YouTube Tour: Political Rap

This article is part of the YouTube Tour series.

Music has long been an avenue for inciting social change. The folk movement of the 1960s brought a host of important political issues into Middle America's homes and radios. 21st century music is no different, but the technology has changed. No longer do people have to "make it big" in order for their voices to be heard. Now, anyone with a microphone, Windows Movie Maker, and a YouTube account can take their message to the people! I called Satellite High to help me check out the political-rap scene with the 2012 elections only six months away.

Satellite High: I found quite a few so we're gonna need to be selective. Especially Ron Paul videos. I found like sixteen Ron Paul videos.

Daryl "Fucking" Hall: Ron Paul supporters gotta get the message out to the youth, y'know?

"Ron Paul Rap Song"

SH: Now, I know it can be tricky to understand all of these lyrics when they come by SO FAST but here's the main idea: "Ron Paul"

SH: There is also an entire verse about how the Civil War ruled and ending it was a trick to take away your independence.

DFH: That screencap of the Japanese sub of Animal Farm really puts that message forward.

SH: Yes, well, in case you didn't get it... the politicians... are the pigs

DFH: Heavy.

SH: wow, the interview clip at the end is actually longer than the song is

SH: know your demographic

SH: "i don't normally listen to rap but i DO listen to white guys yelling at each other on the news"

Powdered Zombies, "Mr. America!!"

DFH: I think the best way to show that you really appreciate rap is to make your persona a dude who owned black people.

SH: definitely! and then have a guy sing like scott stapp for some reason

DFH: Might actually be Scott Stapp.

SH: OH SHIT

SH: DID YOU SEE HIM KICK THE FENCE

SH: HE FULLY KICKED THAT CHAIN LINK FENCE

SH: "This fence is anti-American sentiments and I'm about to KICK IT"

SH: wow "KICK IT" what a missed opportunity

SH: holy shit

DFH: Oh WOW

SH: somehow i thought the notorious n-bomb would be a little more subtle or clever

DFH: See, we know this is OK because the black guy in the video approves.

DFH: I can say THE black guy because he is the only non-white person in the entire video.

SH: yeah, when they did this live at CPAC he was front-and-center as well

SH: this is basically what your grandfather thinks rap should be

SH: when people say they wish "rap was about more than bitches and bling," they should really consider the alternative

"Hoot for Newt"

SH: now before we begin

SH: you should be aware the the creators of this video have expressed that they are not 'real rappers.' They just wanted to 'try it out'

DFH: Wait what? You're telling me these guys are amateurs?

SH: not actual dangerous black men

SH: i like how the hook is fairly energetic and then the dude comes in rapping like he's reading a book report

SH: also one of them sounds like one of those phoned-in-from-prison freestyles

SH: phoned-in-from-home-school

DFH: See this is essentially what my grandfather thinks actual rap IS: idiots speaking poorly over shitty synths

SH: one of these guys has a convincing rap voice and the other has a convincing 'no mom i don't wanna take out the garbage' voice

DFH: the most puzzling thing about this for me is that anyone is so passionate about Newt Gingrich. I sort of assumed people voted for Newt Gingrich because they liked the idea of a large baby being president.