Let's Get Free, Album Review

Dead Prez: Let’s Get Free Album Review

            Let’s Get Free is the first album by the album by the duo Dead Prez. The duo consists of the rappers M-1 and stic.man. During their rapping careers, the two rappers have always been known to voice their opinions about problems in the world. The duo covers many topics, ranging from racism to starvation in Africa to how to obtain a healthy overall state of well-being. The album also features production from the well-known rapper and producer, Kanye West.

            The opening song, “Wolves”, deals with the racism that blacks encounter. The performer in the song asks the question, “White people have gold, why can't I have gold?”, which shows the inequality that exists among Africans around the world today. In their next song, titled “I’m A African”, expresses the duo’s desire for African pride. By stating that “All these Uncle Tom a** kissin n****s gotta go”, the group is conveying their plea for Africans to stand up for themselves and their country. The term “Uncle Tom” was first coined American author Harriet Beecher Stowe in the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The term “Uncle Tom” is used among African-Americans as an insult to other African-Americans who are deferential to whites. 

            Nevertheless, the whole album is not solely focused on racism and equality. Songs such as “Be Healthy” focus on ways to eat healthy. Their song “Hip Hop” focuses on issues pertaining to the music industry: “Uh, who shot Biggie Smalls
If we don't get them/They gonna get us all/I'm down for runnin' up on them
Cr*****s in they city hall”. In that song, M-1 and stic.man are attempting to expose the secrets in the music industry. By claiming that the killers of Biggie Smalls are still on the run and that they still pose a threat, they are implying that they (Dead Prez) are risking their lives every time they expose the secrets of the music industry.    

            The album, Let’s Get Free, by Dead Prez, focuses on a range of issues in the world. From secrets in the music industry to racism, Dead Prez addresses a variety of issues. This album, although hard to listen at first, was very enjoyable to listen to. The album contains a few songs that one may need to listen to several times before beginning to understand the concept and actually like the music. Regardless, the album is well produced and executed thus earning a 9/10.

Album Review

Panos Nikolos

5/9/11

How I Got Over: Album Review

Rating: 4.5/5

            The Legendary Roots Crew has done it again. How I Got Over  is arguably the group’s most spiritual album. The album features the likes of Blu (from Los Angeles), Phonte (Foreign Exchange), Dice Raw, and John Legend, among others. From beginning to end, every song guarantees satisfaction. Practically every song deals with some sort of world problem, whether it is poverty, racism, etc. In the song titled “How I Got Over”, Black Thought describes the problem with murder in the world: “When you on the corners too much drama/Livin’ with the police right behind ya’/It’s always more than a slight Rwanda.” By comparing the genocide that occurred in Rwanda to the murders that occur every day, Black Thought is able to bring out the severity of the problem.

            Needless to say, the album is a prime example of how hip-hop is influenced by jazz and soul music. Many songs that are labeled as “hip-hop” do not necessarily fit into the Hip-Hop category. This album is reminiscent of 1990’s Hip-Hop, with some exceptions, mainly with the song titled “The Fire”, which features pop sensation John Legend. However, this album should be listened by all who listen to rock, hip-hop, rap, soul, jazz, and even pop. This album is truly entertaining and enjoying to listen to.

Short Story

Panos Nikolos

4/15/11

Poetry of Song

Short Story

            Beacham has generally been a quiet, isolated town. It is located in the middle of nowhere in the depths of Lam, a state in the country Marto. With only a population meandering in the mid five hundreds, the citizens are well familiar with each another.

Marto was a democratic nation since it was first created after a war with its mother country when it was only a bunch of scattered colonies. The people can do whatever they feel like doing, with no opposition at all…

            Of course, that is as long as one does not violate a law or does not interfere with the government’s plans. However, the people of Marto do not know of the government’s plans. Although, there are some people who are suspicious that the government is in fact toying with the lower class civilians.

            The people that are suspicious of the government’s unlawful use of the civilians is a group called F.F.F., or Fight for Freedom. The leader of the group is Theodore Lawson, a graduate of the country’s most prestigious schools in Hawe University. Lawson’s headquarters is located in Beacham, which is where he and his colleagues conduct research after research in order to unleash an attack against the government. Not just a little lawsuit, but a full-scale revolution by causing a chain reaction.

