Words I Never Said. - Lupe Fiasco, Mainstream artist attacks TPTB.

Immortal Technique and his song "Bin Laden" is similar in that he speaks out as well, however, I.T. I believe is an Underground Rapper. Mainstream artists B.O.B., came out with "Watchers" another very anti-tptb song, worth a watch, I might embed it later.

However, Lupe speaks out much harder in my opinion, and spouts his belief that were guilty for knowing whats going on and not acting upon it. I'll just stop right there so you can hear it yourself.



If you want some info on Lupe Fiasco, you can get a rough background on him from my first post here.

Lupe does mention TPTB in a few of his mixtapes. But in my opinion, Immortal Technique goes way deeper into the subject of the US government. Most of his songs and mixtapes are about the injustices carried out by our government. He has very powerful lyrics. I'm glad people are finally starting to find out about artists like this. Technique has been around forever, and is probably the most talented lyricist in rap right now (next to Eminem). I recommend that everyone listen to 2 of his most popular mixtapes:

Revolutionary Volume 1
Revolutionary Volume 2

reply to post by Thekid90

its pretty good i personally i'm not a big rap fan.www.youtube.com...
but i gave you a link to a song by thrice which i find interesting. here's the definition of jingoist. Jingoism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy".[1] In practice, it refers to the advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what they perceive as their country's national interests, and colloquially to excessive bias in judging one's own country as superior to others – an extreme type of nationalism. here's the meaning of Juggernaut. Something, such as a belief or institution, that elicits blind and destructive devotion or to which people are ruthlessly sacrificed. and watershed A critical point that marks a division or a change of course; a turning point

Read more: www.answers.com...


Read more: www.answers.com...

I think the saddest part is we see it and hear it all around us, we have influences from music, books, tv everything we see around us gives us plenty of insight to whats really going on. Lupes' verses they outline what we see, and it is so true the voice that never speaks in "never" heard, the words never said. But as the lyrics say our news, its a falsity, a crock to keep us so informed on the facts of life that hold no value to me or you. I could care less who's getting married and how much the brits are getting hosed, or how much drugs Charlie Sheens up too. ( god bless the man a hero in his own right )

We are so blinded by bull**** that even when entertainment spells it out for us, (Youtube with lyrics) that the message i feel is lost in the entertainment value. IMO if these artisits we're to take the message mainstream use your 15 secs to out the agenda at a big show brodcast on a world stage, out the ruling majority by making known your thoughts. Don't just drop em in a song thats gonna be track 13 on your next LP hidden from the public eye and only listened to by fans.

When are we going to see a top 10 lyric thats gonna be the next big thing, the tune you hear people walking down the road be bopin too. Thats when I feel songs such as this can open up our eyes and ears to enovke the changes that this music has the power to do. Guess were gonna have to wait for a ballsy studio ex-ec one day to give up the silver spoon. Fat chance but who knows maybe billboard well adopt a play the truth policy and give us a real earfull one day.

Only time well tell.....

reply to post by SamTGonzalez


Yeah I've been planning on listening to some more Immortal Technique tracks, although like you said Lupe doesn't get into as deep, well in a sense he does, but very subtle. So when I heard this song I was shocked, I've never heard Lupe go out like this.

Thanks for the Volumes!

reply to post by pcrobotwolf


Interesting, never heard of Thrice before, I'll look into that, thanks.

reply to post by SaneThinking

I think the saddest part is we see it and hear it all around us, we have influences from music, books, tv everything we see around us gives us plenty of insight to whats really going on. Lupes' verses they outline what we see, and it is so true the voice that never speaks in "never" heard, the words never said. But as the lyrics say our news, its a falsity, a crock to keep us so informed on the facts of life that hold no value to me or you. I could care less who's getting married and how much the brits are getting hosed, or how much drugs Charlie Sheens up too. ( god bless the man a hero in his own right )

Haha I hear you.

We are so blinded by bull**** that even when entertainment spells it out for us, (Youtube with lyrics) that the message i feel is lost in the entertainment value. IMO if these artisits we're to take the message mainstream use your 15 secs to out the agenda at a big show brodcast on a world stage, out the ruling majority by making known your thoughts. Don't just drop em in a song thats gonna be track 13 on your next LP hidden from the public eye and only listened to by fans.

Well, first I feel that the message isn't really lost but strengthened in the form of music. Also some professionals out there, once they pretty much have some concrete knowledge on what's going on, much of their lives and by that I mean every aspect of their lives and to who they support like their families, are at stake. So they either wimp out or try to be careful and smart about it. IMO.

When are we going to see a top 10 lyric thats gonna be the next big thing, the tune you hear people walking down the road be bopin too. Thats when I feel songs such as this can open up our eyes and ears to enovke the changes that this music has the power to do. Guess were gonna have to wait for a ballsy studio ex-ec one day to give up the silver spoon. Fat chance but who knows maybe billboard well adopt a play the truth policy and give us a real earfull one day. Only time well tell.....

