Macklemore Fights Homophobia With ‘Same Love’ at Grammys

Staff / Truthdig Jan 28, 2014 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert and Madonna together performed the anti-homophobic bigotry song "Same Love" live at the Grammys on Sunday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Death of Artist Unites Greek Hip-Hop Community Against Fascism

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Oct 1, 2013 The stabbing of Greek rapper Pavlos Fyssas by a sympathizer of Greece's most prominent extreme right party earlier this month has led to the arrest of the group's leadership and the unification of once bitterly opposed rap artists against racism and violence. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

WikiLeaks Lawyer on American Imperialism

Staff / Truthdig Sep 20, 2013 This week on Truthdig Radio in association with KPFK: Julian Assange's attorney, Michael Ratner, has a front seat to history. Also: Is this the golden age of the black quarterback? And a feminist explains why women can love Eminem. Plus: Robert Scheer on the pope. Dig deeper

Lupe Fiasco Booted From Inaugural Concert After Anti-Obama Rant (Video)

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jan 21, 2013 The rapper took to the stage at the StartUp RockOn concert in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night and proceeded to sing his anti-war song, "Words I Never Said" -- which includes lyrics such as "Gaza Strip was getting bombed, Obama didn't say shit / That's why I ain't vote for him, next one either" --for roughly 30 minutes. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Remy Raps: ‘Raise the Debt Ceiling!’

Staff / Truthdig Jul 29, 2011 The debt ceiling drama has gone on so long that the issue has reached a critical cultural benchmark: A rap video urging Washington to take action on the matter has gone viral. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Stewart Schools O’Reilly on Common

Staff / Truthdig May 17, 2011 And that's just for this round between the two TV talkers -- but who's counting? Once again, Jon Stewart set his comic act aside for a more serious debate with Fox News' leading loofah enthusiast Bill O'Reilly, this time over the White House's shocking inclusion (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Common Performs at White House, Earth Continues Rotating on Its Axis

Staff / Truthdig May 12, 2011 Despite the collective outrage and alarm of noted hip-hop scholars Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, the artist known as Common turned up on Wednesday to perform a spoken word piece at a celebration of poetry at the White House. And lo, it was good. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Lupe Fiasco Calls Out Obama, Among Others

Staff / Truthdig Mar 29, 2011 Lupe Fiasco is returning hip-hop to its best tradition: actually saying something. With his new track, "Words I Never Said" (listen after the jump), the rapper confronts such diverse topics as the war on terror and the foreclosure crisis, with rhymes such as "Gaza strip was getting bombed, Obama didn’t say shit | Thats why I aint vote for him, next one either | I’ma part of the problem, my problem is I’m peaceful." Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Light Dims on Jean’s Bid for Haitian Presidency

Staff / Truthdig Aug 20, 2010 According to an unnamed member of Haiti's provisional electoral council, Fugee founder and hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean has been deemed ineligible to run for his country's presidency. Jean, who no longer lives in Haiti, had announced his intent to run last month, stirring excitement among the country's disillusioned youth. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Secret Weapon in the War on Drugs

Staff / Truthdig Dec 29, 2009 This satirical Onion headline says it all: DEA Recruits Lil Wayne to Use Up All Drugs in Mexico. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Iraqi-American Rap on the War

Staff / Truthdig Mar 27, 2007 Iraqi-American rapper TIMZ responds to the war with this video, titled simply "Iraq." The first verse is meant to be from the perspective of an Iraqi, the second from an American. Both have the intensity that has made the genre such an effective avenue for political and social commentary. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jabari Asim: Epithetical Distinctions

Jabari Asim / Truthdig Jan 9, 2007 One of the poets credited with giving birth to rap music gives us another take on the most taboo racial epithet of them all. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )