KRS-One: ‘Obama is a Politician He’s not your homeboy, He’s not your man’-Our Rock the Bells Interview

It’s always fun catching up with Hip Hop legend Blastmaster KRS-One. He always has something colorful and insightful to say when speaking. Some you may agree with, some you may disagree with. No matter what you have to appreciate his passion and confidence..

When we caught up with KRS during the Rock the Bells 2010 in Mountainview he was on his way to the stage to perform the album ‘Criminal Minded’. He did not disappoint. In 10 minutes we touched on a number of topics including his thoughts behind his new book ‘The Gospel of Hip Hop’. KRS noted that this was the Gospel for the new millenium. He says every generation has their Gospel and that he wanted to put forth his vision of Hip Hop and remind the world about its divine aspects. He believes the culture touches on the spirit in ways we simply cannot ignore.

I asked KRS with all the wisdom he’s garnered over the years, what aspects of Criminal Minded would he change?

KRS said, he regrets how people mistook the meaning behind the album cover which shows him and the late Scott La Rock wearing an ammunition belt, holding pistols and having a grenade on the table. He said many thought he and Scott were the jump off for what would eventually be called ‘gangsta rap’ when in fact, they were attempting to put forth a ‘revolutionary’ pose.

KRS explained, that no gangsta would walk around wearing ammunition and holding grenades. He talked about how BDP was influenced by the Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army and wanted that album cover to be symbolic of the stances they took.

KRS also talked about how he regrets the harsh, sexist  words directed at Roxanne Shante. He noted that he was young and wild back in those days  and in hindsight  cringes at some of the things he uttered. He said its something all rappers will go through as they get older. How we express ourselves without full knowledge and understanding can be embarrassing once it’s obtained.

We concluded our interview by talking about President Obama. A couple of months after Obama’s inauguration , KRS came to Oakland and did a wicked freestyle where he talked about the biggest problem the president would have is the power and control of the Fed Bank. Over 100 thousand people viewed that video which sparked a lot of discussion. KRS caught al;ot of heat and was depicted as a hater. Nowadays his insight isn’t so easily dismissed or challenged

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcAGtlVqwqE

We talked about those earlier remarks and pressed KRS as to where he stands now. He stated that he respects the President, but make no mistake, Obama is a politician who runs a government.

“He’s a politician..he’s not your boy. he’s not your man”, KRS said.

He went to add, that we are now in a globalized world with a globalized economy and America has been resisting its entrance into it. KRS said, gone are the days when people could easily identify themselves as a race or religion. Things are changingas we are now in what people will deem a ‘New World Order’

written by Davey D

Here’s the link to the full interview we did with KRS at Rock the Bells.. let us know what you think..

http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/60144/

Click HERE to hear the Breakdown FM KRS-One interview we did at Rock the Bells

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Is Lauryn Hill Back? Is it Unfair to Expect Her to Return?

Is Lauryn Hill back? It’s a question so many of us have been asking since she released her landmark album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill‘ and she won all those Grammys. The fact that so many keep asking the question is a testament to how dope she was.. and also how there is such an absence of female artists within the mainstream. She left folks with a lot of questions when she hit the stages for Rock the Bells in both SF and NY..

During her performance in San Francisco she started out strong, but many of her songs took on vastly different flavors from the original causing many to complain. The sista standing near me during her set was over heard complaining she did not recognize any of her Lauryn’s songs.

“She’s doing too many remixes”, she said.

During her New York performance on Governors Island similar complaints came up. Popular reporter Toure said she “was more Twista than Lauryn Hill” beccause of the uptempo remakes of her soulful songs.

Artist and TV talk show host Amanda Diva said: “Lauryn let me down bcuz her performance was completely disconnected from the sound that folks love her 4. + Band was sloppy/vocals strained”

Her tweet was in the same vein as many who were at the NY show and tweeting about it.

However Sway of MTV and the Wake Up Show who saw her during the San Bernardino show near LA tweeted that Lauryn had killed it.

Again the question, Is it unfair to expect Lauryn Hill in 2010 to be the same as the one we admired in 1998? Is she not allowed to grow and experiment as a musician or should she stay locked in a box?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKIZu0eUrM8&feature=related

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