Piero F. Giunti

Las Cafeteras! (Annette Torres front/left)

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Not one more!

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erim.net

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On the last song of Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, the rapper rhymed, "And you know me / I don't vote / But the White House / You already know / It's hood now." The lyrics were a hat tip to Barack Obama being the first Black president of the United States. But for anyone wondering if Fiasco, who has been vocally critical of the administration, was softening up politically, they need look no further than what transpired last night at a pre-inaugural celebration concert in Washington D.C.

Fiasco staged a protest at Hamilton Live by repeatedly performing the first verse of his anti-war song "Words I Never Said" off of LASERS for about a half-hour straight as his backing band improvised musically through different instrumentals. He didn't self-censor and rhymed the lines, "Gaza Strip was getting bombed / Obama didn't say shit / That's why I ain't vote for him / Next one either / I'm part of the problem / My problem is I'm peaceful."

Refusing to move on to another song, concert organizers pulled the plug as Fiasco was escorted off the stage.
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Christopher Victorio

The battlegrounds of Palestinian civil society's call for a cultural boycott of Israel usually play out in Tel Aviv or in the music venues of other cities, but this week a prominent cancellation was gained much closer to home. The legendary Stevie Wonder was all set to perform for an annual Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF) gala on December 6 in Los Angeles when pressure started mounting from activist groups.

As word got out, the Grammy award amassing musician became the focus of efforts by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel to drop the date. The FIDF issued a press release just yesterday confirming that Wonder, indeed, will no longer be appearing at the event.

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It's Election Day and that means not only will millions of Americans be making their way to voting booths in order to participate in our great democracy, but chances are they'll first have to work through that dreaded pre-election anxiety as the fateful hour draws closer. What better way to pass the time and get in that election day mood than by jamming to your candidate's Presidential Playlist?

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney grew up around politics. Having participated in both of his parents' campaigns and regularly running for major political offices since 1994, he should have a good idea as to what makes for a selection of strong campaign music. Even though recent supporter Meat Loaf is nowhere to be heard, Romney's playlist is reflective of the spirit he wants to drum up in his audience.

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It's Election Day and that means not only will millions of Americans be making their way to voting booths in order to participate in our great democracy, but chances are they'll first have to work through that dreaded pre-election anxiety as the fateful hour draws closer. What better way to pass the time and get in that election day mood than by jamming to your candidate's Presidential Playlist?

Chicago is home to a rich music scene, so it's not surprising how varied President Barack Obama's musical tastes are. These selections from his campaign's official Spotify playlist really paint of picture of our 44th President's particular chosen soundscapes. While friend Jay-Z is conspicuous by his absence, there are even greater surprises to be found.

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Woody Guthrie

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Free Pussy Riot

See Also:
*Mare Is a Rapper Hell-Bent on Equality for Women in Mexico
*OC Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls Postponed Until Next Summer
*Five Feminist Anthems for International Women's Day!

Sitting inside a glass enclosure, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich smiled today as a Russian judge convicted the women of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred." The Pussy Riot punk rockers were then sentenced to two years' imprisonment for their supposed crime. Amnesty International, which deems the feminists as "prisoners of conscience" while taking up their cause, called the ruling "a bitter blow for freedom in the country."
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www.facebook.com/jasirixofficial

Jasiri X

Twenty years after social unrest gripped the city of Los Angeles, a new report on 2012 security force killings of Blacks in the United States has one rapper, Jasiri X, asking if no justice is done, "Do We Need to Start a Riot?" in a song and video released this week. The lyrics are provocative to be sure, but so too are the updated findings of the study that motivated him to pose the question musically.

Taking a look at the first six months of this year, the "No More Trayvon Martins" campaign and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement have put forth a newer but no less disturbing statistic that every 36 hours, a Black child, woman or man is killed by police, security guards and self-appointed vigilantes. The latter, of course, immediately brings George Zimmerman to mind in the shooting death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in February. More »