Sunday, December 29, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
OutKast - True Dat (Interlude)
"Poisonin of the food and water
Tamperin of ciggarettes
Disease engineering control over your life
Take back your existance or die like a punk"
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
a-alikes-currency (feat. divine rbg)
“The birds got the flu/the cows is mad/the fish is full of mercury/the pigs, they wanna murder me/we in a state of emergency/but currently/still grindin’/to move a movement takes currency.”
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
My Veganism: Hip Hop Artist Sole on His Music and Message
Posted on July 16, 2013 by ANIMALVOICESRADIO
Hip hop artist Sole (Tim Holland) has been veg since age 11 and rapping since 13, but he has never been interviewed about animal rights topics… until today! Animal Voices is delighted to welcome Sole to talk about his music and his transition into on-the-ground activism, spurred by the Occupy movement. This wide-ranging conversation also touches on growing your own food, the intersection between veganism, race, and rap, and the influence of Charlotte’s Web on a very young Tim. The interview features clips from two of Sole’s tracks, Theme and I Think I’m Noam Chomsky. To listen to more of Sole’s work, visit soleone.org and sole.bandcamp.com.
listen
Hip hop artist Sole (Tim Holland) has been veg since age 11 and rapping since 13, but he has never been interviewed about animal rights topics… until today! Animal Voices is delighted to welcome Sole to talk about his music and his transition into on-the-ground activism, spurred by the Occupy movement. This wide-ranging conversation also touches on growing your own food, the intersection between veganism, race, and rap, and the influence of Charlotte’s Web on a very young Tim. The interview features clips from two of Sole’s tracks, Theme and I Think I’m Noam Chomsky. To listen to more of Sole’s work, visit soleone.org and sole.bandcamp.com.
listen
Monday, August 26, 2013
Bryant Terry On Buddhism and Food Justice
Bryant Terry On Buddhism and Food Justice from Turning Wheel Media on Vimeo.
"if you have to rely on someone else to feed you, you're enslaved, you're not truly free." - bryant terry, remembering his grandfather's words
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Styles P’s Latest Release (peta2 interview)
Styles P’s Latest Release
"I just wanted to be healthy. I stopped eating pork when I was 12 or 13 and then I stopped eating beef when I was on the “No Way Out” tour …. I was driving by some farm and for at least the length of a mile there’s plain land. I could see mad cows stacked next to one another … like an assembly line. I see those cows and it just didn’t look right...Besides that, I’m a father, so a lot of it really started to kick in when I was thinking from a father point of view. I don’t want my kids growing up eating the same bullcrap. I think the better you eat, the better person you are."
"I just wanted to be healthy. I stopped eating pork when I was 12 or 13 and then I stopped eating beef when I was on the “No Way Out” tour …. I was driving by some farm and for at least the length of a mile there’s plain land. I could see mad cows stacked next to one another … like an assembly line. I see those cows and it just didn’t look right...Besides that, I’m a father, so a lot of it really started to kick in when I was thinking from a father point of view. I don’t want my kids growing up eating the same bullcrap. I think the better you eat, the better person you are."
JUNGLE - Pataphysics ft. Stic.Man (DEAD PREZ)
feelin' this minus the anthropomorphization and perpetual demonization of pigs.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
P.O.S - "Fuck Your Stuff" (Official Music Video)
"My whole crew's on some shit, Scuffing up your Nikes, spitting on your whip, Kicking out your DJ, rock it then we dip." P.O.S
Anti-consumerism pioneer Macklemore sells out, edits lyrics for NBA Promo (re-post)
source
Macklemore rose to fame in 2012 on the strength of his frugal anthem “Thrift Shop,” a catchy hip-hop tune with an anti-consumerist bent that managed to get serious radio play. After its release in August, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in January, and still remains there today. Those who associate hip-hop with commercialism hailed the rapper as a radical new voice in the genre—while others pointed out that plenty of rap artists have challenged consumerism before, even if they didn’t have number-one singles.
Success is rarely simple, and Macklemore’s anti-consumerist fans may want to watch his three-minute promo for the NBA’s All-Star week, featuring “Wing$,” the second single from the rapper’s debut album, The Heist. In its original form, “Wing$” is a critique of Nike and the obsessive sneaker culture that triggered $200 shoe prices. You may be confused why the NBA, a key player in the rise of the big-time sneaker industry, would choose the song to hail its product. But that’s because it’s not the same song anymore: In the promo, Macklemore drops all the lyrics that criticize Nike and consumerism.
Adapting a formerly anti-consumerist song in order to promote that endeavor is what some would call selling out. The song is still catchy (is it though?), and if that’s what matters most to you, then the spot serves its purpose. But those who loved Macklemore for his smart, socially conscious lyrics may want to revise the tune they’re singing about what the rapper supposedly represents.
(Italicized lyrics do not appear in the promo)
I was seven years old, when I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, Momma, this air bubble right here, it’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court, and when I jumped, I jumped, I swear I got so high
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net, this is the best day of my life
Air Maxes were next
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffin, the tread, in school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease ‘em
My friends couldn’t afford ‘em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best, but my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, but bad was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa
See he just wanted a jump shot, but they wanted to start a cult though
Didn’t wanna get caught, from Genesee Park to Othello
You'd get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground, cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him
I wanted to be that guy, I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool, and I wanted to fit in
I wanted what he had, America, it begins
[Hook]
I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down
We want what we can’t have, commodity makes us want it
So expensive, damn, I just got to flaunt it
Got to show ‘em, so exclusive, this that new shit
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me, I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yea, but I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
Are you stupid, don’t crease ‘em, just leave ‘em in that box
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear, we wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me, and I’m trying to take mine, off
[Hook]
They started out, with what I wear to school
That first day, like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes
Gonna make me fly
Read more at ONTD: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/75615053.html#ixzz2X39BM410 [the end]
[enter upsetting the set up...]
original, non-bastardized, before selling out version...
some examples to further challenge the absurd idea that macklemore is an "anti consumerism pioneer.":
afterthoughts: makes you think about how saul williams sold out to nike a few years ago or how mystic did to bud light before that...