Well I hope this song does get people jammin to on the side of the street and waking others up, also this one by B.O.B.



Thanks for your reply, here's to hoping others wake up. Only time will tell....

Incredible song, Immortal Technique is much deeper but he is considered underground. Lupe is as big as it gets and by him rapping about these topics he will open the eyes of possibly millions of people all over the world.

The song has a great message which I can relate to on a very personal level, and I feel many ATSers can as well. This is my interpretation of the song:

"If you turn on TV, all you see's a bunch of what the f****
Dude is dating so and so, blabbering about such and such
And that ain't Jersey Shore, homie that's the news
and these the same people supposedly telling us the truth ?"

Exactly how I feel about today's media, such a joke. When I was younger I had always aspired to be a leading journalist on national TV, but today, hell no. Journalism is such a joke nowadays, tabloid garbage on major news outlets every night, no thanks...

"I really think the war on terror is a bunch of bull****
Just a poor excuse for you to use up all your bullets
How much money does it take to really make a ulll clip
9/11 building seven did they really pull it? "

Mentions WTC7, and the fact that he personally believes this war is a joke.

"Keep you at the bottom but tease you with the upper crush
You get it then they move it so you never keepin up enough "

The joke that is the 3 class system we have in America, people work their entire lives to reach the "upper class" and millions upon millions will never make it. It always seems "just out of reach" but in reality, it is a myth. In the end, the "house" always wins.

"Now we can say it ain't our fault
If we never heard it
but if we know better, then we probably deserve"
and
"Just listenin to Pac ain't gonna make it stop
A rebel in your thoughts ain't gonna make it whole "

Great lines about all of us who know the truth but don't speak up. Not pointing fingers here, I'm guilty of not spreading the word to as many people as I can. I believe almost all of us can relate to this line.

"Pills with a million side effects, take em when the pain's felt
Wash em down with Diet soda, killin off your brain cells
Crooked banks around the world will gladly give a loan today
so If you ever miss a payment, they can take your home away. "

Lupe describing how certain prescribed drugs are a complete joke, also taking a nice jab at the banks' involvement in the foreclosure of so many homes.

"I think that all the silence is worse than all violence
Fear is such a weak emotion, that's why I despise it
We're scared of almost everything, afraid to even tell the truth
So scared of what you think of me, I'm scared of even telling you
Sometimes I'm like the only person I feel safe to tell it to
I'm locked inside a cell in me, I know that there's a jail in you
Consider this your bailing out, so take a breath inhale a few
My screams is finally gettin free, my thoughts is finally yellin through! "

Again, incredible line that I believe 99% of us can relate to. I feel the same way that silence is worth than violence, basically meaning that sitting here and watching/allowing all this mindless violence happen and not speaking up is just as bad (if not worse) than actually committing the crime. And again with "Scared of almost everything, afraid to even tell the truth", that line really hit me because I have so many beliefs against the machine but your average joe would call me a conspiracy nut case. I know deep down I still have a responsibility to try and inform and educate as many people as I can with what I believe to be the down right truth, but society's thoughts on conspiracy theorists sometimes make me bite my tongue or at the least hold back certain view.

And of course, the chorus:

"It's so loud inside my head
with words that I should've said
As I drown in my regrets
I can't take back
the words I never said "

When it really hits the fan, and things are really becoming evident to even your average American, there will be many of us that think "Damn, all those things I should've tried to teach people, all those times I was too afraid to speak up, I could've possible helped prevent this if I had just stood up and gave it my all."

Great song, truly ground breaking, I hope his album has more work like this because it's going to sell millions. Hopefully "they" don't focus on discrediting him and breaking him before it's release in March (or May, can't remember exactly.)

Every step counts, and I believe this is song is a huge leap in the right direction. Nice to hear some actual poetry again instead of rappers blabbering about material object or promiscuous women. This thread should be one of the most popular.

When someone like Lupe is so dizzy into TPTB it's very hard to "escape" the industry without having some enemies. Through is music/lyrics, Lupe is trying to "expose" what he knows to be the truth and not necessary attack TPTB.

reply to post by Perplexity


Amazing post! Thank you, you literally said everything I felt about the song to the T. His album Lasers comes out on March 8th.

@Piky piky

I suppose your right, I admit I used that term very loosely, seemed like a nice title lol.

"I think that all the silence is worse than all the violence, Fear is such a weak emotion that's why I despise it"

Lupe Fiasco has always been a subversive if you have the ears to hear, but I am glad a prominent musician has stated things so bluntly and it seems to be reasonably popular.

