Kanye West’s ‘New Slaves’ & 3 Other Dope Songs U Should Know that Tackle This Subject

Kanye West has pissed off two presidents

Kanye West

I’m loving the way Kanye West got his anti-prison message across with his new song ‘New Slaves’.. He stepped outside the box and had the video beam on sides of buildings in 66 cities.. That got every talking.. His appearance on Saturday Night Live added to the hype and of course him calling out private prisons (CCA-Corrections Corporation of America) took it over the top..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BKGp1XqddM

peep the lyrics to Kanye’s song..

[Verse 1]

My mama was raised in an era when/Clean water was only served to the fairer skin
Doing clothes you would have thought I had help/But they wouldn’t be satisfied unless I picked the cotton myself
You see its broke nigga racism/That’s that “don’t touch anything in the store”
And there’s rich nigga racism/That’s that “come in and buy more”
What you want a Bentley, fur coat and diamond chain?/All you blacks want all the same things
Used to only be niggas /Now everybody play me
Spending everything on that Alexander Wang/New Slaves

[Hook]
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers/But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower
You see it’s leaders and it’s followers/But I’d rather be a dick than a swallower

[Verse 2]

I throw these Maybach keys/I wear my heart on my sleeve
I know that we the new slaves/I see the blood on the leaves
I see the blood on the leaves/I see the blood on the leaves
I know that we the new slaves/I see the blood on the leaves
They throwing hate at me/Want me to stay at ease
Fuck you and your corporation/Y’all niggas can’t control me
I know that we the new slaves/I know that we the new slaves
I’m about to wild the fuck out/I’m going Bobby Boucher
I know that pussy ain’t free/You niggas pussy, ain’t me
Y’all throwing contracts at me/You know that niggas can’t read
Throw him some Maybach keys/Fuck it, c’est la vie
I know that we the new slaves/Y’all niggas can’t fuck with me
Y’all niggas can’t fuck with Ye/Y’all niggas can’t fuck with Ye
I move my family out the country /So you can’t see where I stay
So go and grab the reporters/So I can smash their recorders
Yeah they confuse us with bullshit/Like the New World Order
Meanwhile the DEA/Teamed up with the CCA
They tryna lock niggas up/They tryna make new slaves
See that’s that private-owned prison/Get your piece today
They prolly all in the Hamptons/Braggin’ ’bout they maid
Fuck you and your Hampton house/I’ll fuck your Hampton spouse
Came on her Hampton blouse/And in her Hampton mouth
Y’all ’bout to turn shit up/I’m ’bout to tear shit down
I’m ’bout to air shit out/Now what the fuck they gon’ say now?

Brother J

Brother J

While folks ponder over Kanye’s lyrics and the overall concept behind this song, we should keep in mind other artists who have hit on the subject of the prison industrial complex..and a return to slavery.. One of my favorites is Prisons by X-Clan‘s Brother J..along with jazz man Christian Scott.. This song came out a few years ago and went all the way in on this topic.. it starts off with political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal speaking and was a good precursor to Michele Alexander‘s ground breaking book the New Jim Crow.. which hit a year or so later.. Brother J’s lyrics are searing much the same way as Kanye’s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF5BddCHDfs

dead prez

dead prez

The classic cut that everyone should re-listen to is Police State by dead prez.. This is off their debut album Lets Get Free and features Chairman Omali Yeshitela of the Uhuru Movement.. Like Brother J.. dead prez goes all the way in on the topic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c_UdWo4Zek

sister souljah

sister souljah

This next song/video is a serious throwback to the hey days of Public Enemy and the Golden Era of Hip Hop.. Long time activist Sister Souljah was introduced to us via the song Buckwylin, put out by Terminator X of PE ..This led to her securing a record deal with Epic Records.. This song Final Solution: Slavery is Back in Effect was her first single..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcWgPEUT_x0

Lastly if folks want more info on prisons and their connection to Hip Hop be sure to read this article we posted a few weeks a back from rap artist Homeboy Sandman..Here he talks about the investment BET and MTV have in CCA and other private prisons.. You can peep that article HERE

3 Dope Songs from Public Enemy: The Hard Rhymer Never Lets Up

public Enemy ptAs we celebrate Public Enemy being inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight.. We wanted to remind people of some of their work.. What they have on deck is impressive.. These were some of the songs I really dug.. Enjoy..