Success is rarely simple, and Macklemore’s anti-consumerist fans may want to watch his three-minute promo for the NBA’s All-Star week, featuring “Wing$,” the second single from the rapper’s debut album, The Heist. In its original form, “Wing$” is a critique of Nike and the obsessive sneaker culture that triggered $200 shoe prices. You may be confused why the NBA, a key player in the rise of the big-time sneaker industry, would choose the song to hail its product. But that’s because it’s not the same song anymore: In the promo, Macklemore drops all the lyrics that criticize Nike and consumerism.
Adapting a formerly anti-consumerist song in order to promote that endeavor is what some would call selling out. The song is still catchy (is it though?), and if that’s what matters most to you, then the spot serves its purpose. But those who loved Macklemore for his smart, socially conscious lyrics may want to revise the tune they’re singing about what the rapper supposedly represents.
(Italicized lyrics do not appear in the promo)
I was seven years old, when I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, Momma, this air bubble right here, it’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court, and when I jumped, I jumped, I swear I got so high
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net, this is the best day of my life
Air Maxes were next
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffin, the tread, in school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease ‘em
My friends couldn’t afford ‘em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best, but my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, but bad was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa
See he just wanted a jump shot, but they wanted to start a cult though
Didn’t wanna get caught, from Genesee Park to Othello
You'd get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground, cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him
I wanted to be that guy, I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool, and I wanted to fit in
I wanted what he had, America, it begins
[Hook]
I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down
We want what we can’t have, commodity makes us want it
So expensive, damn, I just got to flaunt it
Got to show ‘em, so exclusive, this that new shit
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me, I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yea, but I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
Are you stupid, don’t crease ‘em, just leave ‘em in that box
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear, we wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me, and I’m trying to take mine, off
[Hook]
They started out, with what I wear to school
That first day, like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes
Gonna make me fly
Read more at ONTD: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/75615053.html#ixzz2X39BM410 [the end]
afterthoughts: makes you think about how saul williams sold out to nike a few years ago or how mystic did to bud light before that...
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
MURS "Murray's Revenge"
MURS "Murray's Revenge" video from John Mazyck on Vimeo.
"Momma's so proud of what her boy from the hood done, Got off the meat and I got my mind right, I Got out these streets, I got my grind like, I Got on these beats, I gotta come tight, it's Gotta be me, it's gotta be 9th" ~ Murs
Friday, June 14, 2013
A Message To Women From A Man: You Are Not “Crazy” | The Current Conscience
A Message To Women From A Man: You Are Not “Crazy” | The Current Conscience
"Because women bare the brunt of our neurosis. It is much easier for us to place our emotional burdens on the shoulders of our wives, our female friends, our girlfriends, our female employees, our female colleagues, than for us to impose them on the shoulders of men.
It’s a whole lot easier to emotionally manipulate someone who has been conditioned by our society to accept it. We continue to burden women because they don’t refuse our burdens as easily. It’s the ultimate cowardice."
“The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.”
"Because women bare the brunt of our neurosis. It is much easier for us to place our emotional burdens on the shoulders of our wives, our female friends, our girlfriends, our female employees, our female colleagues, than for us to impose them on the shoulders of men.
It’s a whole lot easier to emotionally manipulate someone who has been conditioned by our society to accept it. We continue to burden women because they don’t refuse our burdens as easily. It’s the ultimate cowardice."
“The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.”
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
VegNews Music Week: Justin Bua Raps About the Ethics of Hip-Hop and Veganism (re-post)
VegNews Music Week: Justin Bua Raps About the Ethics of Hip-Hop and Veganism (full-feature)
excerpts:
"I grew up basically on a fast food acronym diet—Mickey D’s, KFC, MSG—so I had no awareness about what real food was."
"I think that veganism is really the truth—it’s the way that we should be eating. It’s not overproduced like pop. Pop [music] is overproduced—so are processed foods. Pop is like creamsicles mixed with fudge mixed with bacon flakes and genetically modified soy and corn. And it tastes amazing! I listen to pop music all the time, but is it good for me? No. What I’m going to get from a Run DMC song is going to be amazing. They’re talking about about social inequalities. They’re talking about injustices. They’re singing with purity. It feels like Zeus singing when you hear DMC’s words. Same with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It’s poetry. It’s the same thing with veganism, same thing with eating pure."
however not feeling the transphobia:
"When I went to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, everyone was drawing like their contemporaries. But for me it was always just drawing people with guns, crazy people, because I grew up in Harlem with characters who were really insane. I grew up with a lot of homeless people and destitute people and transvestites and transsexuals and drug dealers and prostitutes and murderers."
"I grew up basically on a fast food acronym diet—Mickey D’s, KFC, MSG—so I had no awareness about what real food was."
"I think that veganism is really the truth—it’s the way that we should be eating. It’s not overproduced like pop. Pop [music] is overproduced—so are processed foods. Pop is like creamsicles mixed with fudge mixed with bacon flakes and genetically modified soy and corn. And it tastes amazing! I listen to pop music all the time, but is it good for me? No. What I’m going to get from a Run DMC song is going to be amazing. They’re talking about about social inequalities. They’re talking about injustices. They’re singing with purity. It feels like Zeus singing when you hear DMC’s words. Same with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It’s poetry. It’s the same thing with veganism, same thing with eating pure."
however not feeling the transphobia:
"When I went to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, everyone was drawing like their contemporaries. But for me it was always just drawing people with guns, crazy people, because I grew up in Harlem with characters who were really insane. I grew up with a lot of homeless people and destitute people and transvestites and transsexuals and drug dealers and prostitutes and murderers."
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Dhoruba Bin Wahad Interview Re: Assata Shakur
Former Black Panther and BLA Co-founder Dhoruba Bin-Wahad Interviewed by Kalonji Jama Changa (Founder of the FTP Movement) live at a "Hands off Assata" Teach-In that took place in Atlanta, GA
Sponsored by Red Bike & Green and The FTP Movement. In the Interview, Dhoruba Bin Wahad breaks down the history of Assata, Cointelpro, Angela Davis, the Jay Z trip to Cuba, Alice Walker and a whole lot more! At the end the floor was opened up for questions by the audience....Check it out and pass it on!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
WHY IS GUANTE SO ANGRY?: Sexism in Indie-Hip Hop
WHY IS GUANTE SO ANGRY?: Sexism in Indie-Hip Hop (source)
Sexism in Indie-Hip Hop
When people hear the words "sexism" and "hip hop," the conversation usually starts and often ends with lyrical content. Rappers are disrespectful to women, they use the b-word too much, they objectify women, etc. This is a natural impulse; these days, sexism, racism and homophobia are almost always defined as "a bad person saying something bad."
Which is, of course, an unfortunate oversimplification. Sexism, racism and homophobia are huge, complex systems embedded in every facet of our lives. It's also one reason why indie and underground hip hop often escapes the criticism that's leveled at mainstream hip hop-- because indie rappers are more likely to rap about politics and wack MCs than pimping hoes, and are more likely to have videos set in abandoned warehouses than strip clubs. Their sexism isn't as in-your-face.
But sexism in hip hop is a lot bigger than rap videos and misogynistic lyrics. It's the old-boy's network that keeps women's voices marginalized. It's the fact that so ridiculously few up-and-coming MCs, DJs, producers and industry/label people are female. It's a system that keeps men and men's perspectives front-and-center in every aspect of the game. It's an extension of the sexism that permeates the rest of society. And it's definitely not just the mainstream's problem.
A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY
Just to be clear, my use of the terms "indie-rap" and "underground rap" isn't a dictionary definition one; I'm not talking about all hip hop that is released independently or every artist out there who isn't on the radio. That would represent a huge range of styles and would be another discussion entirely. I'm talking about "indie-hip hop" as a specific subculture-- the backpackers, the "conscious" rap heads, the community who listens to acts and crews like Rhymesayers, Def Jux, Quannum, Doomtree, Living Legends, Blackstar and Sage Francis.
And this is an important point to make, because I don't think this conversation should be entirely focused on criticizing the artists themselves; this isn't about censorship. It's about examining broader cultural trends that affect and are affected by everyone--the artists, the promoters, the fans and the consumers. Too often we forget that "hip hop" isn't just rappers and their wacky adventures. It's a culture, an ecosystem that includes all of us, and we all have different roles to play.
MY LYRICAL LYRICISM IS SO LYRICALLY SEXIST
As I mentioned above, sexism in hip hop really goes beyond rappers saying stupid things. However, rappers (even underground rappers) do sometimes say stupid things, and we may as well start there.
One particularly relevant example of how indie-rappers perpetuate sexism is the casual use of the word "bitch." In contrast to the mainstream's explicitly misogynistic use of the word, underground MCs more often use it toward other men as an insult, as a challenge to some imaginary wack MC’s or critic's manhood.
But when used by a man in this fashion, that word is inherently sexist, no matter what context it's used in and no matter what the individual rapper's intention is. Even when used as a simple expletive at the end of a particularly vicious punchline, even when directed at no one in particular, "bitch" is inherently feminine AND inherently negative. There's really no way around that. A man calling another male MC a "bitch" is, whether he knows it or not, saying "you're woman-like and that's really bad."
And this is, of course, something a LOT of indie rappers are guilty of, myself included (though not anymore). Even so-called "conscious" rappers and artists who consider themselves feminists do this, convincing themselves that the word is really just an all-purpose insult along the lines of "fool," a word that has nothing to do with women as long as they're not directing it AT women. But you can't separate the eggs once they're already baked into the cake.
The point of all this is that the impact of the word is more important than the intention of the speaker. It may be a subtle thing, but even subtle things can be dangerous when they're so universally normalized, as the use of that word is in indie hip hop culture.
And it's not just about specific words. With underground hip hop lyrics, sexism manifests in even more subtle ways. How many songs about women feature realistic representations of those women? In her essay on sexism in emo music (a similarly deluded subculture when it comes to sexism), Jessica Hopper had this to say:
"...there were songs about women, but they were girls with names, with details to their lives, girls who weren’t exclusively defined by their absence or lensed through romantic-spectres… women had leverage, had life, had animus and agency to them. Sometimes they were friends, or a sister, not always girls to be bedded or pursued or dumped by. They were accurate, and touched by reality.
