Top 9 Anti-American Rap Songs

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Music

Published on July 04, 2010 with 16 Comments">16 Comments

The rocky relationship between politics and hip-hop has always been one of the driving forces behind the genre. From Public Enemy to Immortal Technique, politically charged rappers have always used hip-hop as a vehicle to express their views on government. As you can guess, these songs don’t exactly make the July 4th playlist.

Here are 9 instances of anti-American sentiment in hip-hop music.


Ill Bill – “American History X”
Fighting Words: “Violence is more American than apple pie and Soul Train”
 


Brother Ali – “Uncle Sam Goddamn”
Ali coined the phrase “United Snakes” in this scathing indictment of American foreign policy, taken from The Undisputed Truth.
Fighting Words: “They keep sayin’ we’re free, but we’re all just fools”
 


The Perceptionists – “Memorial Day”
When Mr. Lif and Akrobatik teamed up with Fakts One to form The Perceptionists in 2004, the Iraq war was on everyone’s lips. That might explain why the group’s 2005 debut, Black Dialogue, was heavy on politicized rants. One of the best songs from that album was “Memorial Day,” in which Akrobatik assumes the role of a soldier exasperated at the lack of WMDs in Iraq.
Fighting Words: “Feeling like the ones that sent me here are psychotics, but if I say that out loud I’m unpatriotic”
 


Dead Prez -  “Know Your Enemy”
Dead Prez had so many anti-American songs that you could make a greatest hits album out of their songs. “Know Your Enemy” threw vicious shots at George W Bush, whom they likened to a terrorist and left a bitter taste in the mouth of the conservative right.
Fighting Words: “George Bush is way worse than Bin Laden is/FBI, CIA, the real terrorists”
 


X-Clan – “Raise the Flag”
Don’t be fooled by the song title, these Afrocentric brothers were raising the red, black, and green flag instead of red, white and blue. X-Clan made conscious rap seem cool in the early 90s, sissy! Their beats were funky as hell, their words powerfully pro-black.
Fighting Words: “Red, Black and Green are the colors of the flag on the rise”
 


Immortal Technique – “Bin Laden”
When Immortal Technique first dropped “Bin Laden” I was genuinely concerned for his safety. This song is the epitome of anti-establishment in music, period. Technique added more fuel to the fire by sampling Eminem’s controversy-baiting line from the next song on this list.
Fighting Words: “I’m baptized by America and covered leeches”
 


Eminem – “We As Americans”
There most common misconception about anti-American sentiment in hip-hop is that it’s synonymous with black rappers. Eminem’s Encore LP, which included two politically charged songs in “Mosh” and “We As Americans,” helped nullify this severely flawed argument. The latter raised a few eyebrows and got the attention of the F.B.I. because of the following line:
Fighting Words: “Fuck money, I don’t rap for dead presidents / I’d rather see the president dead”
 


The Coup – “Get Up”
The Coup gained notoriety when the cover for their 2001 LP Party Music depicted the World Trade Center going up in flames just 3 months before the terrorist attacks of 9/11. That album also spawned “Get Up,” which paired the duo with like minds stic.man and M-1.
Fighting Words: “Honestly, I’m against this government/I ain’t gotta cover it up, that’s what I meant”
 


Public Enemy – “Fight the Power”
If Chuck D received a royalty check each time a politically charged rap song aired on the radio, it still wouldn’t be enough to acknowledge his contributions to the genre. “Fight the Power” will always serve as a reminder of Public Enemy’s influence as voice for the oppressed.

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • http://therapup.net J to the AAP

    Good list, I’d like to add Company Flow’s ‘Patriotism’ from Soundbombing 2.

    “My favorite flavour of gas is mustard
    I’m fuckin a blind hermaphrodite icon and convincing you that it’s justice!”

  • http://therapup.net J to the AAP

    Good list, I’d like to add Company Flow’s ‘Patriotism’ from Soundbombing 2.

    “My favorite flavour of gas is mustard
    I’m fuckin a blind hermaphrodite icon and convincing you that it’s justice!”

  • http://therapup.net Rizoh

    Oh yeah, forgot about that one. Good pick.

  • http://therapup.net Rizoh

    Oh yeah, forgot about that one. Good pick.

  • http://www.jordiscrubbings.com Jordi Scrubbings

    Wow, no Paris? He should have at least gotten an honorable mention.

  • http://www.jordiscrubbings.com Jordi Scrubbings

    Wow, no Paris? He should have at least gotten an honorable mention.

  • RuffDraft

    Maybe not in most cases but in alot of cases “anti-american” songs are usually just code for “anti-white” people songs. All crackers are “the man” and to blame for everything.

  • RuffDraft

    Maybe not in most cases but in alot of cases “anti-american” songs are usually just code for “anti-white” people songs. All crackers are “the man” and to blame for everything.

  • http://therapup.net Rizoh

    ^Everyone (black, white. hispanic, etc) has had issues with the so-called man, as you can see from the diversity of the people on this list.

  • http://therapup.net Rizoh

    ^Everyone (black, white. hispanic, etc) has had issues with the so-called man, as you can see from the diversity of the people on this list.

  • Mehdi

    I really appreciate and like this post Riz. Just a note though: the term “anti-American” is not right to use. To criticise a country or a nation does not make you anti-said country.

  • Mehdi

    I really appreciate and like this post Riz. Just a note though: the term “anti-American” is not right to use. To criticise a country or a nation does not make you anti-said country.

  • Tybo530

    What about Ice Cube’s CLASSIC I wanna Kill Sam!

    “It seems like he got the whole country behind him
    so it’s sort of hard to find him
    But when I do, gotta put my gat in his mouth
    Pump seventeen rounds make his brains hang out”

  • Tybo530

    What about Ice Cube’s CLASSIC I wanna Kill Sam!

    “It seems like he got the whole country behind him
    so it’s sort of hard to find him
    But when I do, gotta put my gat in his mouth
    Pump seventeen rounds make his brains hang out”

  • Nullandnull

    Wow, your experience with Hip Hop must be about fifteen minutes.

    Check out Paris, Sage Francis, Public Enemy, etc…

  • 2020Proof

    How can you leave out Ice Cube “I Wanna Kill Sam”?

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