So Whatcha Gonna Do Now This is one of my favorite songs from Public Enemy.. It was off the Muse Sick in Our Message album and sadly was overlooked by a lot of folks..  This song spawned one of  the first videos to show a Black President…15 years before Obama takes office..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhKqsIe283c

You can’t really talk about Public Enemy without making mention of this classic song ‘By the Time I get to Arizona‘. The video to this song sent shock waves throughout the country as the group depicted themselves killing two Senators and Governor  who opposed the Martin Luther King Holiday in Arizona.. The resulting controversy had critics calling rap and Public Enemy violent and a bad influence on kids.. Others said Dr King wouldn’t have like the video.. Those of us who tired of Arizona’s out right racism cheered the group on…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrFOb_f7ubw

Burn Hollywood Burn brought together 3 legends, Big Daddy Kane, Ice Cube and Chuck D who killed in both subject matter (Black stereotypical images in Hollywood and their performance.. This is a must for anyone who is a student of Hip Hop… It’s what made the so called Golden Era so powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhQGH6CbKhw

I know I said 3 Dope Songs, but I’m gonna toss this bonus cut in from Terminator X‘s album called Buck Whyling. Although known throughout New York for her activism.. Lisa Williamson became known to us as Sister Souljah and is the star of this video..She later went on to do her own album with production from the Bomb Squad … I wish PE and Souljah had done more songs together.. She was and still is a force to be reckoned with and her voice was able to cut through the noise like Chucks.. I don’t think America and maybe even the group itself was ready for that pairing..

On another note Terminator X’s album was butter.. he had a number of dope songs and was the first to pay tribute to Hip Hop pioneer Kool herc by actually having him do a song for the album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHBwwdegvSc

Lastly what y’all know about this song and rarely seen video? I’ll let it speak for itself.. I remember when the group performed this outside the GOP convention..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGFj7ypDfXQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am9BqZ6eA5c

A must see is this documentary about Public Enemy Prophets of Rage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fM_VXPZqBg

3 Dope Songs from Bay Area Emcee Rocky Rivera

press the link below to listen to our Hard Knock Radio intv w/ Rocky Rivera

 Rocky Rivera

Rocky Rivera is an accomplished journalist-turned-emcee whose editorials appeared in XXL, The Source and Rolling Stone Magazine before she decided to pursue an artist’s life.  Trading her moleskines for microphones, she’s dropped three musical projects since 2008, Married to the Hustle Mixtape, the self-titled album, Rocky Rivera, and the recent POP KILLER MXTP.  Her debut album was released in 2010 and since then, has garnered critical acclaim and press coverage from VIBE, 2DopeBoyz.com, Refinery29, and numerous music blogs across the web.

In 2012, Rocky became the only female artist at the VIBE HOUSE’s Respect The West Showcase at the SXSW Festival, sharing the stage with West Coast favorites such as Nipsey Hussle, Strong Arm Steady, Snoop Dog and Kendrick Lamar.

In the past, she’s opened up for diverse artists such as Zion-I, Macklemore, Blue Scholars, Pac Div and dead prez.

For more info check for at http://www.rockyrivera.com/

Below is my Hard Knock Radio intv w/ Rocky Rivera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgZ1r_xLjkM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvpu75gSaxM

This is one of my favorite songs from Rocky.. Lyrics are revolutionary and deep..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evrJJkUHZ4Y

 

 

 

3 Dope Songs from Spanish Rapper Arianna Puello

Arianna PuelloArianna Puello or Ari is a Spanish rapper of Dominican descent. Her single “Juana Kalamidad” reached number six on the Spanish Singles Chart. She lived in Dominican Republic before moving to Salt when she was 8 years old. She started out in the world of hip hop in 1993 when she recorded a song with a friend, and later joined a band with Bano known as N.O.Del KRIB (Nacidos Originalmente del Karibe).

After they split up, she joined another band, Discípulos del Micro, but she had her first hit with a collaboration on El Meswy‘s first album, Mujer chunga. In 1998, she released her first solo album, El tentempié . Her latest album is Kombate o Muere (Zona Bruta)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kt8laXBjZE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiAP5yyEQsY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBQ-rMtWgd4

 

3 Dope Songs from Aisha Fukushima the Raptavist

Aisha the RaptavistAisha Fukushima is an emcee,  singer, poet and self-proclaimed ‘RAPtivist’ (rap activist) hailing from Seattle, Washington / Yokohama, Japan. Aisha graduated from Whitman College in 2009 with an honors degree in Rhetoric and Film Studies and minors in French and Gender Studies.

Upon graduating, Aisha travelled the world on a Watson Fellow and created an international ‘RAPtivism’ (rap activism) project. Having lived in cities as diverse as Bangalore, Casablanca, London, Dakar, Cape Town and Copenhagen, she is constantly working to expand her knowledge of the intersections between hip hop and social justice around the globe.

Aisha has been writing and performing poetry and original music for over ten years. She has also established several community-based youth programs in Washington including the ‘Turn Off The Stereotypes’ project and the Whitman Institute of Summer Enrichment (WISE).

In addition to working with The Workshop, Aisha teaches middle schoolers in the San Francisco public school district, writes articles for New America Media and is working on a documentary film about her international ‘RAPtivism’ journey. In her free time, she enjoys learning new languages, visiting the farmers market and beatboxing. To learn more about her current work, visit http://raptivism.tumblr.com

Big shout out to Aisha for generously lending her talents for our Beats for the Revolution Mixtapes on Women and the Occupy Movements where she gave she provided us with some incredible drops and speech excerpts.. Also much props to her for providing us with key names for our Ultimate List of Female Emcees which she is a part of..