"And then something broke—And it wasn’t Bob Nanna’s or Mr. Dashboard’s sensitive hearts. Records by a legion of done-wrong boys lined the record store shelves. Every record was a concept album about a breakup, damning the girl on the other side. Emo’s contentious monologue—its balled fist Peter Pan mash-note dilemmas—its album length letters from pussy-jail—its cathedral building in ode to man-pain and Robert-Bly-isms—its woman-induced misery has gone from being descriptive to being prescriptive. Emo was just another forum where women were locked in a stasis of outside observation, observing ourselves through the eyes of others..."
Read the whole thing if you can find it (I couldn't, so no link). Anyways, while indie hip hop songs about women aren't always heartbroken diary entries, a lot of the above still applies. Quite often, you also get a layer of self-deprecation that further clouds the sexism, as if the fact that the perfect, voiceless and inanimate pedestal woman made the loser anti-hero feel bad somehow makes up for her hollow characterization. Women are very rarely characterized at all-- in melodramatic breakup raps they're defined solely by their absence, and in feel-good, "positive" sex jams they're perfect and beautiful and thoroughly inhuman.
For people who are used to criticizing Nelly for swiping a credit card through a woman's ass, this might all seem like pretty harmless stuff. When you compare the subtle sexism of indie hip hop to the rampant, explicit sexism of mainstream hip hop, it becomes easy to forgive some of the artists who are at least trying to not be complete chauvinists.
That may be true, but I think it's doubly important to talk about sexism in indie hip hop because no one's doing it. Everyone knows 50 Cent is sexist; fewer people are willing to examine the sexism of their "conscious" heroes, a more realistic and prevalent sexism that mirrors the way sexism often plays out in our own lives. This is sexism that often comes wrapped in a big box of good-intentions, sexism that's so huge and interwoven into the very fabric of the culture that it can be hard to even see. But we need to start seeing it; that's the first step.
UNDERGROUND HIP HOP: NO GIRLS ALLOWED
We can talk about song content all day, but I'd argue that the bigger issue here is lack of representation. Much respect to Jean Grae, Invincible, the Anomolies crew, Desdamona, Ang13, Dessa, Psalm One, Maria Isa, Bahamadia and the other great female rappers out there, but they're drops in the bucket when it comes to indie hip hop as a whole, which is solidly and overwhelmingly male-dominated.
Why is this? I'd have to assume that at least part of the reason is the above-mentioned sexism (subtle or not) in the lyrical content of a lot of indie-rap. Who'd want to dive into a culture where you're disrespected? Also, an interest in underground hip hop often grows out of an interest in mainstream hip hop (i.e. kids like MC Hammer, then later discover Mos Def, then later start rapping), which is so often explicitly sexist; not to mention the lack of female role models for young, aspiring female MCs. Finally, I'd point to the physical way in which most rappers get started: you find some like-minded souls (statistically, probably men) to build with, you book some shows through promoters or venue booking people (again, often men), you network with other artists (who are usually men); it's a community experience. With women so often on the outside-looking-in to begin with, it can be hard to build that initial community.
I won't go too far into why women are underrepresented in indie-hip hop. I think there are many reasons. I'm more interested in what we, as a community, can do about it.
And this isn't about tokenism. I don't think we should throw some wack female rapper on every bill to fulfill some kind of quota. That only compounds the problem. This is about starting at the roots and really building a community that can be truly representative, cultivating the talent that's definitely out there and breaking down the barriers that stand in the way. A few ideas:
1. More attention given to young women in hip hop afterschool programs and youth hip hop clubs. If you're a facilitator, don't assume every girl wants to sing the hook. Focus recruitment and seek out girls who want to rap (or DJ or produce); they're out there.
2. Actively seek out and support (with your money, when possible) good female artists. I mentioned a bunch of great ones a few paragraphs ago, and there are more out there. And don't do it out of the goodness of your bleeding heart; this isn't a handout to the poor, scrappy girl-rappers. Do it because they're dope and deserve more attention than they get from the male-dominated hip hop media.
3. There's always someone who says: "You don't like sexist hip hop? Then make some that isn't sexist!" I think this is a cop-out response to this topic (after all, not everyone who doesn't like sexist music is a musician themselves), but it's not horrible advice in and of itself. As artists, we can confront sexism head on, or at the very least be conscious of how it plays out in our work. Challenge yourself, especially if you identify as a man; it's not just on the women to fight this battle-- we have roles to play too.
4. If you're a promoter, event-organizer or label person, try to put together more representative bills. Again, not through tokenism, but through the hard work of getting to know everyone in your scene, doing research on fresh female artists and not being content to just bring the same ol' artists in for every event. And let’s not forget—there’s profit in this too; it’s not all altruism. Representative bills can draw new and bigger audiences—everybody wins.
5. Organize larger-scale events that celebrate women in hip hop. The Twin Cities has "B-Girl Be," Madison had “Femme Fresh,” NY hosted the Womanhood Passage Fundraiser (a “special evening acknowledging the strength, beauty, leadership, challenges, and successes of women in Hip-Hop”), and there are more across the country. These events can inspire future artists, can create opportunities for current ones, and can recognize the important (and oft-overlooked) contributions of past ones.
And those are just a few ideas. I'm sure there's a lot more we can do too.
WHY SHOULD I EVEN CARE ABOUT ALL THIS?
To some, hip hop is a boy's club and that's just not worth even attempting to change. It always has been male-dominated and it always will be. It's just the fundamental nature of the culture.
But I think this is a defeatist attitude. If hip hop is sexist, it's because we made it that way and continue to make it that way, and we can definitely do something about it.
And this isn't altruism; I don't care about fighting sexism in hip hop because I'm a wonderful, enlightened person. I care about it because by marginalizing and silencing women's voices, we're missing out on a lot of incredible art that either isn't getting heard or isn't getting made to begin with. That's a shame. Indie hip hop shouldn't be just a bunch of straight 20-something males in black hoodies nodding their heads in some grimy club; it should reflect the diversity of its roots and influences. By recognizing the sexism (and racism, and homophobia, etc.) that's there-- even when it's there in some of our favorite music-- we can begin to move toward a truly representative community.
Sexism in Indie-Hip Hop
When people hear the words "sexism" and "hip hop," the conversation usually starts and often ends with lyrical content. Rappers are disrespectful to women, they use the b-word too much, they objectify women, etc. This is a natural impulse; these days, sexism, racism and homophobia are almost always defined as "a bad person saying something bad."
Which is, of course, an unfortunate oversimplification. Sexism, racism and homophobia are huge, complex systems embedded in every facet of our lives. It's also one reason why indie and underground hip hop often escapes the criticism that's leveled at mainstream hip hop-- because indie rappers are more likely to rap about politics and wack MCs than pimping hoes, and are more likely to have videos set in abandoned warehouses than strip clubs. Their sexism isn't as in-your-face.
But sexism in hip hop is a lot bigger than rap videos and misogynistic lyrics. It's the old-boy's network that keeps women's voices marginalized. It's the fact that so ridiculously few up-and-coming MCs, DJs, producers and industry/label people are female. It's a system that keeps men and men's perspectives front-and-center in every aspect of the game. It's an extension of the sexism that permeates the rest of society. And it's definitely not just the mainstream's problem.
A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY
Just to be clear, my use of the terms "indie-rap" and "underground rap" isn't a dictionary definition one; I'm not talking about all hip hop that is released independently or every artist out there who isn't on the radio. That would represent a huge range of styles and would be another discussion entirely. I'm talking about "indie-hip hop" as a specific subculture-- the backpackers, the "conscious" rap heads, the community who listens to acts and crews like Rhymesayers, Def Jux, Quannum, Doomtree, Living Legends, Blackstar and Sage Francis.
And this is an important point to make, because I don't think this conversation should be entirely focused on criticizing the artists themselves; this isn't about censorship. It's about examining broader cultural trends that affect and are affected by everyone--the artists, the promoters, the fans and the consumers. Too often we forget that "hip hop" isn't just rappers and their wacky adventures. It's a culture, an ecosystem that includes all of us, and we all have different roles to play.
MY LYRICAL LYRICISM IS SO LYRICALLY SEXIST
As I mentioned above, sexism in hip hop really goes beyond rappers saying stupid things. However, rappers (even underground rappers) do sometimes say stupid things, and we may as well start there.
One particularly relevant example of how indie-rappers perpetuate sexism is the casual use of the word "bitch." In contrast to the mainstream's explicitly misogynistic use of the word, underground MCs more often use it toward other men as an insult, as a challenge to some imaginary wack MC’s or critic's manhood.
But when used by a man in this fashion, that word is inherently sexist, no matter what context it's used in and no matter what the individual rapper's intention is. Even when used as a simple expletive at the end of a particularly vicious punchline, even when directed at no one in particular, "bitch" is inherently feminine AND inherently negative. There's really no way around that. A man calling another male MC a "bitch" is, whether he knows it or not, saying "you're woman-like and that's really bad."
And this is, of course, something a LOT of indie rappers are guilty of, myself included (though not anymore). Even so-called "conscious" rappers and artists who consider themselves feminists do this, convincing themselves that the word is really just an all-purpose insult along the lines of "fool," a word that has nothing to do with women as long as they're not directing it AT women. But you can't separate the eggs once they're already baked into the cake.
The point of all this is that the impact of the word is more important than the intention of the speaker. It may be a subtle thing, but even subtle things can be dangerous when they're so universally normalized, as the use of that word is in indie hip hop culture.
And it's not just about specific words. With underground hip hop lyrics, sexism manifests in even more subtle ways. How many songs about women feature realistic representations of those women? In her essay on sexism in emo music (a similarly deluded subculture when it comes to sexism), Jessica Hopper had this to say:
"...there were songs about women, but they were girls with names, with details to their lives, girls who weren’t exclusively defined by their absence or lensed through romantic-spectres… women had leverage, had life, had animus and agency to them. Sometimes they were friends, or a sister, not always girls to be bedded or pursued or dumped by. They were accurate, and touched by reality.
"And then something broke—And it wasn’t Bob Nanna’s or Mr. Dashboard’s sensitive hearts. Records by a legion of done-wrong boys lined the record store shelves. Every record was a concept album about a breakup, damning the girl on the other side. Emo’s contentious monologue—its balled fist Peter Pan mash-note dilemmas—its album length letters from pussy-jail—its cathedral building in ode to man-pain and Robert-Bly-isms—its woman-induced misery has gone from being descriptive to being prescriptive. Emo was just another forum where women were locked in a stasis of outside observation, observing ourselves through the eyes of others..."
Read the whole thing if you can find it (I couldn't, so no link). Anyways, while indie hip hop songs about women aren't always heartbroken diary entries, a lot of the above still applies. Quite often, you also get a layer of self-deprecation that further clouds the sexism, as if the fact that the perfect, voiceless and inanimate pedestal woman made the loser anti-hero feel bad somehow makes up for her hollow characterization. Women are very rarely characterized at all-- in melodramatic breakup raps they're defined solely by their absence, and in feel-good, "positive" sex jams they're perfect and beautiful and thoroughly inhuman.
For people who are used to criticizing Nelly for swiping a credit card through a woman's ass, this might all seem like pretty harmless stuff. When you compare the subtle sexism of indie hip hop to the rampant, explicit sexism of mainstream hip hop, it becomes easy to forgive some of the artists who are at least trying to not be complete chauvinists.
