Spoken Word Artist Saul Williams Calls Rap Artists...

Today I was struggling trying to get the spirit to actually put words to screen. I am not the most disciplined writer and usually have to be "moved" by something to write. Well Saul Williams moved me albeit late this day.


On MySpace.com I was forwarded a radio interview that had Saul dropping some serious knowledge about the state of Hip Hop. Ironically it was a morning "wake up show" and he certainly woke a few folks up with his words. He associated much of commercial rap with Republicans for its glorificiation of money. He's on to something---Reagan and his successors said on the same message that everyone should pull themselves up by their bootstraps. In short, do it yourself because the government could care less if you are hungry, homeless or illiterate. Hurricane Katrina was the best example of this type of mentality. The people too broke, sick, or old to leave New Orleans were left to fend for themselves and then were maligned because they became casualties. The prevalent rap message is not too different-- I got mine, you better get your own. The only real difference between the Republicans and rap artists is that Republicans can generate capital, exploit people and wage war under the cover of government and law, while the rap artists do not have that same immunity.


Saul continued lobbing grenades by saying that most rap artists rather than being rebels or threats to society are actually defenders of the status quo. Much of today's rap music, according to Saul has allowed Black folks to build up a tolerance to bullshit and has made them complacent---perhaps unwilling to rock the boat even to seek their own freedom.


Click to hear the entire interview