International Theif Thief Thief Essay
The ‘International Thief Thief” is a song written by Afrobeat Fela Kuti who was born in the upper middle class. This song view a challenge people faced in Moshood Abiola. The I.T.T. song is a deliberate attack on the corrupt leadership of the country and the fight against dictatorship and colonialism like mentioned in class. He uses hard to beat and powerful, strong lyrics with the aim of reflecting manipulation of African people, and the struggles of African economies to overseas capitalist exaltations of the continent. It also criticizes the heads of companies and corporations, specifically the men in power, and the individuals who take advantage of the output of the African soil. Moreover, he highlights those men in the power associate evil deeds with exploitation and slavery of the black people.
…show more content…
However, the artist was fighting for revolution and radicalism for African workers and youths and colonialism.
He comes from a family with strong beliefs such as his mother being part of a feminist activist in the US. Alongside with his father having had a major contribution towards the Black Panther Party. This of course brings a lot of his influences in strong political meaning behind them in his song writing skills. He makes a clear message that during the worst dictatorship in the country caused by controversial political affairs financed the coup against Salvador Allende in Chile of 1973, it represents the exploitation of the African people, and clearly showed the anger Kuti had. Fela links the evil deeds of I.T.T to slavery and exploitation of the African people and the African land- a clear link to colonialism can be made here. This was a song with strong message that can still be relevant to this
day.
On the other hand, songs like Tennessee by Arrested Development representing the environment of hip hop in Afrocentric. Giving views on the difference of gangster rap and the political narrative of public enemy. This song gives background with the rise of generation of black collegiate who used African clothing and hairstyles to connect themselves in African continent. It gives a view of black community of black culture and urban culture. This song demonstrates the challenges black folks go throw on the daily of losing the one they love, living separate world’s, and the confusion and hopelessness they feel, and this is well captured in the song Tennessee. In a sense this song is not only a message and a story but also a prayer, asking for help from god, “My grandmas passed/ My brother’s gone/ I’ve never at once felt so alone.” He cries out to have a sense of direction, both literal and figurative, and soon discovers that fate is leading him to Tennessee. This song also gives an understanding and visual of history that was not great in the South for black men and women. This all relates to how music entertainment today is not giving the necessary story and messaged needed.
Speaking of entertainment, we have artist like Gil Scott-Heron poet, singer and songwriter. Most famous for his song called The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, it tells the racial challenges black people faced in the late-sixties, by people and things like President Richard Nixon and numerous TV advertising slogans, and using those slogans of US commercial imperialism, like what has happened today with the Pepsi commercial with model Kendall Jenner. Where we see, Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer hoping it will stop all conflicts and problems. When we all know, it won’t work, and Heron mentions this in the song of a similar situation that has happen in the past, the song states “The revolution will not go better with coke.” It also shows the challenges of how black people were being portrayed on the news, same thing that is going on today, in some ways, this song talks about how this country is persecuting and disenfranchise a portion of its population. The news is constantly airing American citizens fighting and demonstrating out in the street for their rights and being brutalized by police. However, Heron later claims how after what was aired they move to commercials breaks, showing glamourous people telling the people that everything would be fine with the world if they just consumed the right products. This is the same thing that has happened with the Pepsi commercial. This is causing segregation, which African Americans must fight for to be equal, sometimes that best way to send the right message is through media however “the revolution will not be televised” White Americans is only concerned with their white celebrities and bringing down anything that is black. So, if things pertain to the things that are effecting African-Americans it will not be televised.
