Columbia City Paper

Greetings!!!  Black History Month is underway and the time keeps rolling.  A big thank you to every person out there reading this CCP, and to those around the world for helping out your fellow human beings.  May God bless you all tremendously.  The Grammys just wrapped and this one was definitely a testament to ‘Power of Woman’.  Much love to Beyonce’ (6) for breaking the Grammy Award winning record (5) previously held by Lauryn Hill for winning the most statues. Lil Wayne has dropped his follow-up to Tha Carter III, Rebirth (you be the judge?).  Being that this is the 1st quarter of music releases, labels are working gearing up for February & March dates, I figured I’d give you a list of the 5 best songs that speak to the ‘revolutionary’ in all of us.  Although I wish you would (Ha!)…don’t take my word as law.  People are still at war, losing their livelihoods, without food & water, lying dead, and the President is still being typecast and blamed for problems he’s not responsible for.  The greatest ‘Song of Protest’ has yet to be written. Let’s get it!!!!

5 Best Songs Of Protest!!!!! (In No Particular Order)

Public Enemy- Fight The Power….I’m a Hip Hop head for life, so you knew this had to make the cut.  Created as song to appear on the seminal film, Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee, this song has become a cultural and generational anthem.  Dubbed by VH1 as the greatest Hip Hop song of all time, I am hard pressed not to disagree.

Bob Marley- Get Up, Stand Up…Appearing on the 1973 album, Burnin’, this song was written by the late Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley and the magnificent Peter Tosh.  Becoming the last song that Bob Marley ever performed live (he died Sept. 23rd, 1980), this song has lasted the test of time in relating to the common man that you should never CHOOSE to remain on your knees.  Get Up, Stand Up!!!!

John Lennon- Imagine… “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can.  No need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man.  Imagine all the people sharing all the world…” Minimalist, yet poignant.  Almost the rivaled the Nefertiti with its beauty!!!

Donny Hathaway- Someday We’ll All Be Free/Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On/Sam Cooke- A Change Gonna Come….Although it is 3 separate songs, the all entail the same message.  Life is a b*tch right now, but the ‘Sun’ always comes out.  Some of the greatest songs ever recorded!!!

James Brown- Say It Loud! (I’m Black and I’m Proud)…James Brown literally and physically was the soundtrack to Civil Rights movement.  Nuff Said!!!

WORDS OF WISDOM

Remain strong as you strive to remain free.  Stay Up!!!!

DJ Kingpin-Villain Of Vinyl        kingpinvillianofvinyl@gmail.com