            Their first meeting was held in the Lawson’s basement. It is a dull, medium sized room. The walls are painted gray with a bookcase in the corner and a lamp next to the round table. The air also is damp and smells like an antique store. The first meeting proved to be a success, with well over twenty kids arriving. The meeting was short, as the group only discussed ways to get others to join the movement.

            Several months later, the group had grown to over one hundred. By the end of the year, the group had grown to five hundred. With every meeting that passed, more and more people would show up. These people were disgusted with the government’s actions and were pushing for a change.

            In Marto, protesting is a very severe crime. Penalties for the first offence can be a life sentence to jail or the death penalty.  Knowing these risks, Lawson scheduled a protest on the following Tuesday outside of the Congress building. However, Lawson believed that the positives from this one protest outweigh the negatives.

            Thursday had come, and the group now had over one thousand members. Lawson’s best friend, Mark Salters, did not participate in the protest, in case Lawson was arrested and Salters had to lead the group. Three hundred people partook in the protest, which only consisted of chants and large signs, which exposed of the governments fallacies in controlling the people. Within twenty minutes, hysteria broke out. Gun shots were being fired upon the protestors and the S.W.A.T. Team and the police pulled in. Tear gas was eventually thrown at the protestors to slow down their protesting.

            Lawson knew they were doomed for once the authorities began to fire shots. They were willing to claim lives, which meant that they would eventually receive the death penalty. In order to make the group’s presence felt, Lawson ordered a stampede right at the authorities. The authorities, being outnumbered five to one, ran until enforcements arrived.  The fight had been won by the F.F.F., and both sides knew it.

            After the smoke had cleared up, several protesters were fatally shot, with a couple of others with minor contusions. The army had arrived and helped arrest every single protestor. Lawson made the group’s time worthwhile. Every single news station across the nation played live footage of the battle and the aftermath. Within hours after the fight, several other protests across the nation occurred, each a result of the chain reaction Lawson and his fellow protestors had started.

            The revolution had begun.

           

Passage for POS

Within the past few months, the town’s most productive farmer has visibly been fuming over the imposed taxes on farm products. The tax itself cut the farmer’s pay in half. With a wife and two sons at home, he needs the money to support his family. Outraged with the new tax, the farmer invented a plan to torture the town committee. With the side money that he had saved throughout his lengthy, dull life, the farmer bought a small family of hornets from Western Indo-China. The hornets were rare specimens, costing the farmer ten dollars per hornet. However, these hornets posed as a very dangerous threat, as one sting can be fatal. After growing his army of the hornets to well over two thousand, the farmer prepared to carry out his plan. During the next town meeting, the farmer carried two giant jugs covered with a black silk quilt made by an elderly woman in farmer’s motherland of Russia. When the meeting began, the farmer let loose a pestilence of the hornets from West Indo-China. The hornets had not been fed for two days and were blatantly eager to find food. However, the people of the meeting were blocking the way for these hornets to escape into the fields for the tangy nectar that they were seeking. Thus, the massacre began.

SA2 Lyrics+ Analysis

          In the music world, many artists are known for taking advantage of music to send a message about a world problem. One of the most well known band to do such a thing is The Legendary Roots Crew, also known as The Roots. In every single album made by The Roots, the topic of racism has come up more often than not. However, The Roots have also addressed world problems such as poverty, lies by the government, genocides in African, etc. Being a band known for addressing world problems, The Legendary Roots Crew continues to address the continuous problems of black difficulties and Global Warming in their song “Rising Down” typically through the use of personification, alliteration, and allusions.
          A problem that The Roots confront in “Rising Down” is the topic of Global Warming. The topic of Global Warming has become to the attention of many people, especially scientists, in the recent years. Blackthought’s first few lines in the song deal with Global Warming. In the first line of this verse, Blackthought brings up the topic of Global Warmning: “Between the greenhouse gases and earth spinnin off its axis.” (Line 31, verse 3). Blackthought immediately brings up the topic of Global Warming by explaining what contributes to Global Warming through the use of personification. By saying that Earth is spinning off its axis, Blackthought is giving the earth a human-like feature. Also, the line is an example of hyperbole, as Earth spinning of its axis is an exaggeration to say that Global Warming is causing havoc. In the next line, Blackthought introduces another problem related to Global Warming in relation to the first line of the verse: “got mother nature doin back flips”. (Line 32, verse 3). The fact that Mother Nature is doing back flips is an example of personification, as Mother Nature is only a mere character and performing back flips are a human-like characteristic. Blackthought again addresses the Global Warming problem in the next line: “Its like 80 degrees in Alaska you in trouble if you not an Onasis”. (Line 33, verse 3). Blackthought is addressing how Global Warming is increasing the temperature in Alaska, a state belonging to the United States that is generally very cold. However, the main part of the line exists where Blackthought alludes to Aristotle Sokratis Onasis, a very rich man that was married to Jackie Kennedy, the widow of the late John F. Kennedy. Although Onasis has passed away, Blackthought alluded to Onasis to explain that if a person is not rich, that person will not be able the terrifying events Global Warming could bring. However, Global Warming is only one of the problems within the song “Rising Down”.

