dead prez: propaganda

propaganda

In the opening verse, dead prez attacks the higher authority including the mass media and government claiming that they are misleading the public in order to maintain control over them. Dead prez states,

"You can't fool all the people all of the time

But if you fool the right ones, then the rest will fall behind

Tell me who's got control of your mind? your world view?

Is it the news"

They continue the verse by stating, "know what I'm sayin cause uncle sam got a plan", further attacking the government and supporting the idea of the United States government's plans to control the public. Using previous government actions, dead prez gains support for their skepticism of government intentions. The line, "Because I don't believe a word of what the president said, he filling our head with lies got us hypnotized" shows dead prez's mistrust in the government.

Dead prez continuously makes claims against government intentions, questioning what the government is hiding by censoring information from the public. For example, dead prez draws attention to Area 51 and alleged government cover-ups of UFO sightings and other alien related information. "No one knows if there's ufo's or any life on mars, or what they do when they up in the stars." Censorship is a tool the government uses to keep control over the people and regulate their lives.

"Every channel got some brainwashed cop shit to watch

Running up in niggas cribs claiming that they heard shots

It's a plot, but busta can you tell me who's greedier?

Big corporations, the pigs or the media?"

The lines above protest the media and the manipulative television shows that the broadcast to the public. Dead prez believes that these television shows like Cops portray the alleged good intentions of the government and police force. However, Cops is used by the police, media, and government to spread fear and ignorance through the public. The television show portrays minorities as criminal, allowing the public to believe all minorities are suspect to criminal activity which strengthens the police force's abuse of power. The police force abuses their power by telling the public their intentions mean well and they are solely there to protect us from these criminals. Dead prez argues that the government and media's use of confirmation bias is another tool used to manipulate the public and control their actions and lives.

dead prez

dead prez

The combination of stic.man and M-1 led to the creation of dead prez, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. The two men rap about current issues in society, protesting the misuse of corporate control over the media in their song "Propaganda". Since 1996, dead prez has gained support from listeners through their abnormal performance techniques, involving the burning of dollar bills. 

 

A common belief conveyed by dead prez is the anti-censorship mindset followed by stic.man and M-1.

"They Schools" protests the education system, claiming that the government is controlling and censoring the material taught in the schools. In the opening lines, dead prez states 

"Man that school shit is a joke

The same people who control the school system control

The prison system, and the whole social system

Ever since slavery, naw I'm saying?" 

telling the people not to trust the education system because it is controlled by the government who also controls the prisons. Stic.man attacks the education system in the first verse when he states, "I went to school with some redneck crackers" and "I took a history class serious Front row, every day of the week, 3rd period". In these lines, stic.man argues that the low academic achievement levels of poor African-American students are not related to lack of motivation, as stic.man expressed interest in his studies. In the second verse, M-1 discusses that although many students do no graduate from high school because of the high standards, the drop outs can still work to create themselves into respected intellectuals. 

You either get paid or locked up, the principal is like a warden
In a four year sentence, mad niggas never finish
But that doesn't mean I couldn't be a doctor or a dentist

 Additionally, M-1 discusses the role of education in a person's life. M-1 states, "School is like a 12 step brainwash camp. They make you think if you drop out you ain't got a chance", claiming that the government is manipulating students who succeed in school in preparation for their entrance into the workforce. According to dead prez, those students who do not graduate or cannot make it through grades K-12 are established as failures by the government and the rest of society. However, the people who did not graduate or dropped out are not failures but are believed to be, because of the failing education system controlled by the government.

Fed Up

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus takes a different approach to protesting domestic violence by creating the song "Face Down". The messaged conveyed through the song comes from the perspective of a friend or outsider not involved in the abusive relationship. In the opening verse, the line refers to the outsider or friend speaking to the girl, questioning why she stays with this man if he continues to follow the pattern of abusing her then lying and promising her it would never happen again. 

Hey girl, you know, you drive me crazy
One look puts the rhythm in my hand
Still I'll never understand why you hang around
I see what's goin' down

 

Additional to the song, the music video portrays the reality of domestic violence. The song shows a woman with all of her surroundings falling apart and breaking. As her life begins to crash from the abuse, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus's repeating chorus suggests that the woman will leave this man and overcome the abusive relationship

Do you feel like a man, when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well, I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

 

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus wants listeners to bring their attention to this issue. Furthermore, the song addresses those victim to domestic violence, asking them to seek help if necessary. The problem with domestic violence is that those suffering from them continue to take the abuse and don't leave or get help.

