In part one of his interview with Davey D, M-1 explains why black folks should involve themselves in international struggles. In part 2 he describes Gaza (“Brooklyn times Cuba”) and talks about his experience in Palestine, and being detained in Egypt with George Galloway.

— By Akira The Don on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Green Lantern is killing it this week. fresh off the back of that brilliant B.o.B. mixtape, he just dropped the third Dead Prez tape, Turn off the Radio Vol. 3, Pulse of The People. Which is basically an album. And a very good one. Go cop that ish right now. And if you need convincing, here’s a few sampler tracks.

STREAM: Dead Prez – Don’t Hate My Grind ft Bun B

STREAM: Dead Prez – Life Goes On

STREAM: Dead Prez – Helpful

BONUS: DPZ dropping wisdoms on how to survive on the plantation.

— By Akira The Don on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Jolly jolly yoza!

Yes, I have a new podcast for you to listen to, produced in conjunction with The Quietus, which involves me going through what I considered, when I recorded this the other day, to be the RAP OF 08!

[display_podcast]

OMFG! I’ve nearly caught up with myself! Shame I’m off to Wales in an hour!

— Friday, December 19th, 2008

DOWNLOAD: Dead Prez – PolitricKKs

Via OKayPlayer.

— By Akira The Don on Sunday, November 9th, 2008

SEMTEX TV – DEAD PREZ INTERVIEW from DJ SEMTEX on Vimeo.

— By Akira The Don on Monday, August 11th, 2008

“I thought about it and I realized that i might be part of the last generation that has experienced ‘normal life’ for some time… I try to think of positive things, you know, like I’m happy about what’s been happening with my writing. But in the face of the upcoming disaster everything seems futile.”
Harvey Pekar, American Splendour

Personally, I have been unable to allow myself to entertain the ramifications of this new 42 day detention fuckery, other than to note to my sad self that 42 days in a hole with no charge would pretty much destroy anybody’s life.

Similar with food and gas prices. The much maligned conspiracy pundits over at Prison Planet warned a year ago of Henry Kissinger’s plans for $200 a barrel oil, and the ramifications that would have for the West’s middle classes, let alone the rest of the world that was already bathing in shit.

A few months ago my girlfriend asked me why I hadn’t writing much about world affairs lately. My answer was, all the stuff I’d been screaming about my whole life was as in-thy-FACE now as it was going to be. Everybody knows shit is fucked the fuck up, and everyone knows, deep down, why that is. What am I gonna do, say, “shit’s fucked the fuck up!” Or, “told you so?” Post lists of Bilderburg attendees, as if that’s gonna help my freshly redundant Dad get a job?

I said, right now, I want to be positive.

There is enough Armageddon being screamed from every other rooftop. I wanna have a barbecue on mine. If the lights are going out, I’m not gonna be sitting in the dark crying. Me and my peoples are burning fires. We will dance round them and sing songs. We will tell each other stories. We will hang on to our humanity, because when it comes down to it, that’s all we have.

I believe that humanity is awesome, and I believe we’ve not even scratched the surface of our potential. I find that shit exciting. There’s no guarantee I’ll have a working computer in three weeks, let alone five years, so I’m writing, and making as many songs, videos, and animations as possible. I’m gonna do as many collaborations as I can. If you’re dope and you’re not a dick, I wanna work with you. If it doesn’t make us rich I don’t care. The way shit’s panning out, either you’re in the Boy’s Club with The Swine or you’re in the gutter with the Scum, and I know where I wanna be.

I have no future marching people into gas chambers. I’ve never been any god with authority and I don’t do company haircuts. So you can keep your gold trimmed membership card. I’ll be digging the earth and feeding my family with everyone else.

“True wealth,” rapped Dead Prez, “comes from good health and wise ways.” That, harmony with one’s natural environment, and real human relationships. And that’s what I’m switching my full attention to. Thats where I’m going. I’ve developed a lot of bad habbits during my tenure in the last moments of our civilization, and they’re gonna be hard to break, so all help will be appreciated.

I’m looking forward to the future, whatever it holds. I’m looking forward to all the cool stuff we’re gonna do together. A billion and one truly fucking awful things are gonna happen to each and every one of us, and they’ll make whatever joy we find in between all the sweeter.

— Friday, June 13th, 2008