Here’s a recent Hard Knock Radio Interview we did with Aisha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSRr9Nqxdz8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHpO2YSFges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IRMsckH66o

3 Dope Songs From Aima the Dreamer

Aima the dreamerFor those in the know, Aima the Dreamer hails from Oakland and has been rockin’ crowds for years as a vocalist and MC with groups such as J-Boogie’s Dubtronic Science, The Mamaz, Goddess Alchemy Project and Jazz Mafia’s Brass, Bows and Beats Hip-Hop Symphony. All of this in addition to her own solo project has given her a variety of outlets with which to harness her energy as not only a talented MC and vocalist, but also as a strong, feminine woman who easily holds her own amongst a male-dominated industry.

As a freestyle rapper, poet, singer and versatile MC, Aima the Dreamer brings her array of talents and influences to the masses by way of her mixtape, released August 3rd, 2010. In addition to the mighty J-Boogie, the mixtape features a who’s who of underground and independent artists including Lyrics Born, Bassnectar, Crown City Rockers, DJ Vadim, Bunny Mack, Sola Rosa, Brass Mafia and many others.

check for her at http://aimathedreamer.com/?page_id=14

Below is an interview Aima did with our own Weyland Southon on Hard Knock Radio about her incredible mixtape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ozWccV4SM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDjm398ygXU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47zMOGwDMeg

3 Dope Songs From Heather B

heather BStraight Outta Jersey is Heather B who Hip Hop fans know from her affiliation w/ Boogie Down productions and KRS-One.. Kenny Parker who is KRS’s brother produced her first album Takin’ Mine which i feel was an over looked classic..

In 2002 Gardner produced her second album, Eternal Affairs, with production from Pete Rock and DJ Premier. The album met with positive reviews despite not charting on Billboard.

Heather B’s third studio album, Open Bar, which was executive-produced by DJ Premier.

Outside of her music career, Gardner has appeared in The Real World: New York, where she got national recognition for it being the first season (1992)and one of the landmark TV shows that led to Reality TV.  She also appeared in the film The Wedding Video directed by Real World alum Norman Korpi, and a 2005 television commercial for America Online anti-virus software.

Heather B All Glocks Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk65Sk6_o-I

Heather B  Do You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iwZC9JK4qU

Heather B I Get Wreck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeJlN_CSd8k

3 Dope Songs From Eternia

EterniaEternia real name Silk Kaya is a dope emcee from Toronto, Canada who’s been holding it down for a minute.. With each song and each performance she brings 100% and has proven to be a force to reckon with.. We encourage you to check out her website  http://www.urbnet.com/artist-eternia.asp

Here’s an excerpt from an interview she did a few years back from Hip Hop Canada

HHC: Nice! Let’s get into more background information that we haven’t touched on before. To begin with, why rap? What kind of influences brought hip-hop into your life?
Rap wasn’t something I consciously ‘chose’. I think most people that are talented hip-hop artists, that shit just was natural. I was introduced to hip-hop by my older brother when I was around 8 years old, in the late 80’s. I missed a lot of 80’s history because I’m young, but yeah… it was Public Enemy, 2 Live Crew, Maestro, LL Cool J… the mainstream rap at the time. Then I got into, of course, the Native Tongues thing, the golden era… the 90’s indie scene (Rawkus, Fondle ‘Em, Fat Beats, etc.). That’s what really raised me and my craft mostly. I feel like this has been said by a ton of artists before… [Laughing] I am no different. But yeah, I’ve been spitting since I was around 8 or 9… documented, on videotape, all that. It was natural, I just never stopped spitting.

Below is another interview Eternia did for the The F Word Media Collective with hosts Meghan Murphy, Ariana Barer, and Ellie Gordon-Moershel look at the changing circumstances and representations of the female rapper over the decades. Why are women so underrepresented in hip hop? Its a great program.. Eternia’s interview comes in around 25 minutes into the program

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQxKzmi2fHg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4LftWAKleI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7yxOzQwil0

3 Dope Songs from Audra the Rapper-She Got Virginia Locked Down

Audra the RapperAudra The Rapper is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, brand ambassador who captured the attention of Rick Ross of Maybach Music Group. She was born in Washington, DC and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia and the Richmond, Virginia area. Audra recorded her first song, I Got Yo Weave when she was 15 years old, a song she had written when she was 14. It was this song that jump started her care

“Hit and Run”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeuv_A23lzQ

“Beautiful Dreamer”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-n84Lafows

“Porn”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXBMa1fPfiE

3 Dope Songs from London’s Own Amirah J

Amira J

In an era where the “uk hip-hop scence” is merly existent and dominated by males. The story of 19 year old London city native Amirah J is a refreshing one. Holding a charismatic and bubbly personality, she is tipped to be the “next big thing”.

Wild Cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAa9Koom-0k

Whip My Hair (Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrAA49t_Lm8

I’m On It Freestyle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bKyyiURRrU