 

The verse below addresses the abuser in the abusive relationship, stating "Every action in this world will bear a consequence." Because the man in this relationship has abused the woman, he will have to suffer by losing her when she breaks up with him and leaves.

 

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
Every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever you will surely drown
I see what's going down 

Bombs Over Baghdad

Outkast's single B.O.B (Bombs Over Baghdad) was released in September 6, 2000 and was the first single from their album "Stankonia." The misleading title of this song leads many listeners to believe that Outkast is protesting against the United States' 2003 invasion in Iraq, which is impossible because the song was released three years prior. However, Outkast does reference the 1991 Gulf War and the song goes further to criticize the music industry and how people in the music industry go halfway through with things and fail to complete them.

Before you RE up, get a laptop
Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals
Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals
Record number four, but we on the road

Big Boi's lines in the song show how Outkast wants the people to set goals and follow through with their ambitions rather than start and leave them incomplete. 

Big Boi

The chorus states "Don't even bang unless you plan to hit something" showing how Outkast wants artists in the music industry to make something happen and follow through with it. According to Deena Weinstein, the problem with many protest songs is their misinterpretation by the public or the people. Similar to the theories of Weinstein, Outkast's song B.O.B is commonly misinterpreted and believed to be a song protesting President George W. Bush Jr.'s invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Domestic Violence

Eminem's hit song "Love The Way You Lie" was released on August 9, 2010. From the album Recovery, the number one album on the US Billboard 200 chart, "Love The Way You Lie" protests Domestic Violence. The song features Rihanna, a victim of domestic violence from her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

The song describes the story of an abusive relationship, showing the ups and downs and struggle to find stability. Eminem successfully protests domestic violence as Recovery received a Grammy for Best Rap Album, "Love The Way You Lie" spent seven consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and Eminem earned six awards of the thirty nominations from around the world.

Plato does not approve

"But I don't love her" - Gucci Mane



Radric Davis "Gucci Mane"



Famous rapper Radric Davis, also known as Gucci Mane, promotes objectifying women in his son "I Don't Love Her" featuring Rocko and Webbie.

Modern rap continuously attacks women and the role of women in society. Gucci Mane states

I love things about her ( but don't love her )
I love the way she treat me (but don't love her )
I love the way she f*** me (but don't love her)
I love the way she bless me (but still don't love her)

 
in the chorus of the song, repeating the constant belief that women are only loved for what they are able to do or accomodate for men. By promoting this behavior and treatment of women through his music, Gucci Mane advocates the degradation of women. On the contrary, the message conveyed by Gucci Mane in "I Don't Love Her" oppose Plato's beliefs. Plato would not approve of this song in The Republic because it portrays bad morals and beliefs to the people. Allowing this song to play in The Republic would mean that Plato is accepting  the immoralities portrayed by the song and teaching these beliefs to society.

The use of censorship in The Republic by Plato advocates his intention to mold society into what he envisions. Plato strongly believes in equality and even creates a median between poor and rich people of The Republic.



Plato



In Gucci Mane's verse, he continues to incorporate ideas boosting his ego and masculinity. Throughout the verse he reherses lines like, "verse so slick make my video marvelous", "plenty rocks on my arm", or "I didn't mean to shit on you excuse me sorry", consistently acknowledging materialistic beliefs.

Ima trapholic all I do is ball
Tear the mall down now trick
Don't flag me down see me down town rarri
I didnt mean to shit on you excuse me sorry
Verse so slick make my video marvelous
Polo to the floor Ralph down like carlton
Try the CO they gone put yu on a carton
I didnt mean no harm but my diamonds are dumb plenty rocks on my arm
Me & Rocko the Don, East Atlanta the Slum
Where I'm from got a gun in the club havin fun
And —- done no more coaches to call it
After party bachelor party they shudda called it

Additional to Gucci Mane, Rocko and Webbie infer ideas objectifying women. According to Rocko,

Man I love the way she shake it
I like her cause she groovy
Love to see her naked I love to watch a movie
I like her she the coolest
Good head on her shoulders I love the way she use it
Ay I like the way she fuck me love the way she suck me
Love how everytime we play she catch it like rugby
I love she know whats up with me she love me cause I'm gutta
I like a lot about her though but still don't love her
Still super cool though yeah she my luh buddy
She be sharper than ah pencil
Yeah she my luh cutty
Shawty say I'm dirty but when I see ha she wanna hug me
Super swagga carats mack all my bitches love that

women are merely just an object used for pleasure or satisfaction. The entire second verse of "I Don't Love Her" by Gucci Mane states what Rocko enjoys about this woman but he even states, "I like a lot about her though but still don't love her", strongly implying the belief of objectifying women. Plato's strong belief in equality of the people would definitely oppose and censor this song from being played in The Republic.