Songs can leave powerful message and stories behind them, and sometimes they break fear we all have and start a discussion we all need. Billie Holiday is an amazing singer who had a hard life behind her, and within those hard times she showed great emotions in singing that spoke of hard times and injustice. One famous song that started it all was “Strange Fruit” a song the demonstrated the disturbing and emotional condemnation of racism black people face at the time. The song is about lynching, inhumanity and the race terrorism that went on in South America. In fact, the surprising part of this is she did not write the song, instead it was written by a white Jewish man by the name of Abel Meeropol. Meeropol was inspired by a photograph of a lynching. After the song was release it changed the relationship and understanding of black performers and white audience, forcing them both to confront the grim realities of racism in America in the pre-Civil Rights Era. However, this can result in anger in white audience and can make it difficult for black songwriters in a Jim Crow America to produce without fear of violent retribution. This challenge this plays today.
Other places like in South Africa we have, Enoch Sontonga, a member of a Christian Protestant movement church, a school teacher who wrote the first verse and chorus and composed the music in “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” which just means god bless Africa. These national anthems were contributed with several other individuals who wrote different verses. It showed the prayers Africa is seeking to gain acceptance and power back for themselves and help. It was a challenge they faced from an act of defiance during the Apartheid years. And later the anthem became known as the unofficial national anthem of south Africa.
Today we continue to live and admire the legendary musicians that sing great messages and most of the time those who sing in political situations that effect people every day. Artist like Bob Marley have played a huge role in music, and till this day we continue to listen and admire his work and vision. His song “Concrete Jungle” has given a vision of the major challenge black people face in “ghetto” communities. He was inspired by the Jamaican government urban development plan. However, this plan was not favored by many black people because it resulted in demolition of vast tracts of the west Kington ghetto, which were replaced by concrete bunker style housing, which he calls it the concrete jungle. Bob didn’t like the control the political people did. Because it was a struggle for black people living in those area and condition, it represented them in a poverty level. He describes it as a place where the sun does not shine, a place whose suffering residents cannot escape, and the tension found in the ghetto. However, despite issues he still talks about there is a way of getting happiness and not have to feel like they are not free even if they don’t have chains on their feet.
Lastly, we have Stevie Wonder another legendary artist who his music sends message and hope. Stevie in the 80s made a wonderful song called “Happy Birthday” dealing with the struggles in black people of racial equality, urban poverty and political corruption. Happy Birthday was part of Stevie campaign to establish a national holiday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He worked hard trying to get congressional vote to make the holiday happen, this considered him to have the African American press, to honor a civil rights leader. And so, he manages to complete it. Till this day, we celebrate Martin Luther King thanks to Stevie Wonder.
However, the artist was fighting for revolution and radicalism for African workers and youths and colonialism.
He comes from a family with strong beliefs such as his mother being part of a feminist activist in the US. Alongside with his father having had a major contribution towards the Black Panther Party. This of course brings a lot of his influences in strong political meaning behind them in his song writing skills. He makes a clear message that during the worst dictatorship in the country caused by controversial political affairs financed the coup against Salvador Allende in Chile of 1973, it represents the exploitation of the African people, and clearly showed the anger Kuti had. Fela links the evil deeds of I.T.T to slavery and exploitation of the African people and the African land- a clear link to colonialism can be made here. This was a song with strong message that can still be relevant to this
day.
On the other hand, songs like Tennessee by Arrested Development representing the environment of hip hop in Afrocentric. Giving views on the difference of gangster rap and the political narrative of public enemy. This song gives background with the rise of generation of black collegiate who used African clothing and hairstyles to connect themselves in African continent. It gives a view of black community of black culture and urban culture. This song demonstrates the challenges black folks go throw on the daily of losing the one they love, living separate world’s, and the confusion and hopelessness they feel, and this is well captured in the song Tennessee. In a sense this song is not only a message and a story but also a prayer, asking for help from god, “My grandmas passed/ My brother’s gone/ I’ve never at once felt so alone.” He cries out to have a sense of direction, both literal and figurative, and soon discovers that fate is leading him to Tennessee. This song also gives an understanding and visual of history that was not great in the South for black men and women. This all relates to how music entertainment today is not giving the necessary story and messaged needed.
