Monday, September 08, 2008

Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop

Rebel music in today's beat-driven musical landscape is much different than the protest rock of the late 60's.

Like all forms of art, both genres of music are mediums of unique expression for all of life's emotions: joy, anger, frustration, angst, outrage, etc.

The past 8 years of Bush, Inc.'s brazen lawlessness, fiscal irresponsibility, and moral subversion awakened in me a political concern and general disgust that is shared by most people who don't have their head up their ass. The disaster of a Presidency has brought out endless opposition and commentary through books, music, video, and other media.

So, partly in retrospect & partly in anticipation that the BIG-TIME gangstas and hustlers, Dick Cheney & George Bush, will soon be gone (hopefully)....

Top 3
Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop Videos

1. Eminem - "Mosh"
I'm starting with the oldest video- from the 2004 election, when Eminem tried to warn the country of the consequences of electing The War Monkey again. He hits everything from the profiteering behind America's wars of conquest to the true nature of Osama bin Ladin & Al-Qaeda

Of course, the fatal flaw in his video's conclusion is that cozy assumption that all of us citizens going out and voting is an honest, & therefore effective, process. Regardless, I think this is one of the greatest protest songs ever... against the Worst President Ever.



2. Juvenile - "Get Ya Hustle On"
I've been a Cash Money fan since Guerilla Warfare & 400 Degreez, and they're pulling up the #2 & #3 slots.

I already liked this song, & the "What's Happenin'" cut at the end of the video even more, but the video showing footage of New Orleans after Katrina w/ kids wearing masks of the Republican administration definitely makes it another favorite of mine.



3. Lil' Wayne - "Georgia Bush"
He may not be the Greatest Rapper Alive, but Lil' Wayne is obviously one of the most prolific hip-hop artists out there. He's on every other rap song out recently. Weezy basically calls The President a bitch in this song.

Cash Money has produced a couple good protest songs when they take a break from rapping about ho's, cars, & ice - although I enjoy those, too. I heard this song recently on Sirius Radio & pulled up the video. This made me think about the other good hip-hop songs blasting The Bush Presidency to make a Top 3 list.





I got to looking up other protest songs & wanted to add these on...


***Old-School Honorable Mention***

• Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"
Public Enemy was one of the first rap groups that I listened to as a kid. I bought Fear of a Black Planet & Apocalypse '91 cassette tapes (ah yes, cassette tapes), waaaay back in middle school.

Although it reflected my eclectic taste even then, that is when rap started becoming fairly mainstream. However, Public Enemy was much too controversial to be considered mainstream, which is why my adolescent mind found them to be so excellent.





***Classic Honorable Mention***


• Edwin Starr - "War"
The justifications & patriotic facades may change, but the greed and lust for power that always motivates War will remain the same.

"War cannot give Life - it can only take it away."
This song really does say it all.


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