What happened to socially/politically concious rappers

yes otm, there are deeply political statements expressed in even the most inconsequential, shallow and decadent songs out there. unfortunately rockists can only see political statements in 'conscious' music that makes the political nature of the art super obvious and heavy-handed (often laden with clumsy platitudes)

Big Daddy Kane was a 5%er. You couldn't move in Hip Hop back then w/o somone being into some political/social cause.

Can't believe I forgot Slick Rick, too.

here's a young rapper making explicitly political rap for you

https://catchwreckcollective.bandcamp.com/album/fear-itself

I am of the opinion that hip-hop by its mere existence was (and often is) a political statement and the statements being made now are still political, even if I personally think many of said statements are frivolous or irrelevant to my life. The best example of this is Watch The Throne, which as an album is an explicit, overt political statement about the challenges and rewards faced by African-Americans breaking into the 1%.

― the farakhan of gg (DJP),

Again, neither Kanye or Jay Z were out in the last decade. They're both from previous generation. They're both pushing or in their 40s.

Most of the politics in music takes place in the realm of the unconscious mind & the discussions on this messageboard would seem to suggest that there is a lot of potent politics embedded in the symbols/images/memes/tropes/paratexts of pop music (incl. rap). The nature of hip-hop as a counterculture has definitely changed. I can't say say whether it's more or less political though.

valuable new sock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF7P2PlWdeA

They've been trying to ban hip hop since it's birth. They failed, but won in taking away it's political power.

When does the Tanuki record drop?

anecdotal evidence provided by this or that youtube doesn't mean much. seems to me that mainstream audiences had an appetite for explicitly political rap music in the 80s & 90s. with that in mind, maybe the frame shouldn't be "what happened to socially/politically concious rappers?" but "why don't people want to hear socially/politically conscious rap anymore?"

it's really actually minimal from what i can tell, although i don't listen to him so could be wrong

this is the part where you should know to shut the fuck up

http://calibermag.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/121017074949-voting-booth-story-top-copy.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w8JxuXAlzM

this might tie in to fact that hip hop now seen more as a career move than ever before. even in the 90s a lot of rappers didn't expect to get rich off it. so they could say what they wanted. it still wasn't mainstream so you had more freedom. now people aim at the lowest common denominator on what is going to get them most listens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VInOrw9NHTI

actually why am i bothering

pfft we fought a war so that British racoons couldn't vote in America come on now

xp

might tie into Michael Franti trying to rhyme loophole with poophole.

actually why am i bothering

otm

But many and most of the ones on my list have little or no dealings with NOI or 5%ers directly

even this is wrong

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/34143703.jpg

this is the dumbest shit, worst British rap sock ever

lol

anecdotal evidence provided by this or that youtube doesn't mean much. seems to me that mainstream audiences had an appetite for explicitly political rap music in the 80s & 90s. with that in mind, maybe the frame shouldn't be "what happened to socially/politically concious rappers?" but "why don't people want to hear socially/politically conscious rap anymore?"

― contenderizer, Wednesday, January 7, 2015 5:25 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

So much to contextualise in terms of audience, political atmosphere, scope, reach and everything else under the sun that even your reworked question reads as dense and unhelpful.

Same old popists getting mad on the message boards!

I didn't hear anything in that Vince Staples thing, it was really bad also. And apparently he doesn't even have an album out. So who's next? I have no idea who "Dizzy Wright" is.

kanye, kendrick, underachievers, shabazz palaces, theesatisfaction, open mike eagle

What happened to politically conscious Canterbury folk?

Kanye is a funny one. I don't recall any 80s/90s rappers directly calling the president a racist on live, national TV.

http://www.its-not-its.info/

haha you didn't hear anything in that vince staples one?? so you didn't listen or?

"Hands Up"

North Division tryin' to stop my blackness
I'm watchin' for them badges when out in traffic
Them 9-11's been a tad bit frantic
If lights start flashin', please don't panic
The DEA givin' out gang enhancements
Can barely even hang to build a case off cameras
CCAT trackin' criminal patterns
Trickin' niggas into takin' strikes to get out faster
Freedom bribery nigga, cause we hardly acquit
Social media that leave the flash photography snitchin'
Blame geography nigga, for the pride in these niggas
Take you when they fingerprint you, now you part of the system
This was all a part of Huey P. and Bobby prediction
Makin' profit off of violence, they arousin' attention
Leaders risin' lead to twenty-five to life in the prison
Better watch it cause I know they got a spot for you nigga

[Hook 2X:]
Yeah, put your hands in the air
Put your hands in the air
Put your hands in the air
Nigga freeze, put your hands in the air

Deangelo Lopez and Tyler Woods
Just a couple they gunned down around the hood
I guess the pigs split wigs for the greater good
Cause I ain't seen them lock a swine up yet
At the most they reassign 'em to prevent protest
Just your color is enough to get you under arrest
Strong hand to the law got me feelin' oppressed
If you flippin', kill a fifty, then you get in a chair
Payin' taxes for some fuckin' clowns to ride around
Whoopin' niggas asses, scared to man up
Handcuffs givin' niggas gashes on the wrist
I used to lift my fist to fight the power with
Older homie told me in his day the pigs was plantin' bricks
In the trunks of nigga's Chevrolets them traffic stops and shit
Raidin' homes without a warrant
Shoot him first without a warning
And they expect respect and non-violence
I refuse the right to be silent

just another song about bitchez and shoes and weed

So much to contextualise in terms of audience, political atmosphere, scope, reach and everything else under the sun that even your reworked question reads as dense and unhelpful.

