Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Déjà Vu, All Over Again...

Here we are again...

This will be short.

The verdict handed down last night (however predictable it may have been) has sparked a wave of anger and reflection. As a swirl of thoughts and contemplation of the proper way to navigate out of this miserable condition that we as a people are in, preoccupies many of our people, I found that two songs keep playing in my mind... and eventually on the car stereo.

We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up and When Will They Shoot?, both by Ice Cube, from his third solo album The Predator. The power, urgency, delivery, and portrait of the spark of full on revolution (if not urban insurrection) pour out of these tracks - especially when listened to in that order. I literally had flashbacks watching the news coverage of the initial reactions from the crowd in Ferguson, Missouri. these are two of Ice Cube's best songs (although not among the most recognized, as they received no airplay) and they embody the spirit of what we, as a people, are feeling (and have been feeling). This is not a call to violence... however for those that have already been moved to such expression... I understand. Listen to the lyrics for yourself. Like it or not, this is part of our collective life and reality... and these songs are part of the soundtrack. 


We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up, by Ice Cube




When Will They Shoot?, by Ice Cube



Until next time, remember... All of Life is Sound... even when it's unsettling... Keep Listening

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