As if he wanted to respond to Iman’s post ‘Who Will Write the Trayvon Martin Protest Song?’, rapper Pharoahe Monch, who is part of the rap duo Organized Konfusion, has just released ‘Stand Your Ground’, a song protesting the verdict, and an unfinished track off of W.A.R. Media. A rapper, really? Actually the song sounds more like punk-rock than straight rap, with soul-gospel-ish energy and a raised fist in the air all along.
I have heard that some riots started in Los Angeles and Oakland yesterday, and the police are on alert almost everywhere in the country after the verdict, which declared Zimmerman not guilty. This song comes right on time.
Stand your ground refers to the Florida’s law which states that a person may use force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of an unlawful threat, and even though Zimmerman’s defense team pretends not invoking the law in winning the trial, everyone knows this is BS. This is what a juror declared on CNN: ‘Because of the heat of the moment and the Stand Your Ground. He had a right to defend himself. If he felt threatened that his life was going to be taken away from him or he was going to have bodily harm, he had a right’.
That’s why Pharoahe Monch’s song is right on, he dares to release a true and incendiary protest song when so many others have stayed silent so far. I would be surprised if anything comes from the most famous ones, the Kanye West and Jay-Z of the world are too busy rapping about their own fame, and the LA Times says that all of them have thus remained silent on Twitter. What are they afraid of? Actually, Stevie Wonder has reacted, as he has just announced that he would boycott Florida on future tours, and any other state that has passed similar ‘stand your ground’ law. But who else will stand up?
Monch, a musician I knew nothing about, is not afraid, his song is a clear statement, determined to raise your IQ with intelligent and effective lyrics:
‘I am just one man but I know my power
It’s the final call were in the final hour
And we must not divide as we march toward our future
Who are they to decide when they conspire to shoot yah,
Ahh, that could’ve been my mother, ohh, that could’ve been my brother
As sure as we rotate the sun and the earth revolves, get involved 3x
Stand your ground
They’ll say I’ve lost my mind claim that I’m psychotic
He’s a fucking traitor he’s unpatriotic
But I learned in life truth it must be slated
And I know my rights they’re un-alienated Descendent of the blood of slaves
Used to be the one afraid
Until I learned my souls divine amalgamate lets combine unify get in line and
Stand your ground’
I applaud his courage, as a matter of fact, I have just read that soul singer Lester Chambers just got attacked by a crazy woman after dedicating Curtis Mayfield’s ‘People Get Ready’ to Trayvon Martin! Who is next? Listen to ‘Stand Your Ground’ below, and let’s hope other songs will follow: