Music has long been the soundtrack of life and if the recent grand jury decision in Ferguson has you feeling like you want to take it to the streets, here are some revolutionary songs that will motivate you to take action.
Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power”
The title of the song says it all. Public Enemy has been one of the most important groups in rap music and it’s largely due to their socially charged lyrics. Chuck D, Professor Griff, DJ Lord and hypeman Flavor Flav regularly rapped about the problems in the Black community and often criticized the media. On their song “Fight The Power,” they called for an uprising of the oppressed to defy authority.
KRS-One’s “Sound Of Da Police”
Normally when you call for help, the police sirens are a welcome noise. But for a lot of people living in the hood or poor neighborhoods, the presence of the boys in blue equate harassment and police brutality. And if you ask KRS-One, that “whoop, whoop” sound is the sound of the beast. KRS-One is known for addressing political issues in his music and has been dubbed the Teacha because his songs often contain gems of knowledge.
Arrested Development’s “Revolution”
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In the early 90’s, the collective group Arrested Development was a welcome breath of fresh air in response to the growing gangsta rap trend. They grabbed attention immediately and won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Spike Lee was working on “Malcolm X” at the time and asked the group to write a song specifically for the film. They went into the booth and created “Revolution,” which was included on the film’s soundtrack.
Common’s “The Corner” Featuring The Last Poets
Common came up as a socially conscious rapper and although he’s considered a mainstream artist who’s even branched out into acting, his music has always remained politically charged. On “The Corner” featuring The Last Poets, Common painted a picture of an honest depiction of what life was really like for the poor and disenfranchised in the city of Chicago.
Boogie Down Productions, Stetsasonic, Kool Moe Dee, MC Lyte, Doug Fresh, Just-Ice, Heavy D, Chuck D – Self Destruction
When KRS-One first emerged onto the scene, he was part of a trio but member DJ Scott La Rock was murdered after Boogie Down Production’s debut album was released. In response to the killing of his friend, KRS-One started the Stop the Violence movement to restore one of the founding principles of hip-hop. In 1989 he recruited some big names in the rap community for the song “Self Destruction.” All of the proceeds from the sale of the single went to the National Urban League.
Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five’s “The Message”
Back when rap music first started, a lot of hip-hop artists were like reporters of the street broadcasting to the world what was going on in their poor neighborhoods. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were a significant force in the early days of hip-hop. Their song “The Message” was the first hip-hop song that took rap music away from the house parties and focused on social commentary.
Jadakiss’ “Why”
When something bad happens, one of the first things we ask ourselves is “Why?” And in Jadakiss’ song “Why,” he questioned why there were so many problems in the world. The song’s content was so popular and powerful, Fox News talking head Bill O’Reilly labeled Kiss as a smear merchant for insinuating that then President George Bush was responsible for knocking down the World Center Center.
Eminem’s “White America”
Despite his controversy causing punch lines, Eminem has spit some thought provoking rhymes in his music. But his most politically charged song came in the form of “White America.” The Detroit rapper penned an open letter to mainstream in response to their criticism that he’s leading the youth in the wrong direction through his music. The song also touched on the responsibilities of freedom of speech.
Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”
At the turn of the 20th century, lynchings were at an all-time high in the South. “Strange Fruit” was originally written as a poem by a teacher but two years later, Billie Holiday sang the words to music. The song protested racism, specifically the lynching of African Americans. Many other artists have covered the song since Holiday made it famous and her version of “Strange Fruit” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978.
Dead Prez’s “Police State”
Hip-hop duo Dead Prez are hardly mainstream artists. They have stayed on the outskirts because of their confrontational style. Their socialist lyrics often focus on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism and they’ve long maintained an ethical stance against corporate control over the media. On “Police State,” stic.man and M-1 warned of the dangers of governments that exercise power arbitrarily through the police and violence.
Nas’ “Black President”
In 2008, Barack Obama made history by becoming the first Black president of the United States. Many people were filled with pride when he was sworn in as the 44th president. Nas paid homage to President Obama with “Black President.” But the Queens rapper also touched on the tremendous task that involved actually making a change in the world and this country.
Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
Gil Scott-Heron was a jazz musician and a poet and many have dubbed him the grandfather of hip-hop. He became known for his politically charged songs that tackled social issues. Perhaps his most famous song is the 1970 “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” The title comes from a term made popular by the Black Panthers in the 1960s. “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” has been remade, covered and sampled many times since its release.
Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?”
Marvin Gaye is known for making baby-making music but on his “What’s Going On” album he got very political with the title track. In 1969, one of the song’s writers Renaldo Benson witnessed first hand police attacking anti-war activists in Berkley, CA in what would become known as Bloody Thursday. Watching the scene unfold in front of him, Benson asked no one in general, “What is going on?” He presented the title to Gaye and soon a hit song was born.
Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.”
Queen Latifah has done a lot to pave the way for female rappers. Considered one of hip-hop’s pioneering female artists, Queen Latifah used “U.N.I.T.Y.” to address the disrespect women are faced with in society, street harassment, domestic violence, and slurs against women in hip-hop culture. But she also screamed for peace at the same time.
Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”
Bob Marley had a knack for singing about the woes that plagued poor communities and his music has helped him gain millions and millions of fans from all around the world. So getting political is nothing new for Marley. He wrote “Redemption Song” soon after doctors found a tumor in his toe. His wife Rita Marley later revealed that the legendary reggae artist was in a lot of pan and struggling to come to grips with his own mortality, a theme that was evident in the song and the “Uprising” album, which housed “Redemption Song.”
