Excuse me for my perceived intolerance and sarcasm. I did take a nasty tone and you have my apologies. Tis not the best for comrades to communicate. So, that said...I will attempt to not be as shitty. I do think your sarcasm towards me is present, alas possibly more veiled then mine....
I am well traveled due to my work with several organizations, so your points on my USA tunnel vision are confusing. I have only traveled to "third world" countries. I have not been to Europe, Australia, or Japan. I find myself with more of a Franz Fanon mindset then a Western Marxist pedagogy. I do like Antonio Gramci, who speaks of subverting popular culture to influence change and in many ways challenges classic Marxism's fixation on the economic base. This is why studying hip-hop and ways of spreading ideology are so important. However, it really DOES matter who is producing the radical culture. Can anyone produce radical culture? Gramsci has a theory of the "organic revolutionary" that again can be connected to youth creating hip-hop in Colombia or Senegal. Can we then measure who is more important? I do prefer building ways of attacking a capitalist super-structure and a deep understanding of methods of counter-propaganda and counter-subversion are needed.
I do not even define myself as an "American" as I find nationalism sickening and limited for purposes of building solidarity. I do hold dual-citizenship so I do not have be American if I choose....
I think you have misconstrued my position on Islam. I do want to be clear on my opinion of fringe members of American Muslim groups that practice a distorted and mutated version of Islam. A google search of both the Nation of Islam and the 5% Nation will dredge up sufficient criticisms by Muslims and "left wingers." I am not a orientalist (as theorized by the Late Edward Said), nor am I in the support of the creation of bigamy and racial hatred. Several of the political hip hop groups I constructively suggested are Muslim and/or are Arab, Persian, or Palestinian. The United States has a serious problem around islamophobia and it is a issue that I organize around as well as many other people of color issues (as I am a person of color, part of why I feel I can attack your whiteness and "Norwegian wealth" as well as need to study hip-hop as a revolutionary tool outside your own hobbies).
The authors I suggested you read (you could have googled just one of them to see they are hip-hop writers NOT American Marxists) are the most respected hip-hop theorists in the game right now. Although some might define themselves as radicals, most are academics who work in colleges or are professional writers. You say hat you have "marginal interest" in studying or listening to anything not Norwegian. Why would you take this stance? Why would you not be interested in understanding more in general?
If I wanted to recommend Socialist writers that discuss the use of counter-hegemonic culture I would have mentioned maybe Subcomandante Marcos, Stuart Hall and Tariq Ali....
As far as using hip-hop to be famous...you were the one that said you would take a "good record deal." If you knew about that incredible corruption in hip-hop (see Immortal Technique for a break down on the industry and why a MC should never sign a deal). If you studied hip-hop, you would know that many, many MCs become trapped in record deals (Lauryn Hill has an album made and ready that her label refuses to release because they do not think it "will sell"). This flippant/sarcastic answer speaks volumes to youth listening to your music and reading your interview. This is part of the reason I was mad. You seem laissez-faire throughout the interview, almost shitting on the hip-hop you represent. I would like the opinion of others on this. Am I the only one that read it this way? You were supposed to say :
"FUCK NO....I would never sign a deal. I know how artists are abused, oppressed, and limited by the industry. I have read about how dead prez has been screwed several times by Sony, Colombia and others. Plus, I understand that the hip-hop music industry is dying and I would never support a dying monster. I support free file sharing, and stand against copyright laws. I support Pirate Bay, Mininova, and others who take a stand. I will use the incredible power of the Internet to share my music with all. I understand the file hosting, P2P, and torrents are the new vehicle of revolution and I will spit in the face of a record executive who offered me a deal.
I am more confused to why you would utilize "sex" to sell your album then its similarity to the name of one of my albums.
And this:
"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…"
The position I refer to is, that commercial and mainstream hip-hop can be used to ferment/foster/teach/spread revolutionary ideologies. The industry does not want to destroy itself by producing music that undermines capitalism.
So, referring to #1, I thought that was what you were saying. My bad if that is not what you believe. I must have missed something.
#2. You still do not believe you had made a error in being undereducated about the art that you appropriate for your own means. The time excuse is what peasants tell workers when they try to educate them about solidarity. Lest we never say ignorance is because we have no time. Mutha fuckas will get no where with that ideology.
#3 You further disassociate yourself from the world hip-hop community by stating that you make one track every two years. So are you hip-hop or not? What do you represent? Are you what we call a "studio gangster"
Further, I am confused more about your motivation then I was before we began.
It seems you may use hip-hop to vent (yep..now I'm psycho-analyzing you) and be the tough, sex fixated gangster in your imagination. In this case, I am sorry for thinking you care about hip-hop and the youth culture who represent it. If not, then why not learn more about hip-hop, more about the American Recording Industry that had such long arms they threaten the ISP providers of autonomous countries?
