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Zearle:
This is your excuse for only mentioning mainstream-commercial hip hop groups? That you do not listen to underground hip-hop? So, you live in a bubble of your own music and the mainstream corporate artists that you mentioned? How can any trust what you say if you do not listen to your peers? American hip-hop just does not compare to the underground political music the rest of the world produces. How can you even call yourself a hip-hop artist listening to old Ice Cube, 2pac, and calling yourself a Marxist gangster?

Ice:
I gently try to explain my lack of knowledge about the American underground Marxist hiphop-scene on the background of basically two main reasons:

1) I am Norwegian. When I grew up, and became interested in rap, artists like Ice Cube, 2pac and PE were the ONLY political hip-hop that was accessible where I grew up in Norway.

2) Later, with the discovery of internet and such, it has of course been possible for med to explore more hiphop, including underground – and this was for example how I came to listen to amongst other your music. However – this was at a stage where my musical tastes were very much “set”, and a period followed where I have used less and less time on music, and more time on other kinds of political work. Therefore I have not followed the underground scene much lately. (I have not followed the mainstream scene much either).

To this you reply in a very angry manner, aggressively attacking positions that I never have taken. F.ex. when you write: “You are touting a dangerous position to look towards mainstream artists to change the system”

And further down “Well kudos for your “activism.” But is this an excuse for treating hip-hop, which is a way of life, a vehicle against oppression, a tool of building solidarity all around the world—as your hobby and to cover for your ignorance by throwing out that you are really busy in every other facet of life to learn anymore about the art and political form?”

No, it is not, an explanation is not an excuse. I spent some time on hip-hop around 2000, but later it has been minimal. Why is this? To me, in my life, hip-hop is NOT all these things. Hip hop is a propaganda tool which I use. -Lately, less frequently. I have no problem accepting that hip-hop can have a completely different meaning for somebody else, but you on your hand seem preoccupied with condemning everybody who do not accept your sectarian pre-pacaged ide of what hiphop is an should be for everybody everywhere.

Does the fact that I listen to an artist, and am inspired by him/her mean that I believe they are the right tool for “changing the system”? Not at all. I believe hiphop in any form will have a rather marginal role in changing the system.

You continue in the same aggressive tone with “I bet you felt Kanye’s comments to be radical…and support Puff Daddy’s “vote or die” movement…and Eminem’s pathetic “mosh on the White House’s lawn” song to be “the shit.””

When the fact is that I never had much liking for any of these artists musically, and politically I never even considered them. I have seen Puffy trying to do some Bono-stuff (which I believe basically is supporting the system, not changing it) and I was recommended Eminems video by an anarchist buddy of mine – and I do believe that it’s better that these artists do these things than being all-consumed by the sex-money-and-drugs-hiphop, but as so far as these guys are going to bring about a revolution – not very likely.

What you don’t seem to understand is that I am able to listen to something for _musical_ reasons, and not political, and I am able to see some good in a lot of the music of people like 2pac and early Ice Cube, without agreeing with them on everything. You seem to think the alternative to these artists are a lot of Marxists underground artists I never heard of. Fine – perhaps in the future it will be – perhaps in some milieus in America it is. But for me to promote artists I don’t know exist is quite hard, and I fear the alternative to most people at least around here are the Jay-Z’s and the Master P’s and such who continue the womanizing, capitalism-touting rap whit no message whatsoever.

Condemning the mainstream culture is a very effective way of separating yourself from the people you want to reach, and be written off as some weird sectarian before even having a chance to talk to them. I do not believe that it is bad to pick out the best parts of that culture as a point where you can connect people with alternative thoughts to the bourgeoisie hegemony. This was a starting point for me, and I believe it can be for others.

You continue asking ”have you read any Trisha Rose, Michael Eric Dyson, or any fucking radical writing on the subject?”

No, I guess I have probably read more American Marxist literature, than you have read Norwegian, but this subject is of rather marginal interest to me, as I have stated earlier, and I don’t follow the internal US-hiphop-debate. You don’t seem to understand, or be willing to accept that you and I work in quite different environments where the subjects of controverse are different, and the solutions and strategies also must be different.

