New Talib Kweli – Papers Please (Arizona Immigration Law Issue)

Talib Kweli, currently out on tour with Hi Tek as the duo Reflection Eternal, is one of a breed of MC who has historically waxed poetically regarding moral and social issues, and this continues with the release of “Papers Please“, a rap-commentary on the state of affairs in regard to the Arizona immigration laws which have set off something of a firestorm in American politics.

While we don’t claim to be CNN or the NY Times, both of those locations will provide you plenty of reading material that will fill you in on the facts, not just what you might be hearing from friends, talk shows or even rappers, however, as Kweli is an artist who we all have respected and followed for some time, so of course we are interested in his perspective, and happily pass it along to you.

One thing we do like, regardless of whether or not we agree with the hip hopper (in this case, we do), is when rap music proves yet again that it’s not only about what the negative press insist it is all about. That positive rap, or intellectual rap, progressive rap or political rap, do exist, if you only take the time to look. Our hip hop artists are not always about partying and drinking and women and violence, but can also be about expression and activism. While “Papers Please” is not quite a revolutionary-toned example, it is a fine example nonetheless.

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Download/Listen: Talib Kweli – Papers Please

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