Chuck D On The Real Off The Record Trailer

[kassylion]

This dudes the president of hip hop. A conscious artist with great vision.

Bless to him and other subversive poets like Saul Williams, Krs one, Immortal Tech, Dead Prez, Eyedea RIP, Cage, EL-P, Slug, Aesop Rock, Sage Francis, Micheal Franti, Asian Dub Foundation, Lowkey, Scroobius Pip, AllFlaws

[captcrais101]

I think Chuck D used to be on air america. He is a good guy.

[NathanZackery]

For everyone hating on Hip-Hop, it might surprise you to know that it used to be highly political. Listen to hip-hop from the 80s and early 90s and you'll see that. It's only now that this gangster shiz has taken over that they've drowned out more insightful artists, like KRS-One or Public Enemy.

[colmmernagh]

Yep, in other words hip hop is dead !

[chj2]

Just because something is underground doesn't mean it's dead - KRS and Public Enemy are STILL rockin' the mic; for example, check out the RECENT KRS-ONE/Buckshot album, "Survival Skills" released only 4 months ago. . .

[colmmernagh]

"Culture brings human beings together, one human race for our similarities and knocks aside the differences", "thats hiphop"

What he means is..... Once its our culture thats bringing the unity !

Go fuck yourself chuck Donkey !

[oldhacks]

aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaa

boyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee­e

[Badjohn007]

Chuck once said Farrakhan's a prophet. These people are entertainers. I don't turn to them for insight. I look to them for amusement. Since when did selling records, or being popular for whatever reason make you qualified to speak on subjects way over your head?! The first person Chuck needs to reach is his buffoonish sidekick Flava Flav. It's embarrassing how shameless these entertainers are. They'll prostitute themselves out to anyone for any reason just to be in front of a camera.

[chj2]

I agree with you - to a point: Flav is a straight up buffoon, and the irony is while Flav has been allowed to stay in the group, at one time, Prof. Griff was kicked out of the group. Also, marcus I feel you on the Chappelle comment about JaRule - however, JaRule and Chuck D, while they both may be rappers, are of two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. That's the difference. At the end of the day, while I have much respect for Chuck, I have to be responsible for me, first and foremost.

[JiangalangG]

You even say it yourself, the masses can speak for themselves IF ONLY they were asked or considered... well as DMC says in this very video, in hiphop there is always a camera and a microphone! There is the exposure that the masses require! There is the power that the masses need to enact change--true artists understand this and do their best to speak to and for the masses.

[marcus3379]

I don't mind if musicians or whatever bring up poverty or oppression, infact I would support them in doing so. But these people should not have that much influence in our society, no minority faction should. There needs to be a medium for popular (common folk) opinion with expert analysis that supports it to help people understand. I thought RNN was providing this but as time goes on you see stuff like references to the Daily Show.

[marcus3379]

Great, now the RNN is promoting celebrities and horrid consumerism.

[thewarrior195]

Wow.

Watch the actual video before you speak.

[marcus3379]

Looks like a bunch of celebrities to me. We don't need to hear what "artists" think as there is enough of that already blasting us with boring, uniformed opinions on television everyday. They should be asking what local community organizers and people actually suffering what they think instead.

[thewarrior195]

Again, watch the video and see what they're actually talking about. You'd then understand how their opinion (DMC so far since only the second semgent of the video has been published) applies.

You also at as if DMC is separate from those who are suffering as if he was not one of those people himself at one point.

[marcus3379]

I did watch it, and it is exactly what I said it was. Hitler was a prior sufferer too before he became the Fuhrer, Bill Clinton grew up dirt poor but became President and starved 500,000 Iraqi's. I'm not saying Chuck D or DMC is the devil incarnate, I am saying that the focal point should not be celebrities and their out of touch worlds, and prior suffering lends no credibility in the present. Hip Hop has no more to do with social change than bluegrass or ballet.

[JiangalangG]

John Lennon and Bob Dylan were powerful agents of social change--as artists. Would you deny them interviews as well?

I sympathize with your dislike of consumerism, but you must be wary of sweeping generalizations against "artists." The best artists speak the minds of the people--espeially people that are suffering.

[marcus3379]

Change comes from mass social movements, not a celebrity personality cult or some "great leader." Lennon is a perfect example of this nonsense since according to his son was an authoritarian jerk regardless of his artificial public image. "Artists" are just fine, but their is no indication that they are any more special than a plumber. They certainly do not "speak" for the masses, who can speak for themselves if only they were asked or even considered relevant by elitists enclaves.

[JiangalangG]

While I agree that artists do not, by definition, provide more insightful commentary than laypersons, I recognize the artist as one who can aid a social movement by drawing awareness to an issue. Lupe Fiasco, a modern day hiphop artist has a song about child soldiers. While he is not unusually insightful with regards to the issues, he is raising awareness about them--be it through his music or through interviews in which his music is discussed.

[marcus3379]

It is a testament to the cultural climate in which we live that important information would be through celebrities. All too often their motivation is self-righteous and self-promotion, one shouldn't place much in those who's living it is to draw attention to themselves. Chapelle illustrated this when he pointed out how ridiculous it was during 9/11 when they were asking Ja Rule what he thought about it. I agree with Dave's response, I don't want to dance, I want to know what's going on.

