Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Not Gonna Say Your Name’ By Entrance
Multiple efforts led by musicians have launched since President Donald Trump’s inauguration to raise funds for organizations involved in efforts to defend those who will be most impacted by Trump’s agenda. This week’s featured protest song comes from one of those efforts. “Our First 100 Days” is a project, where
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Clampdown’ by The Clash
Today, several radio stations celebrated International Clash Day. KEXP Morning Show host John Richards was largely responsible for the idea of a day for the seminal punk rock band, The Clash. “The message of The Clash, so influenced by the international sounds they grew up with, is both powerful and
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Terrorist?’ By Lowkey
White House press secretary Sean Spicer defended President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban by claiming only a very small percentage of innocent people were treated as terrorists while traveling so the outrage was overblown. He also justified the detention of a five year-old child, saying it would be wrong to assume
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘It’s Up To You (Television Mix)’
Resistance to President Donald Trump’s administration is needed now more than ever, and the resistance to Trump seems to intensify with each grim step the administration takes. An appropriate track for the moment is a sound collage from Steinski and Mass Media that was released in 1992 called “It’s Up
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Thieves (Screamed The Ghost)’ By Run The Jewels
The nightmare of black life in the United States, particularly how police can kill black people and get away with murder, is vividly presented on this song in the form of a “Twilight Zone” episode. With sirens and sound motifs from the classic television show, Killer Mike and El-P open
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Honey Trap’ And ‘Eyeball Constructors’
It has been awhile since a submission from an independent artist was featured so this week’s selection comes from a punk rock band from New York and Connecticut called Poor Lily. The band recently released a “punk rock opera” inspired by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden and global mass surveillance.
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Writings On Disobedience And Democracy’
Vinnie Paz of the hip hop group, Jedi Mind Tricks, wrote this song inspired by the work of people’s historian, Howard Zinn. It picks up where his song, “You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train,” left off, and similarly, it is a kind of hip hop cliff notes of
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Retribution’ by Tanya Tagaq
The colonialism of the United States rears its ugly head as Dakota Access pushes forward with its construction of an oil pipeline on indigenous land, forcing Native Americans to setup camps and engage in resistance to protect their very way of life from pollution. In defense of Dakota Access’s land
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Shoes Off’ by Swet Shop Boys
The Swet Shop Boys is a rap duo comprised of Himanshu Suri, who is known for his work with Das Racist, and actor Riz Ahmed, who goes by the moniker, Riz MC. Ahmed is a British Pakistani. Suri is of Punjabi-Indian descent. Their ethnicities and brown skin inevitably mean they
Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Chris Columbus’ by Head-Roc
Most of the United States marks Columbus Day on October 10, but there is a movement, which has convinced several city governments to abandon the holiday and instead celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Hip-hop artist Head-Roc, who describes himself as the mayor of D.C. hip-hop, wrote a protest song that dovetails