           The main problem that is encountered by The Roots in the song “Rising Down” is the topic of the difficulties that blacks encounter in the world. Racism and discrimination has always been one of the biggest problems The Roots have addressed in their works. In verse five, Styles P addresses the topic of racism: “Am I ni**a or a n**gero? I’m an African American.” (Line 58, verse 5). The question asked by Styles P is an example of alliteration as both words begin with “ni”. The question asked by Styles P refers to the names African Americans are called today. Styles P proceeds to answer his own question by explaining that the correct term to call a black man is an African American. Mos Def alluded to another problem that Africans in Sierra Leone were facing: “Identities in crisis and conflict diamonds” (Line 12, verse 1). The term “conflict diamonds” alludes to the situation in Sierra Leone where there was a civil war over areas that were rich in diamonds. Since the civil war, any diamond from Sierra Leone has been labeled as a “blood diamond” or “conflict diamond” due to death and horrific events that led up prior to the diamond’s finding. In the song “Rising Down” The Roots adequately address several problems Africans (Americans) face throughout the world.

            The Legendary Roots Crew, in their song “Rising Down”, addresses world problems through the use of allusions, alliteration, and personification. Blackthought, the lead singer of The Roots, is not human being who is anxious expressing his thoughts about current world problems. The Roots continue express their thoughts on world problems to this day, particularly in their most recent album How I Got Over.

____________________________________________________________

"Rising Down"(feat. Dice Raw, Mos Def, Styles P)


Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...


[Mos Def]
Every anywhere heights plains peaks or valleys
Entrances exits vestibules and alleys
Winding roads that test the firm nerve
Fortune or fatal behind the blind curve
The engine oil purr, lights flash to a blur
Speed work through the earth make your motor go scurrr
Tonight at noon watch a bad moon rising
Identities in crisis and conflict diamonds
Blinding staring at lights 'til they cryin'
Bone gristle popping from continuous grindin
Grapes of wrath in a shapely glass
Ingredients influential on your ways and acts
Zero tolerance to raise the tax
It don't matter how your gates is latched
You ain't safe from the danger jack
Made it way before they made the map
Or a GPS this is DEF leader


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
Sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...


[Black Thought]
Between the greenhouse gases and earth spinnin off its axis
Got mother nature doin back flips
The natural disasters
It's like 80 degrees in Alaska
You in trouble if you not an Onasis
It ain't hard to tell that the conditions is drastic
Just turn on the telly check for the news flashin
How you want it bagged, paper or plastic?
Lost in translation or just lost in traffic?
Yo I don't wanna floss I done lost my passion
And I ant trying to climb, Yo I lost my traction
They makin' me break, my contents under pressure
Do not shake, I'm workin while the boss relaxin
Here come Mr. tax man, he leavin a fraction, give me back some
Matter fact next pay check it's like that son
I'll f**k around and have to hurt a few men
They probably chalk it up as a disturbing new trend, Hello


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even the souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...


[Styles P]
Should I say hello or should I say that hell is low
Am I ni**a or a ni**ero? I'm an African American
They sell drugs in the hood but the man, he move the medicine
He'll prescribe you all-med for everything
A little stuffy nose tell you get some Claritin
You know I'm hip to it and its hard to claim the land
When my great great great grands were shipped to it
look at technology they call it downloading
I call it downsizing somebody follow me
Does a computer chip have an astrology
And when it f**k up could it give you an apology (Could it?)
Should it say hello or should it say goodbye
Try to understand how smart and how hood am I
It don't matter though
Until we learn that the world don't turn right
We all oughta the scatter though


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...