Speaking of entertainment, we have artist like Gil Scott-Heron poet, singer and songwriter. Most famous for his song called The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, it tells the racial challenges black people faced in the late-sixties, by people and things like President Richard Nixon and numerous TV advertising slogans, and using those slogans of US commercial imperialism, like what has happened today with the Pepsi commercial with model Kendall Jenner. Where we see, Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer hoping it will stop all conflicts and problems. When we all know, it won’t work, and Heron mentions this in the song of a similar situation that has happen in the past, the song states “The revolution will not go better with coke.” It also shows the challenges of how black people were being portrayed on the news, same thing that is going on today, in some ways, this song talks about how this country is persecuting and disenfranchise a portion of its population. The news is constantly airing American citizens fighting and demonstrating out in the street for their rights and being brutalized by police. However, Heron later claims how after what was aired they move to commercials breaks, showing glamourous people telling the people that everything would be fine with the world if they just consumed the right products. This is the same thing that has happened with the Pepsi commercial. This is causing segregation, which African Americans must fight for to be equal, sometimes that best way to send the right message is through media however “the revolution will not be televised” White Americans is only concerned with their white celebrities and bringing down anything that is black. So, if things pertain to the things that are effecting African-Americans it will not be televised.
Songs can leave powerful message and stories behind them, and sometimes they break fear we all have and start a discussion we all need. Billie Holiday is an amazing singer who had a hard life behind her, and within those hard times she showed great emotions in singing that spoke of hard times and injustice. One famous song that started it all was “Strange Fruit” a song the demonstrated the disturbing and emotional condemnation of racism black people face at the time. The song is about lynching, inhumanity and the race terrorism that went on in South America. In fact, the surprising part of this is she did not write the song, instead it was written by a white Jewish man by the name of Abel Meeropol. Meeropol was inspired by a photograph of a lynching. After the song was release it changed the relationship and understanding of black performers and white audience, forcing them both to confront the grim realities of racism in America in the pre-Civil Rights Era. However, this can result in anger in white audience and can make it difficult for black songwriters in a Jim Crow America to produce without fear of violent retribution. This challenge this plays today.
Other places like in South Africa we have, Enoch Sontonga, a member of a Christian Protestant movement church, a school teacher who wrote the first verse and chorus and composed the music in “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” which just means god bless Africa. These national anthems were contributed with several other individuals who wrote different verses. It showed the prayers Africa is seeking to gain acceptance and power back for themselves and help. It was a challenge they faced from an act of defiance during the Apartheid years. And later the anthem became known as the unofficial national anthem of south Africa.
Today we continue to live and admire the legendary musicians that sing great messages and most of the time those who sing in political situations that effect people every day. Artist like Bob Marley have played a huge role in music, and till this day we continue to listen and admire his work and vision. His song “Concrete Jungle” has given a vision of the major challenge black people face in “ghetto” communities. He was inspired by the Jamaican government urban development plan. However, this plan was not favored by many black people because it resulted in demolition of vast tracts of the west Kington ghetto, which were replaced by concrete bunker style housing, which he calls it the concrete jungle. Bob didn’t like the control the political people did. Because it was a struggle for black people living in those area and condition, it represented them in a poverty level. He describes it as a place where the sun does not shine, a place whose suffering residents cannot escape, and the tension found in the ghetto. However, despite issues he still talks about there is a way of getting happiness and not have to feel like they are not free even if they don’t have chains on their feet.
Lastly, we have Stevie Wonder another legendary artist who his music sends message and hope. Stevie in the 80s made a wonderful song called “Happy Birthday” dealing with the struggles in black people of racial equality, urban poverty and political corruption. Happy Birthday was part of Stevie campaign to establish a national holiday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He worked hard trying to get congressional vote to make the holiday happen, this considered him to have the African American press, to honor a civil rights leader. And so, he manages to complete it. Till this day, we celebrate Martin Luther King thanks to Stevie Wonder.