[JiangalangG]

Change comes from mass social movements, but where do those movements come from? Many many people--and that means reaching many people through many forms of media: interviews, analysis, music, etc etc. Music can be particularly powerful because most laypersons may not take much interest in a darb interview with a community organizer.

[marcus3379]

Mass social movements come from popular uprising against injustice, they do not come from some grand leader, academic intellectuals, or Bono, those goobers always come after the grassroots movement takes off.

[JiangalangG]

There are many types of artist and I understand your qualm with one type--the crowes, cruises, and spears(es) of the world who seem out of place when speaking on social issues. But there is another kind--a regular, socially-conscious individual like you or I. The difference is that this individual happens to be involved in a very visible industry like music--and uses the powers of that industry for good, not for gain. That is what DMC and Chuck D are.

[marcus3379]

I hope that I do not come off as hating artists, that is not my intent :(

[JiangalangG]

I do not consider the activist artist a leader, but rather, an 'awareness-raiser.' Anyhow, I think I understand your concerns now :)

[marcus3379]

Thank you for the forced clarification, I wasn't being clear enough at the beginning.

[random63x]

Anyone want to take bets on how long it will be until mainstream artists co-op D's message and ruin it? "Rock the vote!" - P. Diddy

[MW2772]

"The one race...the human race..." I love hearing this from Chuck D--powerful words of truth.

[divinejudge1]

looks promising :-D

[spartan2600]

Public Enemy was one of the greatest groups of all time, and they did a lot to raise people's consciousness about issues.

In the word's of Karl Pilkington, "Public Enemy, they were just rapping about the world's problems all night. It was like a musical of 'Newsnight'."

[RAPMONSTAR]

the music industry is saturated by the same monopoly company(s) thats why all this rappers are all "friends" with each other because it puts their image out there more nd then they sont have no competitoion, todays rappers are nothing but "TOYS" its all about INDIE.

[caveman73]

Can't wait to hear it.

[RAPMONSTAR]

ewoops I meant thumbs up. sorry +1

[RexNunc]

lol i do that too sometimes

[zapatista512]

Dope! Chuck D is reporting for the Real News Network....

[ergoiamtoo]

it's always encouraging to know that there are people like Chuck D and others out there doing whatever they can to help however possible

[jellyblocked]

Chuck - D for president

[greenback001]

Chuck D is a proud  911 Truther

[wojiwodj]

man i wish hip hop would embrace activism more than it already does

[chrisy0907]

hip hop is shit - complete shit

[Buckhead1959]

I watched KRS 1 one night on the old Bill Maher show...I marveled at his knowledge of the Constitution.

[terr547]

Hell yes.

[angelbeta]

Hell yeah (that's exactly what I said out loud when I saw this)!

[thewarrior195]

haha

same here man

[Sheogorath64]

Chuck D was another guy kicked off Air America for critisizing Israel.

[RAPMONSTAR]

that was actually another part of the group

[bennymcfarlane]

Fucking Awesome! This is the coolest thing the RealNews has done. Chuck D...

[flyhead2]

Hip hop has too few luminarys left (like his Chuckness), and has been taken over by a bunch of cynical wankers. The real shame is that the new brand of misanthropic, badass dung is more popular than the freethinking stuff.

[bennymcfarlane]

I was thinkin about that the other day flyhead... There are luminaries - Lyrics Born, KRS, Mos Def, Kweli... but as you said, it's all the ass'n'titties'n'money stuff that gets popular. I don't know what it's going to take to change. But there are voices out there. Maybe it just needs harder luminaries... I think part of why Lyrics is so obscure is that he's just too pampered... seems to appeal to middle-class whities, but the homies who fancy themselves ballers don't identifty.

[walkwalkslow]

a lot of generalities don't equal substance. that's part of the reason we have the pres we do. still, i'm interested on seeing where this goes.

[SandCmpbll]

Well, at least it's honest dialogue, which, I'm sorry to say is something the corporate MS press seriously fails at. We can't depend on the press. In order to affect change we have to re-frame the conversation...the debate. We have to become honest brokers in a time where the debate has been co-opted and thrown into the twilight zone genre...i.e Glen Beck, Sean Hannity. I'm interested to hear what Chuck has to say. He's a cool dude, the young cats today could take a lesson.

[FiswaT]

awesome

[jesuschrustpizza]

What is this doing on The Real News Network???

TRNN is turning into Air America.

[loyalty213]

you're obviously, painfully ignorant to who Chuck D is. Do a little research, please. You might learn something new.

[spartan2600]

looks like this will be really great stuff- a fresh perspective.

[carbs101]

Chuck D is amazing. He's down for the revolution.

[abarzilai664]

Will it also be uploaded onto the YT channel too?

[vidraw]

it is wriiten "iller clothing" on his t-shirt. lol. what happened to the M?

[millamulisha]

Haha VOC hip hop is politically moving.

[phnixlady]

Sweet!! l,p

[Realizalize]

woot

[meeputube]

Nice! Ask Chuck if he will make intro music for TRNN.