This week's song is a hip hop response to the Arizona Immigration bill SB1070 by Chuck D (Public Enemy). You can listen to the MP3 here or you can "right-click" on the link and download the MP3 to your computer or iTunes library.
Below is a public statement from Chuck D (Public Enemy) and his wife Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson Professor Of Black Studies and Chicano Studies UC Santa Barbara:
“Jan Brewer’s decision to sign the Arizona immigration bill into law is racist, deceitful, and reflects some of the most mean-spirited politics against immigrants that the country has ever seen. The power that this law gives to police, to detain people that they suspect to be undocumented, brings racial profiling to a new low. Brewer’s actions and those of Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, the Arizona State Senate are despicable, inexcusable, and endorse the all-out hate campaign that Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, and others have perpetrated upon immigrants for years. The people of Arizona who voted for this bill, as well as those who crafted it, demonstrate no regard for the humanity or contributions of Latino people. And for all of those who have chosen not to speak up, shame on you for silently endorsing this legislated hate.
In 1991 I wrote a song criticizing Arizona officials (including John McCain and Fife Symington) for rejecting the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The same politics I wrote about in “By the Time I Get to Arizona” are alive and well in Arizona today, but this time the target is Brown people.
These actions must stop. I am issuing a call to action, urging my fellow musicians, artists, athletes, performers, and production companies to refuse to work in Arizona until officials not only overturn this bill, but recognize the human rights of immigrants. This should include the NBA playoffs, revisiting the actions of the NFL in 1993, when they moved the Superbowl to Pasadena in protest against Arizona’s refusal to recognize Dr. King. We all need to speak up in defense of our brothers and sisters being victimized in Arizona, because things are only getting worse. What they’re doing to immigrants is appalling, but it will be even more damning if we remain silent.”
Buy music by Public Enemy on iTunesWatch the video on YouTube
Check out more on their MySpace page.
The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.
Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.
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Old school hip-hop videos were about dropping the knowledge. Check out this 1989 video featuring KRS One. According to Wikipedia, "The Stop the Violence Movement was formed by rapper KRS-One in 1988/1989 in response to violence in the hip hop and black communities."
Members of Stop the Violence Movement include: Public Enemy (Chuck D & Flavor Flav), Boogie Down Productions (KRS-One, D-Nice & Ms. Melodie), Kool Moe Dee, Doug E. Fresh,
Stetsasonic (Delite, Daddy-O, Wise & Fruitkwan), MC Lyte, Just-Ice and Heavy D.
Here's a little extra knowledge, straight out of the Victimology textbook by Doerner and Lab. "In 2005, 49% of homicide victims were black and 49 percent white. This racial composition means that blacks experience an overrepresentation in homicide victimizations. Considering that blacks make up approximately 12 percent of the American population, all things being equal, one would expect that they would account for 12 percent of all murder victims."
I'm no master statistician but I do know that 12 times 4 equals 48...so does that mean that blacks get murdered at four times the rate of whites?
Buy Self-Destruction by Stop the Violence Movement on iTunes.The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.
Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.
If you've been following this blog you know that weekly songs have been provided by DJ Rinkrat for the past few months. This week, Rinkrat is on hiatus and Gal VanIZed is at the turntable. I may have found out about this song thanks to Rinkrat but I'm the one who insisted that it be the song of the week.
I want to dedicate this tune to all my students at Long Beach City College. We are always talking about how one person makes a difference and how your thoughts effect your perception. What do you suppose might happen if you made this song your theme song. What if you listened to it so many times that it got stuck in your head. What if, everytime you started to doubt yourself or feel like giving up, you started thinking about this song?
I think it could be powerful.
I looked for the lyrics to Self-Esteem by Nelly on the web but didn't find them so I listened to the song (willingly) about 5 times and tried to jot them all down. I'm gonna have sweet dreams tonight. If you can help me with any of the parts I've missed, I appreciate it.
Chours 1
You got to believe in yourself
Don't let nobody tell you what you can be
You got to believe in yourself
And everything else will work out, you'll see
2x
Chorus 2
I think, I.., Naw, I know, I can 3x
I know I can 2x
You see my papa was a rolling stone
and my momma had problems of her own
but I still managed to make it out okay
although I'm hailed as a hometown hero
Still in my hometown I'm seen as a negro
but man that's okay
There's so many obstacles in life to overcome
and as soon as you jump over one
here come another one
But we got to be strong and set examples for our sons
If the sun don't shine then the decaying has begun
Chorus 1 repeat 2x
Chorus 2 repeat 3x
They say I'm old enough to go to war
But I ain't old enough to play in the NBA no more
Now you tell me what's wrong with that
I pledge allegiance all the way to Iraq
But ain't nobody pledging to me when I get back
Tell my Uncle Sam he's wrong for that
You see my self-esteem
I'm never leaving home without it
They told me I'd never make it
They told me I ain't got it
(this verse is unclear for me)
Now tell me whoever made it
now tell me I ain't got it
I'm sayin' (??)
who's sayin' I ain't (??)
Chorus 1 repeat x2
That's right
You gotta believe it brother
Chours 2 repeat - 3x's
Rock on Nelly
Rock on my brother
Keep your head up over the storm young fellow
Got a letter from the government
Opened it, read it
and told 'em all to forget it
Because we believe in the future
Uncle Sam sends his man to recruit you
You still can't trust it
But you came this far
end of discussion
When you know who you are
Chorus 1 repeat 2x
That's right, believe
Com'on now
Don't let nobody tell you what you can be
Nelly, tell 'em now
That's right, rockin' in pos-i-tivity
Chorus 2 repeat 2x
You gotta believe
You gotta believe my brother
You keep doin' your thing
That's right, keep that head up
all the way into the future
that's right
for the babies, baby
Buy Self Esteem by Nelly on iTunesThe song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.
Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.
Buy music by Public Enemy on iTunes
Watch the video on YouTube
Check out more on their MySpace page.
The song of the week is brought to you by Michael Zampelli, former owner of Southern California punk rock icon, Zed Records. For almost 30 years, this mecca of punk and alternative music kept Southern California enthusiasts adequately supplied with unique, original and innovative music.
Currently, Zampelli manages a hockey fan message boards at www.letsgokings.com with thousands of subscribers. He takes photos for the LAist and the LA Derby Dolls. Each week he will contribute a song with a theme, a message and a beat. Enjoy and stay tuned.
