Politically Active Musicians

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:28 am

I was wondering who are some of the most politically active musicians of today. Some artists incorporate their political leanings into their music, while others support political candidates, movements, and parties outright. What do you think about this? Do you prefer your artists to be politically active or does it annoy the shit of you? What are your favorite songs or albums that are driven by political ideology?

My list of my favorite politically active artists-

The Clash
Marvin Gaye
Bruce Springsteen
Beyonce (although her relationship with the Obamas seem much more personally based :lol:

)

There are others but I can't be bothered to list them all now.

by **Titan3510** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:18 am

Time out.

Did you really just say Beyonce?! No deal.

:lol:

No but on a serious note, I would add both Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson to that list. The two of them both made some very socially conscious music.

And, in the name of fairness, I guess you can throw in Madonna and her sweet-hearted but pretentious clone in there too...

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:25 am

Titan3510 wrote:Time out.

Did you really just say Beyonce?! No deal.

No but on a serious note, I would add both Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson to that list. The two of them both made some very socially conscious music.

And, in the name of fairness, I guess you can throw in Madonna and her sweet-hearted but pretentious clone in there too...

She was the only mainstream pop artist I could think of that has been heavily involved in politics recently. In fact, I recently got an email from the Obama For America re-election campaign with her name in the subject and her letter attached. She's probably the most visible musician in this year's campaign season, although she isn't speaking on serious policy matters. :lol:

She's also a top fundraising bundler for Obama.

And I was actually referring to elected politics, but we could include social awareness as well.

by **Titan3510** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:31 am

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

I see what you're saying now.

Do you want to talk about socially aware musicians or political ones? Because I can do both... :lol:

Enough with the jokes.

I still want to include Michael Jackson. Very involved with Reagan. Like Michelle Obama and Beyonce, they were friends. Michael also could've ran for president in 1984 and in 1988: he would've won both times.

Mariah Carey's very involved with the Obama '12 campaign. She was at a couple of A-list fundraisers late last year and early this year. Keep an eye on her.

What about John Lennon?

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:46 am

^^True. John Lennon, including many other artists from the 60s and 70s, was very much politically active. Lennon was actually really controversial because of his stance on the Vietnam War, too. The complete epitome of the counter-culture hippie mindset of the 70s.

Marvin Gaye and his topics on environmentalism, taxation, and violence was kinda unheard of for R&B artists to do until he came along.

Was Mariah this involved with the Obama campaign in 2008, Titan?

by **Titan3510** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:06 am

Baditude wrote:^^True. John Lennon, including many other artists from the 60s and 70s, was very much politically active. Lennon was actually really controversial because of his stance on the Vietnam War, too. The complete epitome of the counter-culture hippie mindset of the 70s.

Marvin Gaye and his topics on environmentalism, taxation, and violence was kinda unheard of for R&B artists to do until he came along.

Not really.

I mean...rhythm and blues is just that...blues with a nice groove. And Sam Cooke was something of a precursor for Marvin Gaye.

But whenever it came to really heavy political issues, R&B artists back then really relied on God and gospel music.

Marvin was a religious man. He just did it differently from everyone else. And what he did was incredible.

Was Mariah this involved with the Obama campaign in 2008, Titan?

Not really.

I mean, she was at the inauguration ball and stuff. And she had a few things to say at the end 2008.

But Mariah and her husband have gotten more zealous this time around. You find them tweeting less about perfume, radio shows and dogs and more about Obama.

And plus, they have gotten to be really cool with Spike Lee who is well-known for his political views.

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:14 am

Titan3510 wrote:
Baditude wrote:^^True. John Lennon, including many other artists from the 60s and 70s, was very much politically active. Lennon was actually really controversial because of his stance on the Vietnam War, too. The complete epitome of the counter-culture hippie mindset of the 70s.

Marvin Gaye and his topics on environmentalism, taxation, and violence was kinda unheard of for R&B artists to do until he came along.
Not really.

I mean...rhythm and blues is just that...blues with a nice groove. And Sam Cooke was something of a precursor for Marvin Gaye.

But whenever it came to really heavy political issues, R&B artists back then really relied on God and gospel music.

Marvin was a religious man. He just did it differently from everyone else. And what he did was incredible.

Was Mariah this involved with the Obama campaign in 2008, Titan?
Not really.

I mean, she was at the inauguration ball and stuff. And she had a few things to say at the end 2008.

But Mariah and her husband have gotten more zealous this time around. You find them tweeting less about perfume, radio shows and dogs and more about Obama.

And plus, they have gotten to be really cool with Spike Lee who is well-known for his political views.

I don't know a Sam Cooke song that touched on seemingly abstract subjects (especially during that time) like environmentalism. True about R&B originating from sadness, blues, etc. and Sam Cooke did precede him in that, but Marvin seemed to touch in topics that weren't often discussed.

As for Mariah, well, at least she's helping him out this time. :lol:

by **Titan3510** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:37 am

Yeah. You're right.

But Mariah endorsed Al Gore too. And Gore had some nice things to say about Glitter.

