Happy MLK Weekend. Try to remember my man Martin along with all the people who applied their talents to create a more just and fair world for us all. I had to say this b/c people always want to focus on the leader instead of all the folks for whom he was the spokesman. Now you have people sitting around waiting for a leader instead of getting off their own asses and doing something. I digress, but if you want to download MLK's nastiest speech, hit the link I have provided to the right.
Continuing on with this theme, I want to put together a list of the 50 illest conscious songs. This consciousness can be social, economic, political, philosophical, or even spiritual. The song just has to be increasing the awareness of the listener in a very real way. At many points in history, there is a problem that artists will attempt to address through song whether directly or indirectly.
Here is what comes to my mind right from the gate:
-We're All in the Same Gang by West Coast All Stars
-What's going on by Marvin Gaye
-A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
-War by Bob Marley
So what y'all got. I have a feeling that this will be our most lively conversation to date.
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=1VRZq3J0uz4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_LQiuQ1xIBM
http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=tracks1
also check out law library 1-4.....
dead prez anyone??
keep on pushin - curtis mayfield
move on up - curtis mayfield
hurricane- bob dylan
legalize it - peter tosh
work- bob marley
400 years- bob marley
fuck the police- nwa
they schools- dead prez
lupe fiasco- diamons are forever remix
dead prez w-2
you asleep at the wheel tim?
it would be in good taste to make another post now.
I am, I be -- De La Soul. Nobody fucks with posdnous on the lyrical tip.
I'm kind of thrown by the post's title. Conscious songs about what? everybody seems to be reaching for heavy duty songs like what's going on, but I always considered conscious music to be anything with meaningful lyrics about life in general. anyone disagree?
Richie,
I'm still here. I was just waiting for somebody to come with something before I hit you with something else. I figured this would be right up your alley.
Adam: I think you are right to examine what a concious song is. It could be anything that is not clearly pop or simply intended to make the ladies say "oww".
I think of it as a song intended to address a social issues such as gang violence (we all in the same gang), teen pregnancy (brenda's got a baby by Pac), or spread of media disinformation (propaganda by Dead Prez). However, I do think that in a general sense, conciousness is a perspective of the world that is shaped a greater than normal understanding of how it works. A song with that type of perspective might be classified as a concious song.
Great Topic. Here's a few that come to mind:
Violent - 2Pac
Self-Destruction - Stop The Violenc Movement
Can't Truss It - Public Enemy
(Entire Album) It Takes a Nation of Millions - Public Enemy
The Message - Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five
Mercy, Mercy Me - Marvin Gaye
1555 - Grave Diggaz
Looks like we are getting there. I think we have some more songs to come up with to get to fifty.
BTW someone's gotta get on my case b/c I have contributed very little to the list myself. If you have the inclination to do that, you should know that I have been pondering this topic since I proposed it and I am struggling majorly rit now. I'll have something for that ass real soon though.
Also, Mad shots to Matthew who just dropped some heavy ones on us. I can't wait to listen to 1555 and I'm re-coppin' the entire "Public Enema" album you listed.
Some thoughts... I'd like to see the first songs that come to everyone's minds. Full SGLLP participation -- this is a great topic:
Rat Race - Bob Marley
keep on moving - Bob Marley
Changes - Tupac
Peace in Liberia - Alpha Blondy
Ghetto Bastard - Naughty By Nature
Break the Neck of this Apartheid - Alpha Blondy
Sleep through the static - Jack Johnson
Humble Afrikan - Culture
Imagine - John Lennon
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
Fight the power - Public Enemy
You Can't Blame the Youth - Peter Tosh
That Night - Atmosphere
My vote goes to pretty much anything on K'naan's "The Dusty Foot Philosopher." I know you're looking for songs, not albums, but I think almost every song on here could/should make the list.
pink floyd "the wall"
billy joel "we didn't start the fire"
u2 "sunday bloody sunday"
billie holiday "strange fruit"
talib kweli "reflection eternal"
tupac "shorty wanna be a thug"
the coup "build a bigger weapon" (album)
the coup "500 ways to kill a ceo"
boots riley kills it
shadi needs to read this blog and tell us how wrong we are, and enlighten us.
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