"You complain about the gloom but, when'd you pick a broom up"
^ a lesson for all you illuminati fearers and hollow alternative media consumers ^

You mentioned B.o.B. and the song, "The Watchers". Don't be deceived. B.o.B. is just as evil as all the others. Need proof? A breakdown of "The Watchers".

Immortal Technique

I don't care if you bump this while your f***** your whip
Or if you stuck to script like plantain chips
Just remember soldier that when the government flips
Its going down harder than the last bullet in the glock clip
Visions of the future toxic in my cranium
Like the byproducts of enriching uranium
Gentrification byproduct like the palladium
So this is the message that I relate to them
'fore they do me like Abu I'm a do I'm a do what I gotta do
You should follow through before they bottle you out of the blue
They treat niggas and spicks like tigers and lions
Cute little babies but when they grow put em behind iron
Let em join the military fight for the country hard
Throw em some college money Get em a green card
Get a black Pinocchio President to lead
But controlled by an old white Gepetto on wall street (Yup Yup)

Rap is the one place where art revolts with no holds barred. Why do you think the MSM attacks rap with generalization, stereo-types, fear and propaganda?

reply to post by PronoEast


That video hardly present any proof, of anything. You seem to forget that some of us do not believe in god so the whole satanic musician thing holds no water with us. Wish I could have my 12 minutes back.

reply to post by PeacefulGuerilla


That's exactly what stood out for me when I heard this one.


reply to post by zroth


Very true, mainstream rap is filled with the girls, gold, money, drugs and other stereotypes.

LOOKING way to hard at things that make money for the people who make what your hearing. Needless to say it fits a niche now like it or not.

reply to post by WOWITSNOW


Just because people make money off something doesn't make it invalid. Lupe Fiasco is an artist, he is expressing his views through his talent. Music is a great way to vent and get out your thoughts, why just do a random interview or post some text on a blog when you can make incredible art while expressing your true thoughts on a subject?

It's all about presentation, how many people would it reach if he just posted his thoughts in a blog? Probably a good bit, but how many people would it really have an impact on? Probably very few. With his music, he combines his talent and his views to make wonderful art, and that has a huge impact on fans. Lupe has always been one of my favorite artists of all time, every single track from him tells a story and has meaning. He is a true artist, unlike 99% of rappers today who all talk the same bullcrap (money, women, cars, etc...). He is a true stand out and I can't wait for his album to release, I can only hope it has more tracks like this included in it.

reply to post by Perplexity


great post, I will agree to disagree with you on many point's of your post but first, i would like to read your comments about this artist and this small film he made.

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Thekid90


I think that Lupe is speaking out louder because of the recent drama with his upcoming album. He initally announced that his next album would be his last album, a 3-part album called LupE.N.D.. However, his plans were delayed until he was forced to give in to his record label (aka TPTB).

He has always spoken about how messed things are and often he has been subtle. However, his recent attempt at reaching the masses through conscious lyrics were hindered, and now this is the musical retaliation. His fans will not let his message be silenced at this point.

Immortal Technique, along with an ever-growing number of "underground artists" are speaking out, with Technique being the most active on a world scene. I suspect that as more and more people get sick of hearing:

Waka Flocka FLAME

And the other repetitious drivel being played, the artists who have retained their voice will become more popular.

reply to post by WOWITSNOW


I like Kanye as well, he is more of a "don't give a F whatchu think" kind of artist in my eyes. He's evolved from a robot to an individual really, he used to be all about rapping about material things, but nowadays he's more into artistic writing which has caught my ears. The video you linked was good, but honestly the message there can be interpreted so many ways it's hard for me to really produce a valid theory on what the video was all about from my perspective. What were your thought's on it? And what do you think Kanye was trying to reach out and say to the viewers? I know you originally requested MY thoughts but honestly, the whole thing was a bit confusing to me to say the least, maybe I'm just not seeing the big picture in that video.

reply to post by Perplexity


Whoa whoa whoa... Kanye was first a materialistic artist?

Did you listen to College Dropout and Late Registration, his first two albums? Anybody who hasn't, I recommend you take a listen.

They were themed around educating and inspiring people in the hood to do better. Not materialistic at all. I would say that he has always been an individual and the only time he was really "robotic" was during some of Graduation and 808 and Heartbreak.

All that to say, mainstream artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Wale have definitely shown us the path but... in their own unique ways. We just have to stop paying attention to the radio and start listening to their ALBUMS which is where the genius comes into play.

And kayne is very well studied. His short film has alot to say about thing's but no one actually breaks down exactly what he means. I agree it is difficult to know exactly what an artist means exactly with out a visual to go along with it. And the short film by kayne helps insure that his words are not misconstrued. There is a message that he is trying to relay in an artistic form which most people can not understand. He has been on a major egyptian kick since 2010 and probably prior because i never really looked into much of what he was saying. Have you ever looked up anything that someone has told you to see if they were saying something or just blowing smoke to make the song sound good?