    LET 'EM IN Paul McCartney & Wings/Billy Paul

    MISSISSIPPI GODDAMN Nina Simone

    THE KING OF LOVE IS DEAD Nina Simone

    FOUR WOMEN Nina Simone

    PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE The Rascals

    SMALL AXE Bob Marley & The Wailers

    LIKE A ROLLING STONE Bob Dylan

    HURRICANE Bob Dylan

    MASTERS OF WAR Bob Dylan

    NOT SO SOFT Ani Difranco

    EVERY STATE LINE Ani Difranco

    ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD Neil Young

    FIRE & EARTH X-Clan

    THEY SCHOOLS Dead Prez

    MIND SEX Dead Prez

    REVOLUTION Arrested Development

    CRAZY BALDHEADS Bob Marley & The Wailers

    STOP THE WAR NOW Edwin Starr

    WE WEAR THE CROWN Gary Bird Experience

    WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears for Fears

    WOMAN IS THE NIGGER OF THE WORLD John Lennon

    POWER TO THE PEOPLE John Lennon

    WHAT'S GOING ON? Marvin Gaye

    MERCY MERCY ME Marvin Gaye

    WOMEN SHOULD BE A PRIORITY Sweet Honey in the Rock

    IN THESE TIMES Erroll Walker

    AFRICAN CHILDREN Aswaad

    YOUNG GIFTED & BLACK Nina Simone

    DON'T GIVE ME NO BROCCOLI AND TELL ME IT'S GREENS The Last Poets

    SAY IT LOUD (I'M BLACK AND I'M PROUD) James Brown

    I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO GIVE ME NOTHING (OPEN UP THE DOOR AND I'LL GET IT MYSELF) James Brown

    HEAVEN HELP US ALL Stevie Wonder

    YOU WILL KNOW Stevie Wonder

    GHETTO HEAVEN The Family Stand

    THE GHETTO Donny Hathaway

    (FOR GOD'S SAKE) GIVE MORE POWER TO THE PEOPLE The Chi-Lites

    BRIGHT SUNNY GHETTO DAY Crystal Waters

    JUST ANOTHER DAY Queen Latifah

    STONED SOUL PICNIC The Fifth Dimension

    FAMILY REUNION The O'Jays

    WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge

    OOH CHILD The Five Stairsteps

    CHOCOLATE Sandra St. Victor

    BE REAL BLACK FOR ME Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

    BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE'S HAIR Nina Simone

    FREEDOM "Panther" choir

    STAND Sly & The Family Stone

    KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR Bob Dylan/Randy Crawford

    SPACE IS THE PLACE Sun Ra & His Arkestra

    WALKING ON THE MOON Sun Ra & His Arkestra

    OUTER SPACEWAYS INCORPORATED Sun Ra & His Arkestra

    FATE IN A PLEASANT MOOD Sun Ra & His Arkestra

    NEW DAY George Benson

    BORN TO FIGHT Tracy Chapman

    TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION Tracy Chapman

    TO EACH HIS OWN Patrice Rushen

    MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THY PEOPLE YOU'RE DYING Buffy Sainte-Marie

    BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE Buffy Sainte-Marie

    INDIAN RESERVATION Paul Revere and The Raiders

    TOO MUCH TALK Paul Revere and The Raiders

    SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Max Frost and The Troopers

    SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES Bob Dylan

    AMERICAN RUSE MC5

    HITLER DAY Public Enemy

    HE Consolidated

    THE RADICAL Russell Means

    BULLS ON PARADE Rage Against the Machine

    THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD Bruce Springsteen

    MAGGIE'S FARM Bob Dylan

    SCHOOL DAYS Labi Siffre

    BEHIND THE WALL Tracy Chapman

    CAN'T TRUSS IT Public Enemy

    FIGHT THE POWER Public Enemy

    DEAR MAMA Tupac Shakur

    CHANGES Tupac Shakur

    BEDS ARE BURNING Midnight Oil

    THE LIGHT Common

    GHETTO HEAVEN Common & Macy Gray

    GHETTO HEAVEN The Family Stand

    YOUR'E PLAYING US TOO CLOSE Third World

    WOULD YOU HARBOR ME? Sweet Honey in the Rock

    CRAZY Seal

    WHAT ABOUT ME? Richie Havens

    WATCHING ME Jill Scott

    A LONG WALK Jill Scott

    ONE IS THE MAGIC # Jill Scott

    BROTHA Jill Scott

    SLAVERY'S BACK IN EFFECT Sister Souljah

    DEAR GOD Willie D.

    IF I WAS WHITE Willie D.

    THE EVIL THAT MEN DO Queen Latifah

    WAR NO MORE Wyclef Jean

    NEVER B PEACE Tupac Shakur

    WAR Tupac Shakur

    IN A WORLD GONE MAD Beastie Boys

    TWISTED SENSE OF GOD Chuck D & Fine Arts Militia

    REVOLUTION Dead Prez

    WAR Dead Prez

    KNOW YOUR ENEMY Dead Prez

    GET UP Dead Prez & The Coup

    TIME FOR PEACE Digital Underground, Paris, Sway, & Tech

    CASUALTIES OF WAR Eric B & Rakim

    MY PEOPLE Jazzy Jeff and Raheim

    SON OF A BUSH Public Enemy

    BLACK STEEL IN THE HOUR OF CHAOS Public Enemy

    CHANGES Tupac Shakur

    DEAR MAMA Tupac Shakur

    BEDS ARE BURNING Midnight Oil

    MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THY PROPLE YOU'RE DYING Buffy Sainte-Marie

    BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE Buffy Sainte-Marie

    INDIAN RESERVATION Paul Revere & The Raiders

    TOO MUCH TALK Paul Revere & The Raiders

    SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Max Frost & The Troopers

    SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES Bob Dylan

    AMERICAN RUSE MC5

    HITLER DAY Public Enemy

    HE Consolidated

    502 YEARS With/Out Rezervation

    CORTEZ THE KILLER Neil Young

    COLORS OF THE WIND Vanessa Williams

    HELD DOWN De La Soul

    MILLION VOICES Wyclef Jean

    REVOLVERLUTION Public Enemy


    ________________________________________    Labi Siffre : Traitors To The Black Nation
    the denigration of the female
    referred to in these verses
    is a black community rap disease
    that involves, like chat room
    pedophile wiles, the grooming
    by video tuning of a generation
    of black girls eager to be women;
    a rhyming scheme to persuade 'em
    that all they're for, to get to be
    the main squeeze, is to give it up easy
    beaver and bubble butt to some posturing
    fake who, though black, ain't no better flava
    than an old time white slaver
    it's a matter of role models and if all girls get
    is "good girls give it up" then gangsta sex
    rap is just another self-hate way to help
    the black community self-destruct

    © labi siffre '06    SEE MORE MAGNIFICENT POETRY BY LABI SIFFRE AT:
    http://www.intothelight.info/

     

     

     

    Gil Scott-Heron 

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