Hip Hop’s Best Protest Anthems
Hip Hop may seem like one big party but through the years, artists have used the medium to address some major social issues. Bringing to light problems ranging from police brutality to racial profiling, rappers such as Public Enemy, N.W.A. and Killer Mike have taken to the mic to give their controversial unedited thoughts. With the “occupy” movement currently going strong worldwide, here are 10 of hip hop’s best fight the power anthems.
“Burn”
Killer Mike
Against: Corrupt society
Power Line: “I suggest you get yourself a shotgun, so when they come to evict you can make ‘em run. The banks got bailed out but we still suffering. So I got a gun ‘cause I done had enough of them.”
“Fawk Tha Police”
N.W.A
Against: Racial profiling, police brutality
Power Line: [Eazy E] “Without a badge, what do you got? A sucker in a uniform waiting to get Isht, by me.”
“Burn Hollywood, Burn”
Public Enemy
Against: The racist film industry
Power Line: “For all the years we looked like clowns, the joke is over smell the smoke from all around. Burn Hollywood Burn!”
“Bush Killa”
Paris
Against: President Bush Sr.
Power Line: “I’m steady waiting for the day I get to see his -ss, and give him two from the barrel of a black guerilla. That’s real from the m*therf—— Bush killer.”
“Fight The Power”
Public Enemy
Against: Freedom of speech
Power Line: “Our freedom of speech is freedom or death.”
“Stop The Violence”
BDP
Against: Crime
Power Line: “Rewrite the constitution or the emancipation proclamation. We fight inflation yet the President’s still on vacation.”
“Self Destruction”
The Stop The Violence Movement
Against: Black on black crime
Power Line: [Kool Moe Dee] “I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan and I shouldn’t have to run from a black man.”
“Sly Fox”
Nas
Against: Fox News
Power Line: “Only Fox that I loved was the Red one, only black man Fox loves is in jail or a dead one.”
“Changes”
2 Pac
Against: Negative mind state
Power Line: “Even though it seems heaven sent, we aint ready to have a black president.”
“Hip Hop”
dead prez
Against: Mainstream hip hop
Power Line: “Its bigger than all these fake –ss records, where poor folks got the millions and my woman’s disrespected.”