Legends & Myths

Robert Johnson sells his soul to the Devil

            Many critics would agree that Robert Johnson is, indeed, the king of the blues. The story behind that title is somewhat sophisticated. The legend is Robert Johnson met a man with a dog, which would not stop howling, at a crossroad. At this crossroad, the man offered Johnson, or rather the devil, a chance to become the King of the Delta Blues. Robert Johnson quickly took the offer. However, as a result of taking the offer, Johnson was forced to give up his soul to the man. Despite having all of the whiskey and women and talent one could ask for, Johnson would not be able to live a good life due to selling his soul.

Robert Johnson Sold His Soul to the Devil in Rosedale, Mississippi :: Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog." :: Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.vagablogging.net/robert-johnson-sold-his-soul-to-the-devil-in-rosedale-mississippi.html>.

Ozzy Osbourne’s taste for doves and bats

            Ozzy Osbourne has always been known for his controversial acts, whether they are severe or not. Osbourne also had a reputation for throwing pig livers and cow intestines into the crowd. In his show in Des Moines, California, a fan of Ozzy threw a live bat onto the stage.  According to Ozzy, he believed that the bat was a toy. This was not Ozzy’s first encounter with a live animal. Nearly a year before the show, Ozzy had beheaded two doves, again using his teeth to do so. Ozzy’s excuse for biting off the heads of two doves? He claimed that he was drunk after drinking a bottle of brandy.

"The Urban Legend of Ozzy Osbourne and the Bat." Performing Songwriter. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://performingsongwriter.com/ozzys-urban-legend/>.

            The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover

The cover of Abbey Road by The Beatles sparked a large controversy. Theories upon theories were constructed due to the cover’s distinct characteristics. The biggest theory that rose after the cover was released was that Paul McCartney was dead. The legend said that Paul McCartney died due to a car accident and an imposter portrays the “Paul McCartney” in the cover. There were several reasons for this theory. On the cover, McCartney is seen holding a cigarette with his right hand when he is, in fact, left-handed. Also, an Australian version of the album cover there is a bloodstain visible, which is supposed to resemble the blood on the ground after McCartney got killed in the car accident. Another symbol that is found is the image of the Grim Reaper. According to the legend, an image of the Grim Reaper is visible of when the back cover is turned forty-five degrees counter clockwise. Of course, these are just several of the symbols that are proposed by theorists.

"Pictured: The Beatles Album Cover That Started a Decades-long Conspiracy Theory | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205310/Pictured-The-Beatles-album-cover-started-decades-long-conspiracy-theory.html>.

Bob Dylan goes electric

            Bob Dylan is known in the music industry as one of the best in the folk music genre. However, when Dylan changed from acoustic to electric, his audience did not approve of it. Performing in the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, Dylan changed from acoustic to electric. At first, there were mixed reactions amongst the crowd as he played “Maggie’s farm”. However, as he began to play other songs, more and more of the audience began to dislike Dylan’s transformation.

"Dylan Goes Electric at the Newport Folk Festival — History.com This Day in History — 7/25/1965." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dylan-goes-electric-at-the-newport-folk-festival>.

Controversy of Tupac’s death

            Tupac was major influence on the rap community in not only in California, but the rest of the world as well. On September 7, 1996, Tupac was apparently shot and later died due to his wounds. One of the most known theories is that Tupac feigned his death to fool his enemies and make higher revenue. However, many believe that Tupac is still, indeed, alive and there was some evidence to prove it. Prior to his death, Tupac changed his emcee name to Makaveli after Nicolo Machiavelli, who was an Italian war strategist who was known for writing books that described faking a death to fool his/her enemies. Also, Tupac was apparently cremated the day after his death with no autopsy done. Even after his death, the deceased Tupac released two movies and three LP’s, and of course his revenues skyrocketed. There are many other subtle facts that help prove Tupac could still be alive. Although, the main facts are the ones that have been listed.

Katzenstein, Jeff. "Tupac Shakur Raps and Acts Even after His Own Death - Focus." The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2002/03/08/Focus/Tupac.Shakur.Raps.And.Acts.Even.After.His.Own.Death-2248164.shtml>.

Sgt. Pepper Cover

            On the Sgt. Pepper cover, the three people I recognize are Edgar Allen Poe, Bob Dylan, and Marilyn Monroe.  Edgar Allen Poe was an author who dealt with alcoholism. Bob Dylan is one of the greatest folk songwriters in history. Marilyn Monroe is a famous actress who was a model and died due to an overdose. Three people who I do not recognize are Albert Stubbins, Karl Marx, and Sonny Liston. Marx was known for being a sociologist, a philosopher, and a political theorist. Sonny Liston was a famous professional boxer and was an ex-convict and won the world heavy weight championship in 1962. Albert Stubbins was an English soccer player and played the center forward position.