That may be true, but I think it's doubly important to talk about sexism in indie hip hop because no one's doing it. Everyone knows 50 Cent is sexist; fewer people are willing to examine the sexism of their "conscious" heroes, a more realistic and prevalent sexism that mirrors the way sexism often plays out in our own lives. This is sexism that often comes wrapped in a big box of good-intentions, sexism that's so huge and interwoven into the very fabric of the culture that it can be hard to even see. But we need to start seeing it; that's the first step.
UNDERGROUND HIP HOP: NO GIRLS ALLOWED
We can talk about song content all day, but I'd argue that the bigger issue here is lack of representation. Much respect to Jean Grae, Invincible, the Anomolies crew, Desdamona, Ang13, Dessa, Psalm One, Maria Isa, Bahamadia and the other great female rappers out there, but they're drops in the bucket when it comes to indie hip hop as a whole, which is solidly and overwhelmingly male-dominated.
Why is this? I'd have to assume that at least part of the reason is the above-mentioned sexism (subtle or not) in the lyrical content of a lot of indie-rap. Who'd want to dive into a culture where you're disrespected? Also, an interest in underground hip hop often grows out of an interest in mainstream hip hop (i.e. kids like MC Hammer, then later discover Mos Def, then later start rapping), which is so often explicitly sexist; not to mention the lack of female role models for young, aspiring female MCs. Finally, I'd point to the physical way in which most rappers get started: you find some like-minded souls (statistically, probably men) to build with, you book some shows through promoters or venue booking people (again, often men), you network with other artists (who are usually men); it's a community experience. With women so often on the outside-looking-in to begin with, it can be hard to build that initial community.
I won't go too far into why women are underrepresented in indie-hip hop. I think there are many reasons. I'm more interested in what we, as a community, can do about it.
And this isn't about tokenism. I don't think we should throw some wack female rapper on every bill to fulfill some kind of quota. That only compounds the problem. This is about starting at the roots and really building a community that can be truly representative, cultivating the talent that's definitely out there and breaking down the barriers that stand in the way. A few ideas:
1. More attention given to young women in hip hop afterschool programs and youth hip hop clubs. If you're a facilitator, don't assume every girl wants to sing the hook. Focus recruitment and seek out girls who want to rap (or DJ or produce); they're out there.
2. Actively seek out and support (with your money, when possible) good female artists. I mentioned a bunch of great ones a few paragraphs ago, and there are more out there. And don't do it out of the goodness of your bleeding heart; this isn't a handout to the poor, scrappy girl-rappers. Do it because they're dope and deserve more attention than they get from the male-dominated hip hop media.
3. There's always someone who says: "You don't like sexist hip hop? Then make some that isn't sexist!" I think this is a cop-out response to this topic (after all, not everyone who doesn't like sexist music is a musician themselves), but it's not horrible advice in and of itself. As artists, we can confront sexism head on, or at the very least be conscious of how it plays out in our work. Challenge yourself, especially if you identify as a man; it's not just on the women to fight this battle-- we have roles to play too.
4. If you're a promoter, event-organizer or label person, try to put together more representative bills. Again, not through tokenism, but through the hard work of getting to know everyone in your scene, doing research on fresh female artists and not being content to just bring the same ol' artists in for every event. And let’s not forget—there’s profit in this too; it’s not all altruism. Representative bills can draw new and bigger audiences—everybody wins.
5. Organize larger-scale events that celebrate women in hip hop. The Twin Cities has "B-Girl Be," Madison had “Femme Fresh,” NY hosted the Womanhood Passage Fundraiser (a “special evening acknowledging the strength, beauty, leadership, challenges, and successes of women in Hip-Hop”), and there are more across the country. These events can inspire future artists, can create opportunities for current ones, and can recognize the important (and oft-overlooked) contributions of past ones.
And those are just a few ideas. I'm sure there's a lot more we can do too.
WHY SHOULD I EVEN CARE ABOUT ALL THIS?
To some, hip hop is a boy's club and that's just not worth even attempting to change. It always has been male-dominated and it always will be. It's just the fundamental nature of the culture.
But I think this is a defeatist attitude. If hip hop is sexist, it's because we made it that way and continue to make it that way, and we can definitely do something about it.
And this isn't altruism; I don't care about fighting sexism in hip hop because I'm a wonderful, enlightened person. I care about it because by marginalizing and silencing women's voices, we're missing out on a lot of incredible art that either isn't getting heard or isn't getting made to begin with. That's a shame. Indie hip hop shouldn't be just a bunch of straight 20-something males in black hoodies nodding their heads in some grimy club; it should reflect the diversity of its roots and influences. By recognizing the sexism (and racism, and homophobia, etc.) that's there-- even when it's there in some of our favorite music-- we can begin to move toward a truly representative community.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Ron Finley: A guerilla gardener in South Central LA
"the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys."
The Roots star Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson has adopted a vegan diet in a bid to extend his life expectancy. (re-post)
The Roots star Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson has adopted a vegan diet in a bid to extend his life expectancy.
The drummer is known for his bulky build, but he's decided to embark on a healthy eating regime he's dubbed "a great vegan experiment" as he tries to slim down so he can outlive his rap peers.
Thompson, who is six weeks into his new meat-free diet, tells NYmag.com, "I want to be the first member of the hip-hop generation to live past 60."
Most recently, the hip-hop star's pal Heavy D, who suffered from heart disease, died at the age of 44 in November.
