Thoughts on Freedom

Australian Libertarian Society Blog

Libertarian hip-hop

libhop.jpg

Composer and programmer Mike Tyson (not the boxer) is officially sick of that canker on all societies prone to statist solutions: the bureaucrat. To disseminate his irritation, he’s written this clever piece of libertarian satire, complete with cover art. Enjoy.

July 22, 2006 - Posted by skepticlawyer | Pop culture | | 9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Glad you liked it! ;) There’s some more, less-musical comments on the subject here (‘Leadership, bureaucrats, society and biology, parasites, viruses’)

    Comment by Mike Tyson | July 22, 2006

  2. Very clever stuff, Mike (gee we have a lot of Mikes who visit this blog – check out the comments pages, you’ll see what I mean).

    I’m a musical naif, but have done a bit of legal work with respect to artists/copyright/permissions etc. You should seriously consider something like Triple J’s Unearthed when it next heads your way.

    Nice, too, to see that it’s possible to do music that doesn’t satirize ‘the usual suspects’ (Bush, Iraq, Howard etc etc).

    Comment by skepticlawyer | July 22, 2006

  3. Both the Hilltop Hoods album and the Hyjak & Torcha one had the standard lefty track/s, so it’s good to see something Aussie from another perspective.

    Check out my friend’s hip-hop page for more Australian stuff (AFAIK he’s stopped making music now).

    Comment by Sukrit | July 22, 2006

  4. The best political Hip-Hop in my opinion comes from The Herd

    Not sure how exactly you’d describe their politics. They want to ‘burn down the parliament’ but they’re best moment is/was 77%, the definitive word on the the Tampa affair. (77% refers to the people who supported it and are therefore racist, something the herd would “tell em to their faces.” Faces rhymes with racist, see! :-) Very ‘lefty!’

    “Wake up. This country needs a fucking shakeup. Wake up. These cunts need a shakeup”

    And Unearthed is being reborn again, apparently.

    Comment by mikey | July 23, 2006

  5. Lots of examples of libertarian lyrics from popular music. Would be fun to compile a list of examples. Here’s mine from country legend and proto-rock-and-roller Hank Williams

    http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/MIND-YOUR-OWN-BUSINESS-lyrics-Hank-Williams/21ECB643D4A5BF1C48256981000D557F

    If the [D] wife and I are fussin’, brother that’s our right
    ‘Cause me and that sweet woman’s got a license to fight [D7]
    Why don’t you [G7] mind your own business
    (Mind [D] your own business)
    ‘Cause if you mind [A7] your business, then you won’t be mindin’ [D] mine.

    Oh, the woman on our party line’s the nosiest thing
    She picks up her receiver when she knows it’s my ring
    Why don’t you mind your own business
    (Mind your own business)
    Well, if you mind your business, then you won’t be mindin’ mine.

    I got a little gal that wears her hair up high,
    the boys all whistle when she walks by.
    why don’t you mind your own buisness
    (Mind your own business)
    Well, if you mind your own business, you sure won’t be minding mine.

    If I want to honky tonk around ’til two or three
    Now, brother that’s my headache, don’t you worry ’bout me.
    Just mind your own business
    (Mind your own business)
    If you mind your business, then you won’t be mindin’ mine.

    Mindin’ other people’s business seems to be high-toned
    I got all that I can do just to mind my own
    Why don’t you mind your own business
    (Mind your own business)
    If you mind your own business, you’ll stay busy all the time.

    Comment by Jason Soon | July 24, 2006

  6. Country music is often interestingly political (think Toby Keith, for example). Hip-hop has obvious potential, though.

    Comment by skepticlawyer | July 25, 2006

  7. Anybody know about the political leanings of TISM? I’ve got a couple of their albums and they seem to be vaguely leftish, but my perception could be way out.

    Comment by Steve Edwards | July 26, 2006

  8. One of my favourite bands of all time, Steve. I think they’re largely in it to take the piss out of whatever’s closest. A song like All Homeboys are Dickheads is distinctly to the right, while The History of Western Civilisation comes across as old left. Both are genuinely clever bits of satire.

    Comment by skepticlawyer | July 26, 2006

  9. Anarchy, doesnt always fit neatly on the left-right scale.

    Comment by mikey | July 27, 2006


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