Music is a vessel for entertainment, yet also sub/consciously educates us and influences the way we perceive society and our view of the world.
Personally, I am very interested in how music makes me feel and the deeper meaning behind the songs I listen to. Now I know not all songs have a deeper meaning to them, for many it might just be the beat that catches your attention. But being a deep thinker, I think about how much music speaks on the human experience, be it social or political and the unknown history that influences many artists through their music. Knowing and understanding these roots of conscious music makes me appreciate the songs more, and they perform a profound function in our music experience in shaping our minds and linking history to the present and future.
Here are a few songs that fit in my category of ‘edutainment’ (educational entertainment) coined by golden age hip hop rapper KRS-One. A mix of songs with messages I have learnt from.
Sound of da police – KRS-One
Woop-woop! That's the sound of da police
Woop-woop! That's the sound of da beast
Your laws are minimal
‘Cause you won't even think about lookin' at the real criminal
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZrAYxWPN6c&w=560&h=315]
Black bodies- Spek Won
Fear is what they try to instill eh fam
But the mandem are out here still eh fam
Stay woke eh fam
Love is the cure yes love is the remedy (Love is the remedy)
But what is love when it’s a suit worn by your enemy
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/199605790″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Holy holy – Vic Mensa
Hide my pain, but I hide it well, die for thinkin' like Galileo
Sentimental recollection, revelation, resurrection, God, question
What would people think about if I died?
I wonder sometimes if this music I
Make would keep me alive
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/113272741″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Talk – Falz
Small man thief for market
You set fire for em body
Big man thief money we dey hail am like dummy
We dey suffer, we dey smile
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/556227684″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Water – Kojey Radical
Something's in the water
Tell me what the mission is
Just another citizen that sacrifice my discipline
Still don’t know my origin
Still don’t know who’s listening
Still can’t tell the difference between strength and my conditioning
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_lY8z2l_8E&w=560&h=315]
Bag Lady – Erykah Badu
Bag lady you gone hurt your back
Dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you
All you must hold onto
Is you, is you, is you
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/283077813″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]