The drummer is known for his bulky build, but he's decided to embark on a healthy eating regime he's dubbed "a great vegan experiment" as he tries to slim down so he can outlive his rap peers.
Thompson, who is six weeks into his new meat-free diet, tells NYmag.com, "I want to be the first member of the hip-hop generation to live past 60."
Most recently, the hip-hop star's pal Heavy D, who suffered from heart disease, died at the age of 44 in November.
Photo Credits: PR Photos
Friday, May 10, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
WHY IS GUANTE SO ANGRY?: Homophobia in "Conscious" Rap
WHY IS GUANTE SO ANGRY?: Homophobia in "Conscious" Rap
"The bottom line, particularly for those who consider themselves progressives or radicals, is that homophobia, aside from being morally wrong and flat-out ignorant, is counterrevolutionary. 'An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.' Rappers can claim anti-government, or pro-black, or pro-social justice or whatever all they want, but if they’re casually throwing around anti-gay slurs then they’re directly participating in the oppression of a significant portion of the world population.
Which is, of course, exactly what the powers-that-be want. We can’t have decently-funded schools or universal health care because voters are too upset over the prospect of gay people getting married. We can’t have revolutionary organizations because racism, sexism, classism and homophobia hinder people’s basic ability to work together. It’s divide and conquer, and perhaps it goes without saying, but it’s bigger than hip hop too. Politically-minded rappers being homophobic mirrors a lot of other problems associated with the Left: white liberals being racist and completely oblivious about it, male activists being all for smashing the State but not willing to follow female leadership, college student organizers holding meetings that working-class people are not able to attend, the list goes on and on. We all need to start thinking more holistically."
"The bottom line, particularly for those who consider themselves progressives or radicals, is that homophobia, aside from being morally wrong and flat-out ignorant, is counterrevolutionary. 'An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.' Rappers can claim anti-government, or pro-black, or pro-social justice or whatever all they want, but if they’re casually throwing around anti-gay slurs then they’re directly participating in the oppression of a significant portion of the world population.
Which is, of course, exactly what the powers-that-be want. We can’t have decently-funded schools or universal health care because voters are too upset over the prospect of gay people getting married. We can’t have revolutionary organizations because racism, sexism, classism and homophobia hinder people’s basic ability to work together. It’s divide and conquer, and perhaps it goes without saying, but it’s bigger than hip hop too. Politically-minded rappers being homophobic mirrors a lot of other problems associated with the Left: white liberals being racist and completely oblivious about it, male activists being all for smashing the State but not willing to follow female leadership, college student organizers holding meetings that working-class people are not able to attend, the list goes on and on. We all need to start thinking more holistically."
Monday, April 29, 2013
The Story of an Egg Documentary is Without a Yolk
The Story of an Egg Documentary is Without a Yolk
"Hens raised on commercial egg farms are denied the one thing in their lives that comes most naturally to them: motherhood. These hens are bred to lay infertile eggs and therefore will never experience the satisfaction of raising their young. But we haven’t been able to breed out their maternal instinct. In fact, I’ve heard many chicken keepers complain that their hens peck at them when they try to take their eggs. That’s perfectly natural from the hen’s point of view. You’re taking away something that’s hers. And it’s something important to her. She still perceives her eggs as her offspring."
"The use of an artificially-bred animal as a commodity that will be intentionally slaughtered at a fraction of her natural lifespan for profit sabotages the spirit of species-conservation on a very fundamental ethical level."
"Hens raised on commercial egg farms are denied the one thing in their lives that comes most naturally to them: motherhood. These hens are bred to lay infertile eggs and therefore will never experience the satisfaction of raising their young. But we haven’t been able to breed out their maternal instinct. In fact, I’ve heard many chicken keepers complain that their hens peck at them when they try to take their eggs. That’s perfectly natural from the hen’s point of view. You’re taking away something that’s hers. And it’s something important to her. She still perceives her eggs as her offspring."
"The use of an artificially-bred animal as a commodity that will be intentionally slaughtered at a fraction of her natural lifespan for profit sabotages the spirit of species-conservation on a very fundamental ethical level."
“Colorblindness,” “Illuminated Individualism,” Poor Whites, and Mad Men: The Tim Wise Interview, Part 1 | Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture
“Colorblindness,” “Illuminated Individualism,” Poor Whites, and Mad Men: The Tim Wise Interview, Part 1 | Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture
"the evidence I present in the book [Colorblind: The Rise of Post-racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity] (which is based mostly on research from the field of social psychology) has found that allowing race to remain sublimated and below the surface actually makes it easier for people to act on subtle biases, because they can do so without ever having to confront the contradictions between who they claim to be (open-minded, non-racist, etc) and who they really are." Tim Wise
"the evidence I present in the book [Colorblind: The Rise of Post-racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity] (which is based mostly on research from the field of social psychology) has found that allowing race to remain sublimated and below the surface actually makes it easier for people to act on subtle biases, because they can do so without ever having to confront the contradictions between who they claim to be (open-minded, non-racist, etc) and who they really are." Tim Wise
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Decoding the Invisible Whiteness In Boston Bombing Coverage - COLORLINES
Decoding the Invisible Whiteness In Boston Bombing Coverage - COLORLINES
“Efforts to try to fit [the Boston Marathon bombing] into the standard racialized narrative didn’t work. That became clear once the names and photos of the Chechen brothers were released and the speculation about whether they were Muslims or terrorists and Caucasian started,” Perry said in a Wednesday interview. “I think it’s a reflection of how [media] language of ‘terror’ registers as the vulnerability of whiteness, because ‘American’ is read as ‘white.” To capture the label of ‘terrorism’ it has to be whiteness threatened by ‘The Other’.”