You continue “Your position is taken by very undereducated hip hop consumers or people who want to be famous. You fit into both.”

1) I haven’t taken that position. 2) In the American hip-hop scene and debate I am probably undereducated, yes. I however do not believe I have made a bad judgement neglecting that. Time is limited. 3) If I had wanted to be famous making Hip-Hop, don’t you think it would be wise of me to produce more than one track every other year. I have so far produced 1 (one) album, 1 EP (or rather the red star Budapest crew have on the basis of a couple of my tracks) and 1 “lost and found” – scrap-metal album of tracks not found worthy for any other publishing. I am planning an other album, but no one knows when (or if) it will be finished. And this is since 1996…

So over to another subject. Two of your comments seem to demonstrate something about the way you read things, and listen to music which can perhaps explain a few things.

“I did promote YOU even though I felt your gangster nonsense was convoluted and “problematic.””

“Love this line by the way:
Opportunism=“Ahh - who am I kidding, if I got a good deal, I'd probably take it…”
Please in the future do not admit to being a sell out….”

It seems to me, you have a problem understanding the consept of HUMOR, and sub-aspects of it such as irony, satire etc. This is probably no surprise as it is generally accepted in Europe that US-Americans do not understand these things :) I however have experienced that a good portion of self-irony, both on my own personal account, on account of the image that is painted of hiphop her in Norway, and on account of stereotypes of the left, is a very wise approach to fend off banal criticism from political (and personal and musical) opponents.

So let me spell it out: Not everything is to be taken l.i.t.t.e.r.a.r.i.l.y.

To the questions about Ice Cube, Islam etc. “Westside Connection? Fridays? Children’s movies?”

– I have always made clear that it is the early Ice Cube I like to listen to (AmeriKKKas most wanted, Death Sertificat etc.) You keep attacking positions I have never taken.

About Islam, American black Nationalism etc: US black nationalism is not a very big issue outside the US. It might do you good once in a while to get your head out of your USA-sack and look around the world to discover there are other sacks with other peoples heads in them as well (amongst them me with my head in my Scandinavia-sack).

Here the problem is rather that a relatively small minority of immigrants are being attacked by a growing racist and populist right-wing movement, which has gained strength after 9/11, and basically use a scare-image of Islam as the root of all evil to condemn everybody who are not Christian nationalist westerners.

So excuse me for not focusing on some problems you might have with Islam in the US.

To your final question: “Oh…by the way…is it a coincidence that your album “Sex and Revolution” resembles the title of my album “Love and Revolution”??????????????????
What the fuck?”

The album is called “Gængsterr”. “Sex & Revolution” is the sub-title. When I made the title I had not heard of your album, so it has nothing to do with you. Relax – you will not have to be associated with opportunistic weak-ass sellout Norwegian rappers.

There are a lot of other points you make that I should probobly comment. (Speculations about my wealth (I have an average Norwegian wage – rich in a global setting of course, but not in a Norwegian one) and many others. But you are so damn ANGRY, that I have a little problem taking you seriousely. Let me therefore just end off on a positive note.

You mention a lot of artists “Sabac, Blue Scholars, Akil Ammar, Mystic, Quinto Soul, Native Guns, Akir, A-Aikes, Ricanstruction, Zion I, Ise Lyfe, I.R.A.N., Shadia Monsou, Boca Floja, Mr Lif, Red Cloud, Nate Mezmer, Resonate Sun, John Brown”

THANK YOU. That was actually constructive (or, rather I choose to interpret it that way, 'cus I'm a nice guy), and I’ll try to listen to some of them, and for further debate, may I suggest that a little more tempered and constructive tone may give better results not only musically, but also politically. (But what do I know. US culture may differ from the Norwegian, and anger may perhaps work better in the political debate there. I do not however have the experience that it leads to the kind of discussins the Marxist movement need to go forward).

Best wishes
Iceberg