Rodney Ramone Hill Jr. "Rocko"



Gucci Mane's song "I Don't Love Her" strongly impacts society as it approves the objectification of women and the degradation of women. Allowing society to believe it is alright to treat other people poorly creates the social problems that protesters fight to remove.

What if...

Lupe Fiasco is considered a lyrical genius of our time.

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco "Lupe Fiasco"

 His surplus of meaning in his lyrics overflows off the page and gathers for the listener to absorb. All Black Everything by Lupe Fiasco is a prime example of Lupe Fiasco's efforts to imagine society without the redundant problems that bother and fill our minds at all times.

Lupe Fiasco suggests the listener to free their mind and dream together with himself of a world without social distinctions.

In Lupe Fiasco's dream which is taking place during the song All Black Everything, problems in today's society are reversed and there are no distinctions in race, color, or ethnicity. By reversing the roles of people in today's society with their opposite role gives us insight into the society that evolved in Lupe Fiasco's dream. Lupe's song All Black Everything expresses backwards world views and distorted illusions of society. 

Another concept that Lupe Fiasco demonstrates in his song includes the aversion of many conflicts caused by inequality and unjust actions. For instance, Lupe's first verse in All Black Everything discusses the possibilities if slavery had never transpired. Lupe Fiasco goes even farther by portraying many of the extremes in society or antonyms, a black woman in charge of the Ku Klux Klan, Bill O'Reilly reads and reports from the Quran, and even President Bush holding power in Iran rather than the United States. Lupe Fiasco uses these absolute extremes to represent the "what if" possibilities that society fails to acknowledge.

Uh, and we ain't get exploited
White man ain't feared so he did not destroy it
We ain't work for free, see they had to employ it
Built it up together so we equally appointed
First 400 years, see we actually enjoyed it
Constitution written by the W.E.B. Du Bois
Were no reconstructions, Civil War got avoided
Little black Sambo grows up to be a lawyer
Extra extra on the news stands
Black woman voted head of Ku Klux Klan
Malcolm Little dies as a old man
Martin Luther King read the eulogy for him
Followed by Bill O'Reilly who read from the Quran
President Bush sends condolences from Iran
Where FOX News reports live
That Ahmadinejad wins Mandela peace prize

Unlike Weinstein's theory, Lupe Fiasco's works are recognized for their successful arguments against the dominant ideology of conforming to the norms of society, and do not get misinterpreted or misread by a vast quantity of listeners. One way that Lupe Fiasco further reveals his philosophies is through graphic musical texts. According to Shuker, "The three forms of text are graphic, musical, and music video"(93). Lupe Fiasco's album cover for LASERS implements Shuker's theory on graphic text; and their ability to display concepts conveyed by the artist.

Lupe Fiasco connects the verses together through the use of his chorus.

You would never know
If you could ever be
If you never try
You would never see
Stayed in Africa
We ain't never leave
So there were no slaves in our history
Were no slave ships, were no misery, call me crazy, or isn't he
See I fell asleep and I had a dream, it was all black everything

Throughout the chorus, Lupe uses words with definite concrete meanings to convince the listener to consider Lupe's vision of a world without anyone being looked down upon. The words, "never, ever, no, all, everything" establish fixed boundaries within the word itself, leaving no room for misinterpretation. On the other hand, the words, "if, try, isn't, dream" create ambiguous restraints allowing possibilities to transfer to the listeners mind.

Lupe Fiasco also mentions renowned rappers Eminem and 50 Cent as he asks the listener what if Eminem was black and 50 Cent was white. Questioning the norms of society provides Lupe with the listeners attention as they are intrigued by the "what ifs". Society knows and recognizes Eminem for his ability to defeat the odds and receive recognition as a rapper while being white. However, reversing the roles, would Eminem have made it if he was black? Or would 50 Cent be able to do what Eminem did if he was white and reach success?

Eminem fitted in but then again he inspired a black rapper tryin to mimic him
And that's what really rose up out of Michigan, the sign of white rapper by the name of 50 Cent, ha!

Lupe Fiasco's song All Black Everything disputes the standard structure of society and additionally asserts the outlook of an unpopular view upon the listener. Despite the evils surrounding fame and success, Lupe Fiasco is still able to produce music untouched by ordinary opinions. Appealing to the underdog is a tactic that continues to work for Lupe Fiasco as his songs enforce ideas of supporting the less favorite.