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.
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.
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.
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 reversedand 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.
I believe dubstep is one of the best examples of protest music.
It defies the common belief of what music is and continues forward to reach a new generation of music, one developed using advances in technology today. People believe that because an instrument is not being played that dubstep is not an actual genre of music. I believe that dubstep music is a perfect example for protest music because it opposes the peoples' idea of what music is. Also, people discredit dubstep artists and call their music; random noises, racket, or sounds. However, dubstep appeals to a different group of listeners and dubstep artists must work strenuously to create their songs.
The video above shows a concert of a dubstep concert, featuring a well-known dubstep artist known as Skrillex.
Sonny Moore "Skrillex"
Lorin Ashton "Bassnectar"
The machinery being operated is not only highly advanced, but creating songs like the one in the video, Hey Sexy Lady - iSquare (Skrillex Remix), involves a modern technology of creating sounds that collaborate and work well. Dubstep is not simple in the fact that anyone can create dubstep music. For example, there are many dubstep artists but like all other genres of music, few become well recognized and many remain in the category of bad. New dubstep fans will most likely be introduced with the major artists known as Bassnectar, Skrillex, Mt Eden, or even Nero, however the underground and less popular artists are just as good, if not better than the generic known dubstep artists. Personally, I feel that the only difference in the songs created by popular dubstep artists and unknown dubstep artists is the familiarity by the fans.
Playing Bassnectar's Remix of Ellie Goulding's song Lights or Skrillex's song Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
will be known by majority of people who claim to be dubstep fans, while Datsik's song Nuke 'Em
Troy Beetles "Datsik"
or Chase & Status's song Saxon
Saul Milton & Will Kennard "Chase & Status"
DJ Asaf Borger "Borgore"
will possibly be unknown to a "dubstep fan". In my opinion, discovering new dubstep artists is part of being a dubstep fan. I feel that as you listen to different dubstep artists, you can hear distinct differences in their songs. For example, Borgore is known to be very inappropriate and aggressive with their songs, while Skrillex has intense bass drops with very catchy and trendy tunes and beats to add. Distinctions in different dubstep artists allows more variety and unusual or special music to be created.
Borgore - Love
Benny Bennassi - Cinema (Skrillex Remix)
Although dubstep is a newer genre of music, it has expanded rapidly and grasped many fans and supporters. Dubstep has received hate from music listeners, discrediting the level of difficulty it takes to create the music, calling it a social trend that people will follow because "everyone is doing it", and even disregarding dubstep as music. People aren't aware of the effort and work that is put into creating this music, and although people can dislike this genre of music, many people still enjoy dubstep. The genre is growing to become a quick producing industry.
DC and Hooks "Zeds Dead"
One of my personal favorite dubstep artists is Zeds Dead, a less famous group consisting of two artists named DC and Hooks. Unknown or underground artists interest me because they provide a different sound in their songs for me to listen to. Zeds Dead's song 1975 is an example of an exotic and intricate beat with powerful drops as well.
Another personal favorite would be the SubVibe Bootleg Remix of Ellie Goulding's song Starry Eyed. The remix puts the listener in a trance and because Ellie Goulding's voice is calm and tranquil, provides a relaxed feeling while the bass drop is able to pump up the listener and encourage the listener to "rage".
Ellie Goulding
Identifying differences in sounds, beats, and drops in songs provides insight for people unwilling to listen to dubstep. Haters or novices to dubstep will be able to understand the difference in sounds of dubstep songs and random noises. As people progress to accepting dubstep, more supporters will follow.
As a dubstep fan, I believe that everyone is entitled to their interests and opinions but they should also be able to respect others' opinions and the genre in its entirety. Dubstep goes outside of the box that society lives by and challenges what is normal. It touches upon a new "free living" attitude that listeners can grasp while listening to the music.
