"Hip Hop is too silent on Ferguson and Garner"- Questlove

[Built 4 cuban linx]

Quest instagram post

I urge and challenge musicians and artists alike to push themselves to be a voice of the times that we live in. I know that many see what happened to Dixie Chicks’ #NatalieMaines @mainesmusic (she bravely expressed her opinion/dismay on the Bush administration declaring war & was unjustly targeted….while in hindsight being CORRECT) suddenly there was an onslaught of radio silence from artists across the board (correction not everyone was silent, but the silence was deafening) although I’m kinda/sorta addressing the hip hop nation I really apply this challenge to ALL artists. We need new Dylans. New Public Enemys. New Simones. New De La Roachas. New ideas!

But it just doesn’t stop there!! We need outlets (hello #ClearChannel #RadioOne #Vh1) to balance the system. Yeah I’m just as guilty of feeling the high of all that I despise (“Devil’s Pie” D’angelo) but the reason why this nation seems to be moving 3 steps ahead in some areas…..but then 7 steps backwards in every area is a lack of balance. I’m not saying every song gotta be “Fight The Power” but in times like these we need to be more community minded (taking a wild guess that “urban radio’s” format didn’t change much from the pre program stuff (using that word *politely*) we’ve been hearing for years. & when I say challenge I don’t mean breathless race to the finish on who makes the more banging “fukk Tha Police” sequel.

I mean real stories. Real narratives. Songs with spirit in them. Songs with solutions. Songs with questions. Protest songs don’t have to be boring or non danceable or ready made for the next Olympics. They just have to speak truth. I laugh & have fun w “bytch You Guessed It” like everyone else. But my soul is aching man. Seriously just ONE or Two songs that change the course. This is something I feel the need and urgency to put out there. #EricGarner #MikeBrown #JusticeForAll #FeedMySoul #HandsUpDontShoot #ICantBreathe"
http://thegrio.com/2014/12/04/questlove-hip-hop-protest-song/

 

The user and all related content has been deleted.

 

[_Goldie_]

Yea, the big named artist needs to turn df up on these pink mfs.

The only songs Ive heard so far is the common/john legend joint (Which was really made for the mlk movie) and the Alicia Keys song ,where she's telling everyone to pray ,smh.

We need more of this

 

[Stew]

Azaliea Banks ain't quiet, she's calling out white female rappers from Australia. She counts, right?

 

[Stew]

On Twitter(the voice of Hip Hop)

 

[tompetrez3]

@‌usuncl3tom

@‌already ho17

@‌texastransvestite88

@‌getobitch

@‌Cgay

@‌infagmouth114

@‌Twerkaholic

@‌Honizzle

@LikeDaughter

and the rest of yall jigga fags get in here and tell us how dickriding Jay Z millions and business all these years is helping the future of hip hop.

 

[dwade206]

Mainstream, generally speaking, already sold out. Didn't Iggy just win best Rap album? Lmao. Radio doesn't care, television networks don't care, and a lot of these artists who love to talk about selling dope to their own and killing their own definitely don't care.

 

[Jabu_Rule]

http://allhiphop.com/2014/12/05/q-t...bada-freddie-gibbs-joining-zulu-nation-video/

I’m gonna let y’all know about some of the new inductees and what our plan – and when I say our I’m speaking specifically about mine and 9th Wonder, [what] our chapter is trying to do for the Nation. To really put a stronghold out there, so that we can be active and not just be angry. Not just be emotional but have a real thing there for change, a real vehicle, a real structure.

So some of the inductees we had recently are Nas. He joined. Joey Bada$$ joined. Freddie Gibbs joined. Last week Lil Wayne joined… and today Big Boi from OutKast joined.

Time to put on your leather medallions my brothers.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Questlove is right. I was listening that new Wu album an realized that Rae's verse was the first time I heard a rapper really address the cop thing in recent times and even he didn't specify Ferguson or Garner. You'd think more rappers would be jumping at the chance to speak on this.