“Efforts to try to fit [the Boston Marathon bombing] into the standard racialized narrative didn’t work. That became clear once the names and photos of the Chechen brothers were released and the speculation about whether they were Muslims or terrorists and Caucasian started,” Perry said in a Wednesday interview. “I think it’s a reflection of how [media] language of ‘terror’ registers as the vulnerability of whiteness, because ‘American’ is read as ‘white.” To capture the label of ‘terrorism’ it has to be whiteness threatened by ‘The Other’.”
Saturday, April 27, 2013
White People Have to Give Up Racism | The Nation
White People Have to Give Up Racism | The Nation
"While we’ve all come up internalizing racism, since it’s all around us, only one group of people actually benefits from its existence. Not every white person is a racist, but the genius of racism is that you don’t have to participate to enjoy the spoils. If you’re white, you can be completely oblivious, passively accepting the status quo, and reap the rewards."
"While we’ve all come up internalizing racism, since it’s all around us, only one group of people actually benefits from its existence. Not every white person is a racist, but the genius of racism is that you don’t have to participate to enjoy the spoils. If you’re white, you can be completely oblivious, passively accepting the status quo, and reap the rewards."
Thursday, April 25, 2013
I.N.I. - Fakin' Jax
this forever fresh piece came out nearly 20 years ago!! crazy how hopeful i was that hip hop would be reclaimed from puffy and company, who sought to and were quite successful with the bastardization of my culture. Pete Rock's verse where the brother says, "to all you fake-ass thugs out there..busy deceivin', achieving nothin'..." still applies and even more so today. it's ironic that most folks can't relate to the shit they nod their heads to, yet rob-o's verse, "you never succeed or progress, searchin for peace through material objects, you go to extremes in the process, accuse others, when it's you showin' your true colors, busy sellin' your dreams, but all your cream contributes to your lack of self-esteem…" applies to the masses living in a consumer culture even if not to the degree of a Jay-Z or Lil Wayne.
That Alice Walker Animal Rights Quote
That Alice Walker Animal Rights Quote
when will ar folks stop? another aggravating make-believe quote is the one attributed to martin luther king jr. that says, "one day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. we shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them." you won't find a source for that unless you count other ar/veggie sites--see comments for more.
when will ar folks stop? another aggravating make-believe quote is the one attributed to martin luther king jr. that says, "one day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. we shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them." you won't find a source for that unless you count other ar/veggie sites--see comments for more.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Russell Simmons: 'Why I'm Vegan' | EllenTV.com
Russell Simmons: 'Why I'm Vegan' | EllenTV.com
"Up until this time, a hamburger was something stuck between two buns -- not a cow, a wing was something you dipped in BBQ sauce -- not a chicken, and milk was something you drank as a human, never realizing it was only meant for a calf."
"Up until this time, a hamburger was something stuck between two buns -- not a cow, a wing was something you dipped in BBQ sauce -- not a chicken, and milk was something you drank as a human, never realizing it was only meant for a calf."
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
GMO Bodies-- Music Video "Look what they've done to my body MOM"
fat phobic? good message otherwise.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Killer Mike - "Reagan" (Official Music Video)
"the ballot or the bullet, some freedom or some bullshit, will we ever do it big, or keep just settling for little shit, we brag on having bread, but none of us are bakers, we all talk having greens, but none of us own acres, if none of us on acres, and none of us grow wheat, then who will feed our people when our people need to eat, so it seems our people starve from lack of understanding, cos all we seem to give them is some balling and some dancing." Killer Mike
Common - Come Close to Me (Remix) ft. Pharell, Q-Tip & Erykah Badu
"they say you got me dressin'crazy, eatin' veggies, wearin'shirts extra medium, and if we break up i'ma' eat meat again" (he did/does--more info here)
Swamburger with(out) cheese, please.
Swamburger with(out) cheese, please.
i'd like to revisit that article from this issue:
and share it in full on here--please let me know if you find it, have it.
i'd like to revisit that article from this issue:
and share it in full on here--please let me know if you find it, have it.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Common - PETA Commercial
i was reluctant to put this up because i think common was vegan for a short period of time, but people still cling tightly to the idea that he still is. here's some information on his fall from veganism:
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/05/08/hip-hop-star-common-no-longer-a-vegetarian/
if you know about anything new please comment.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Akala Interview - Rhyme On Beat
Akala Interview - Rhyme On Beat
excerpt:
Akala: It was simply to do with health. I done some research and I don’t believe human beings are designed to eat meat, I believe that meat is detrimental to our health. It was a totally selfish decision, it’s not because I love the animals and I don’t wear leather. My car has leather seats in it and I wear leather shoes. Totally selfishly I don’t believe meat is good for me so I don’t eat it.
excerpt:
Akala: It was simply to do with health. I done some research and I don’t believe human beings are designed to eat meat, I believe that meat is detrimental to our health. It was a totally selfish decision, it’s not because I love the animals and I don’t wear leather. My car has leather seats in it and I wear leather shoes. Totally selfishly I don’t believe meat is good for me so I don’t eat it.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
branded official full movie ( 2012 )
"It used to be that brands were formed from people's desires; now its the people that are being formed according to the desires of the brands." Misha, from the movie Branded
Friday, February 15, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
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Animal Voices is proud to present a special feature with Kevin Tillman of the Vegan Hop Hop Movement. Kevin has been working with youth ...
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"we think it's wrong to hurt animals and raise animals just to slaughter them and kill them because animals feel pain just like h...