Song Analysis 1

Panos Nikolos

3/7/11

Poetry of Song D

Song Analysis 1

               The world of music has always been known as a place where artists openly express their opinions. Whether these opinions relate to politics, world problems, or life in general, they frequently contain an important message. Zach de la Rocha, the vocalist of Rage Against the Machine and One Day as a Lion, frequently uses music has a way to express his opinion towards war, politics, racism, etc.  "Wild International is a song" where de la Rocha expresses his opinion towards the war in Iraq and world problems. In the song, “Wild International”, by One Day as a Lion, Zach de la Rocha expresses his disgust with America’s intervention in the Middle East through the use of allusions and vivid imagery.
               Zach de la Rocha is notoriously known for his views on world problems. Whether it is racism or a war, de la Rocha has fearlessly voiced his opinions on a consistent basis throughout his career. Using allusions in “Wild International”, de la Rocha is not only able to defend his argument, but he is also able to set up an image of what the scene at Afghanistan and Iraq look like. In the climax of the song, de la Rocha compares the air space to the ninth ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina: “Air war was flooded like the 9^th ward/ On the AM, on the AM” (Lines 43-44, verse 3). Zach de la Rocha’s refers to the flooding of the 9^th ward in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina to compare how the air space in the Middle East is like. The flooding of air space refers to the planes, jets, and helicopters of the United States military that preoccupy the air space in the Middle East. De la Rocha could not have made the use of the simile to compare these two occurrences any clearer. De la Rocha also uses allusion in the very beginning of the song: “They say that in war that truth/Be the first casualty.” (Lines 1-3, verse 1). Aeschylus, a Greek tragic dramatist, first said the first two lines said by and alluded to by de la Rocha: “In war, truth is the first casualty.” In terms of what how the phrase relates to today, de la Rocha explains how the government does not inform the people of America of what is happening in the Middle East and the reasons behind why America is actually in the war. Although the U.S. is in war due to what Americans seem as the reason (9/11 attacks, terrorism), de la Rocha believes that there are unspecific reasons as to why America actually went to war. Therefore, truth is the first “casualty” of war because the government will lie about war details. Not only is the phrase a cliché, but it is also an example of personification, as truth is a non-human object. However, the song “Wild International” is also filled with several examples of flamboyant imagery.

            Despite using allusions, de la Rocha also uses vivid imagery in the song “Wild International”. In the first verse, de la Rocha creates an image of a tongue dipped in arsenic (a poison): “Fly my s**t sever your neck/Wider than ever/With my tongue dipped in funk arsenic/Burn this illusion, this lie.” (Lines 5-8, verse 1).  The image of a tongue dipped in arsenic is very clear, and it is also expressed by to de la Rocha to explain that the arsenic will kill the lies that the government says. De la Rocha views himself as the person who exposes the false information spread by the government, using the arsenic, or the microphone in de la Rocha’s case, to expose these lies.  De la Rocha also uses imagery in the chorus: “Muhammad and Christ would life/Your body down/To a tune so wild international/In the desert full of bullets/Let your body rot.” (Lines 28-34, verse 2). In the chorus, de la Rocha describes an image depicting a battle, with bullets flying everywhere and dead bodies on the ground, rotting. This is a very intense picture due to depth in content and description.  As previously stated, de la Rocha’s comparison of air war and the flooding of the 9^th ward is also an example of imagery: “Air war was flooded like the 9^th ward/ On the AM, on the AM” (Lines 43-44, verse 3). Instantly, one can imagine a picture of airplanes and jets and helicopters in the air that are grouped together in large masses. De la Rocha uses imagery to his advantage to send out an image of not only the gruesome consequences of war, but also what is occurring in the Middle East as well.

            In the song “Wild International”, Zach de la Rocha of One Day as a Lion expresses his disgust with the American government and their actions in the Middle East mainly with the use of allusions and imagery. De la Rocha is an artist known for fearlessly expressing his opinion on world problems. In “Wild International”, de la Rocha does not miss a beat when it comes to exposing the government and expressing his opinion on the wars in the Middle East.