Wake up and realise the times

That we living in the world is getting more iller than ever

Thought we was chillin', striving change for the better

But it was a dream like Martin Luther

He had a vision that could move a mountain

Protect one another, that's world to my brother Malcolm

As-salamu alaykum, alaykum as-salam

We want justice, police supposed to protect and serve

And then they shoot us down like wild animals

The nerve of them cold-hearted killers

With blue suits slaying our black youth

The earth cries from all the blood that's being spilled

We need a solution fast, get InshAllah bill

Let me educate them, translate it meaning God's will

It goes all in together, together how we are

To stand with a plan, not united we down to fall

And that's the Willie Lynch tactics that separated the masses

Taught us all to think backwards - Raekwon

 

[THIRDSUPREME]

 

[StoneColdMikey]

He right tho . At least say SONETHING in Ya rhymes instead of making a little Twitter or Instagram post

 

[Like Water]

No one has the spine for truth anymore. Not anyone in the mainstream, at least. I don't even know who COULD deliver a "Fight The Power" or a "Fuck Tha Police" in this climate, and that's our fault. It's our fault for not holding our musicians, our sports figures, our politicians, our people in high places accountable. And I ain't talkin bout them being "role models". I'm talking about them having a voice. A voice that we can expect to be heard when shit really hits the fan. Even a modicum display of empathy or solidarity in these situations goes a long way.

But just as important as the people we expect to deliver a message are the people that receive it. You can't want someone to say something during turbulent times, but shun them if they say the same shit during relatively normal times. One example being Lupe, who repeatedly speaks out about injustices and gets criticized for it. (That nigga swears he's smart. He's too preachy. He's boring. He uses words like "acquiesce"...) Some niggas are just never satisfied.

And @tompetrez3‌... If you wanna call someone out, my nigga, do so like a grown man and not like a first grader that just discovered the word "fuck". I can give a fuck about Jay-Z. That nigga has made it glaringly apparent he does not give a fuck about the same community that made him who he is.

Now, you can either choose to respond like a grown person to the aforementioned points or you can gon' bout ya business. Either way, I'ma borrow from J. Cole and tell you to GOMD.

 

[Built 4 cuban linx]

One example being Lupe, who repeatedly speaks out about injustices and gets criticized for it. (That nigga swears he's smart. He's too preachy. He's boring. He uses words like "acquiesce"...) Some niggas are just never satisfied.

Real shit, i say this all the time

 

[BoogaSuga]

Truth....

But wheres the Roots track?

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Well Questlove isn't the lyricist of the group, so unless he's going to spell some shit out in Morse Code with his drums, he has to wait on Black Thought to come up with something.

 

[BoogaSuga]

Well Questlove isn't the lyricist of the group, so unless he's going to spell some shit out in Morse Code with his drums...

 

[Knives Amilli]

yeah it made me feel some type of way when I see Drake, Currensy, Wiz, Wale and countless others post some bulllshit on IG but not a single fucking post on the current events. (spitta and Wale did appear on Game's song about mike brown in their defense)...

even so a lot these guys claims some sorta "voice of the people" moniker and their silence is contradictory of that. Wiz strikes me as a nigga whose too "hippy" to really give a fuck about anything and Drake's comes across as people pleasing coward who would probably claim "lack of knowledge about the entire thing so I cant speak on it" as an out.

Its sad but i gained more respect for Ross and Diddy who are complete fucking shysters but have been somewhat vocal about whats been going on.

 

[lamontbdc]

why don't quest put something together? he's produced tons of shit for artists and should be able to get some folks on a track

but this overall group of clowns and characters we call rappers ain't bout speaking up and out for the most part

killer mike been pretty vocal and j cole been on the frontline. game had a track bout mike brown with some rappers....everybody else missing in action

 

[rapmusic]

http://allhiphop.com/2014/12/05/q-tip-speaks-on-lil-wayne-big-boi-nas-joey-bada-freddie-gibbs-joining-zulu-nation-video/

I’m gonna let y’all know about some of the new inductees and what our plan – and when I say our I’m speaking specifically about mine and 9th Wonder, [what] our chapter is trying to do for the Nation. To really put a stronghold out there, so that we can be active and not just be angry. Not just be emotional but have a real thing there for change, a real vehicle, a real structure.

So some of the inductees we had recently are Nas. He joined. Joey Bada$$ joined. Freddie Gibbs joined. Last week Lil Wayne joined… and today Big Boi from OutKast joined.

Time to put on your leather medallions my brothers.

I used to love mine man! I sure do miss those days..

 

[RickyRich]

if tupac was around that nigga would be going off right now . Some of these rappers are soft as fuck .