So naturally, she and millions of other Americans were pissed when Bush won. And if memory serves me correctly, Mariah had some interesting things to say about Clinton.

I was surprised when I heard that. Mariah doesn't strike me (or anyone for that matter) as someone who is involved.

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:41 am

Titan3510 wrote:Yeah. You're right.

But Mariah endorsed Al Gore too. And Gore had some nice things to say about Glitter.

So naturally, she and millions of other Americans were pissed when Bush won. And if memory serves me correctly, Mariah had some interesting things to say about Clinton.

I was surprised when I heard that. Mariah doesn't strike me (or anyone for that matter) as someone who is involved.

See, I didn't know anything about ANY of this. :lol:

What exactly did she say?

by **Titan3510** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:56 am

I don't remember exactly what she said. It's been a long time...I was like 6 years old.

All I remember was that she was on some talk show #1s in 1998 (or was it 1999). I don't know...she said something extremely shady about Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky and Bosnia.

It was upper-class shade and I didn't get it but my mother kicked me out of the room and ended up calling up my grandmother so they could talk about it.

I remember bits and pieces but it was grown folk conversation.

So a couple of my boys and I basically watched the whole Barbara Walters 20/20 interview she had with Monica Lewinsky back in March...it was like something out of The Young and the Restless...except Monica Lewinsky was really good-looking.

But I'm getting really off-topic.

by **Baditude** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:59 am

^^Monica Lewinsky is the source of all good sex jokes. :lol:

I'll have to YouTube that.

by **Mainshow** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:23 am

I wanna add this year's Eurovision winner Loreen.

She met human activists in Azerbaijan and instead of ignoring all the problems concerning human rights in that country, she was the only artists to take a stance on that issue. She also gave interviews and told reporters that human rights are abused in Azerbaijan each day. She also levelled criticism on destroyin' people's homes so that the arena of the Eurovision Song Contest could've been built.

Azerbaijan's government was really pissed off.
I know some people in Baku and during my stay there they said that they're really thankful that Loreen took a stance on that issue.

Moreover, Loreen visited Belarus and she meet a wife of a journalist who is behind bars because of its articles. She discussed the non-existing human rights in Belarus and she signed a petition against the death penalty in that country.

I cannot think of any other Eurovision artists of the recent years, who is really tryin' to speak out and use his or her success to get public's attention to such subjects.

I'm really proud of being a fan of hers.

by **GUS** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:19 pm

There are a lot.

I can think of Nina Simone now. Clearly a woman that compromised her lifetime with politican and human rights activism.

by **marcsi** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:28 pm

Lowkey, the rapper and political activist of English and Iraqi descent, best known for his pro-Palestinian activities, for harshly criticizing Barack Obama sevaral times, in his lyrics - attack on the system within which American ppl live - attack part 2 featuring Lupe Fiasco, M1 & Black The Ripper. after releasing 2 studio albums, in 2012 Lowkey put his musical career on a hiatus "to concentrate on his studies" though. but once he has accomplished his goals he is so busy with now, he will be back to making music I have no doubts about that.

by **matthew_dixon** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:42 pm

The obvious missing name thus far is Billy Bragg. He's very politically active, a strong campaigner for the socialist cause and also the republican cause (as in anti-monarchy).

The Manic Street Preachers are also very political - again very left wing. It's rather ironic that UKMIX's biggest Manics fan is also a die-hard Conservative!

by **tada** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:47 pm

Sheryl Crow from female artist
fun corner: Beyoncé really made my day :lol:

by **abi** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:53 pm

Wyclef Jean, of course...

by **jafetsigfinns** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:38 pm

Bjork has been very involved with politics in the past, most notibly in the Tibet/China thing. (I can't really quote any of it cause I never understood it, but I think I'm not lying when I say she's politically active!)

Same goes for Madonna, (I think?)

by **BLover** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:39 pm

Obviously Kanye West, being his most famous quote:

"Josh Bush hates black people"

EDIT: I won't even edit it :lol:

by **Titan3510** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:40 pm

Bob Marley?

BLover wrote:Obviously Kanye West, being his most famous quote:

"Josh Bush hates black people"

It's George Bush. Not Josh Bush.

LAST.FM · by **Jonathan** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:51 pm

Jon Bon Jovi.

He's a member of the White House Council for Community Solutions

by **marcsi** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 5:13 pm

BLover wrote:Obviously Kanye West, being his most famous quote:

"Josh Bush hates black people"

are u shading "Yo Taylor"?

by **BLover** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 2:52 am

Titan3510 wrote:Bob Marley?

BLover wrote:Obviously Kanye West, being his most famous quote:

"Josh Bush hates black people"
It's George Bush. Not Josh Bush.

LOL, even though it was obviously a mistake it was hilarious.

No, I'm not shading Kanye, just stating the truth.

by **marcsi** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 12:58 pm

^ I didnt ask if you are shading Kanye. I aked if you are shading his famous notorious Yo Taylor quote ; ]