Excuse me for my perceived intolerance and sarcasm. I did take a nasty tone and you have my apologies. Tis not the best for comrades to communicate. So, that said...I will attempt to not be as shitty. I do think your sarcasm towards me is present, alas possibly more veiled then mine....
I am well traveled due to my work with several organizations, so your points on my USA tunnel vision are confusing. I have only traveled to "third world" countries. I have not been to Europe, Australia, or Japan. I find myself with more of a Franz Fanon mindset then a Western Marxist pedagogy. I do like Antonio Gramci, who speaks of subverting popular culture to influence change and in many ways challenges classic Marxism's fixation on the economic base. This is why studying hip-hop and ways of spreading ideology are so important. However, it really DOES matter who is producing the radical culture. Can anyone produce radical culture? Gramsci has a theory of the "organic revolutionary" that again can be connected to youth creating hip-hop in Colombia or Senegal. Can we then measure who is more important? I do prefer building ways of attacking a capitalist super-structure and a deep understanding of methods of counter-propaganda and counter-subversion are needed.
I do not even define myself as an "American" as I find nationalism sickening and limited for purposes of building solidarity. I do hold dual-citizenship so I do not have be American if I choose....
I think you have misconstrued my position on Islam. I do want to be clear on my opinion of fringe members of American Muslim groups that practice a distorted and mutated version of Islam. A google search of both the Nation of Islam and the 5% Nation will dredge up sufficient criticisms by Muslims and "left wingers." I am not a orientalist (as theorized by the Late Edward Said), nor am I in the support of the creation of bigamy and racial hatred. Several of the political hip hop groups I constructively suggested are Muslim and/or are Arab, Persian, or Palestinian. The United States has a serious problem around islamophobia and it is a issue that I organize around as well as many other people of color issues (as I am a person of color, part of why I feel I can attack your whiteness and "Norwegian wealth" as well as need to study hip-hop as a revolutionary tool outside your own hobbies).
The authors I suggested you read (you could have googled just one of them to see they are hip-hop writers NOT American Marxists) are the most respected hip-hop theorists in the game right now. Although some might define themselves as radicals, most are academics who work in colleges or are professional writers. You say hat you have "marginal interest" in studying or listening to anything not Norwegian. Why would you take this stance? Why would you not be interested in understanding more in general?
If I wanted to recommend Socialist writers that discuss the use of counter-hegemonic culture I would have mentioned maybe Subcomandante Marcos, Stuart Hall and Tariq Ali....
As far as using hip-hop to be famous...you were the one that said you would take a "good record deal." If you knew about that incredible corruption in hip-hop (see Immortal Technique for a break down on the industry and why a MC should never sign a deal). If you studied hip-hop, you would know that many, many MCs become trapped in record deals (Lauryn Hill has an album made and ready that her label refuses to release because they do not think it "will sell"). This flippant/sarcastic answer speaks volumes to youth listening to your music and reading your interview. This is part of the reason I was mad. You seem laissez-faire throughout the interview, almost shitting on the hip-hop you represent. I would like the opinion of others on this. Am I the only one that read it this way? You were supposed to say :
"FUCK NO....I would never sign a deal. I know how artists are abused, oppressed, and limited by the industry. I have read about how dead prez has been screwed several times by Sony, Colombia and others. Plus, I understand that the hip-hop music industry is dying and I would never support a dying monster. I support free file sharing, and stand against copyright laws. I support Pirate Bay, Mininova, and others who take a stand. I will use the incredible power of the Internet to share my music with all. I understand the file hosting, P2P, and torrents are the new vehicle of revolution and I will spit in the face of a record executive who offered me a deal.
I am more confused to why you would utilize "sex" to sell your album then its similarity to the name of one of my albums.
And this:
"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…"
The position I refer to is, that commercial and mainstream hip-hop can be used to ferment/foster/teach/spread revolutionary ideologies. The industry does not want to destroy itself by producing music that undermines capitalism.
So, referring to #1, I thought that was what you were saying. My bad if that is not what you believe. I must have missed something.
#2. You still do not believe you had made a error in being undereducated about the art that you appropriate for your own means. The time excuse is what peasants tell workers when they try to educate them about solidarity. Lest we never say ignorance is because we have no time. Mutha fuckas will get no where with that ideology.
#3 You further disassociate yourself from the world hip-hop community by stating that you make one track every two years. So are you hip-hop or not? What do you represent? Are you what we call a "studio gangster"
Further, I am confused more about your motivation then I was before we began.
It seems you may use hip-hop to vent (yep..now I'm psycho-analyzing you) and be the tough, sex fixated gangster in your imagination. In this case, I am sorry for thinking you care about hip-hop and the youth culture who represent it. If not, then why not learn more about hip-hop, more about the American Recording Industry that had such long arms they threaten the ISP providers of autonomous countries?
Solidarity
Z