Hip-hop, many times has been a voice against political decisions. Public Enemy, NWA, Tupac, The Fugees, etc. have been a voice for the people in a lot of their music. Speaking up against "The Man" and continuing to keep the people alert on things. A lot of people refer to hip-hop being dead because nowadays it's hard to come across artists and groups like them. I'm a big advocate on hip-hop being alive and well. One rising artist, Bas, is keeping hip-hop on its toes. He raps about a lot of different things. In the song "Mook In New Mexico" he has a very thought-provoking closing verse.
"Yeah, you know the models on the coupe
But you don't even know what's in your food
N***a, Google it, be alert, be alert
Be alert, be alert, be alert, be alert
Put your young a** in debt
Now they got hands on your handsome check
You in check, n***a, be alert
She catchin' VD's and passin' 'em off like TD's, and you knee deepBe alert, be alert, be alert, be alert
Yeah, whole country at war
And you don't even know what for cause we only want more
Be alert, be alert, be alert, be alert, be alert."
This whole verse is pretty dope to me. I love how he kept reiterating to be alert, basically to be in the know, or "woke." The part that is relevant for this article is his war reference. The United States finds itself in a lot of situations with other countries. People never really have a certain answer as to why we are there, who cause it, how long we will be there, what is the goal of our mission, etc. Whats really going on? Are we in that situation now?
Yes, yes we are. In current news, Donald Trump has been testing the relationship back and forth with North Korea. Before Trump got in the picture, we didn't have the best relations with them. But of all things, we respected each other's boundaries and let each other work as a functioning country despite the disagreements. Trump has not inherited that belief. Back and forth, the United States and North Korea has been declaring each country as putting on acts of war against one another. We could break out in a war, but what for? Why? Are the potential lives lost worth it? In a recent tweet, Donald Trump expresses his feelings towards the relationship. He said that before the ink could dry terms were violated and that only one thing could work. He didn't say what that one thing was, but many believe that he is referring to WAR. BE ALERT, BE ALERT, BE ALERT.