― tsrobodo, Wednesday, January 7, 2015 9:34 AM (3 minutes ago)

fine, and i can see how RT's approach tanked any chance for useful discussion from the beginning. that's a shame, because a genuine conversation about changes in the space for politics in pop over the last 25 years might be interesting.

Shabazz Palaces? Butterfly is like 45. Kanye is pushing 40. people still struggling to comprehend in the last decade thing.

music industry is so much broader/diffuse now, of course there's space for politics. whether it occupies top 40 pop space (which has shrunk as a percentage of the industry) fluctuates, as it always has.

xp

hurricane katrina was 2005 jackass

again, why do I bother

XXXP - Plenty of under-40s have been listed too, you stupid obtuse fuck

All we wanted was a chance to talk
'Stead we've only got outlined in chalk
By Raccoon Tanuki

Haha

RT, why even ask this question if you're not gonna give an inch with your own answer?

you haven't met, i take it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YTusMMJCGU

wasnt college dropout released in 2004? FFS, kanye isnt 'new' enough?

you stupid obtuse fuck

― Futuristic Bow Wow (thewufs)

shut the fuck up

― Οὖτις,

You seem like a nice, intelligent, well thought out guys.

i mean, who cares how old he is. seriously. rap ageism is self defeating.

Same old popists getting mad on the message boards!

― ..but is he a virtuoso? (Raccoon Tanuki), Wednesday, January 7, 2015 12:40 PM (23 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yea and this thread is proceeding exactly like the last one about poptimism. you're repeating your opinion to death and you respond to anyone's attempt to engage in discussion or give a counter-argument with "NOPE, SORRY!!!!"

"What happened to socially/politically concious rappers?"
"Here are some names and YouTube links"
"No! They are all too old/too bad/I haven't heard them"
"Great discussion, thanx"

it's true I am very well thought out

xxp

as a sock you are also p well thought out tbh

yea and this thread is proceeding exactly like the last one about poptimism. you're repeating your opinion to death and you respond to anyone's attempt to engage in discussion or give a counter-argument with "NOPE, SORRY!!!!"

― marcos,

When? You're just making this up.

The first reply to thread was "You are a confused young man". Then someone said the list was wrong. Then someone said i was English, then a lot of people dodged the question, and still are.

i know OLD country music has always been pretty popular in Germany, but i don't know about new country pop stuff. they've always been big fans of rockabilly/hillbilly/square dance/50's american stuff there. but that's probably older people too. i doubt young german people give a shit about any of that.

tbf i do kind of think there is a generational thing going on. i grew up in a white midwestern upper class suburb, all the white kids i knew growing up were HUGE into hip hop. they loved classic gangsta rap and were really into the late 90s early 00s pop rap like diddy and ja rule. they are all republicans now, like their parents, and they are lawyers and bankers and shit but they still love rap and hate country.

This is so sad, and if you live and work anywhere outside of some sheltered hipster ghetto, you've probably been exposed to it.

Which is why we should remember when we make our little playlists or our blog posts or whatever, that music these days is something we take to work, the boundaries between work and home life or private life are not as clear as they were when we were kids.

I make a point of working and living in diverse and socially conscious environments, as such, I have to think about what music I am going to take to the office, or what I will play around my neighbors.

It is really important to me that I not send the message that I don't care about someone's community and culture and history. Which is why I'm careful about what hip-hop and r & b I invest my dollars and time into.I'm not going to listen to any old thing "because it's rap."

http://i0.wp.com/www.runwalkrepeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Hill-Street-Blues-Lets-Be-Careful.jpg

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2015/01/young-jeezy-black-lives-matter.php

C/Ping for RT:

Writer Kris Ex told me he believes diminished record sales and hip-hop's changing financial model require many rappers to rely heavily on corporate endorsements, providing a disincentive to rock the boat.

i think starting a new thread to post youtubes for contemporary "socially/politically conscious" hip hop is not a bad idea but since this one's here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dx1gMTn7DQ

Can someone reinstate RT? It was much more entertaining watching him flail around with his never ending stream of challops.

NO.

ppl on my facebook feed seem to like prince ea a lot but his raps make me barf

^^ ya this is like, really bad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRl8EIhrQjQ

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

https://twitter.com/noz/status/556740184717287425

well yes

RT where do you live in the UK?

― out here like a flopson (tpp), Thursday, January 8, 2015 1:21 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Realhiphopshire

― Οὖτις, Thursday, January 8, 2015 1:21 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this thread still makes me laugh uncontrollably and I practically have it memorized by now

I hear there are certain neighborhoods in Realhiphopshire that are now No-Go Zones for herbs

one year passes...
RT where do you live in the UK?

― out here like a flopson (tpp), Thursday, January 8, 2015 1:21 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Realhiphopshire

― Οὖτις, Thursday, January 8, 2015 1:21 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― Neanderthal, Tuesday, June 28, 2016 1:27 AM bookmarkflaglink

great revive of a great revive

ffss

::DD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxCr2bAhwCU