The outspoken trio gained national notoriety a few months back upon the release of its first single, “Kill Bill O’Reilly,” which landed it a spot on the “Worst Person in the World” segment of Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Brought together by the East Coast independent hip-hop scene and shared political views, emcees Trademarc and Esoteric and producer DC the Midi Alien comprise the East Coast Avengers.
The outspoken trio gained national notoriety a few months back upon the release of its first single, “Kill Bill O’Reilly,” which landed it a spot on the “Worst Person in the World” segment of Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
The group’s debut album, Prison Planet (Brick Records), is buoyed by the tight rhymes and informed sociopolitical lyrics of Trademarc and Esoteric, but it is built around DC’s outstanding production — symphonic samples, stirring Romantic violin melodies, portentous soundtrack clips, and head-nodding beats.
Online editor Scott Morrow caught up with ECA just before this week’s historic election, asking its three members their thoughts on the current political landscape.
East Coast Avengers: “Kill Bill O’Reilly”
East Coast Avengers: \”Kill Bill O\’Reilly\”
How difficult is it to get a political message out through music these days when entities like Clear Channel and News Corp control so much? Do you need a song title as provocative as “Kill Bill O’Reilly” to get noticed in mainstream press?
Esoteric: Yes, you do. We have all covered political topics in the past; we have all taken shots at Fox News and the religious right. With the exception of our core hip-hop fan base and some tuned-in people on the left, these songs/attacks/educations have been all but ignored.
The word “kill” scares the shit out of those who can’t think critically and causes uproar; the uproar then captures attention. We want to help expose Fox, and in order to reach and cure their zombies, these are the tactics that you have to employ.
We need to raise awareness among the sleepwalkers, those who don’t see past the hearsay and propaganda. It is very tough to reach a massive audience, but “Kill Bill O’Reilly” spread before the Internet outlets that News Corp owns were able to shut it down.
The September 11th tragedy helped Bush’s approval rating so much that many intelligent, questioning people suspect that it was the classic “Problem Reaction Solution” tactic from the US government.
Given the success of the right wing’s war on education (and deregulation of media ownership), do you have hope that a left-leaning administration and legislative branch would change the landscape of an apathetic and uninformed citizenry?
Trademarc: I don’t really buy into the whole right-wing/left-wing battle as much as everyone else. I believe that the second that people separate themselves and categorize themselves, they in turn grow intolerant of any ideas or goals of the other side, no matter how relevant or positive those ideas and goals may be.
I have family members and friends that refuse to listen to me because I don’t fall into either category, so I’m seen as a “waffler” or an anarchist. The whole point of a party system is to divide individuals and strip the public of their power. The government uses this partisanship to divide and conquer.
Now in relation to the question of an informed and apathetic citizenry: why would the government want its people informed? In the words of the great journalist I.F. Stone, “governments lie.” It’s what they do. I just hope that people get fed up in time and instead of growing helpless and apathetic, decide to fight back by informing themselves and take their power back.
I want to hand out a copy of Naomi Wolf’s book Give Me Liberty: A Handbook For American Revolutionaries to everybody that I possibly can, and challenge contemporary artists and citizens alike to start making a move toward raising awareness. For the record, I’m writing in Ron Paul for president on my ballot.
How deep do you think that this country’s obsession with war and silencing dissent runs? Do you feel that our culture of war and covert operations will continue no matter who is in charge?
DC: This country’s obsession with war runs very deep. George W. Bush’s victory in the 2004 election was dependent on war and the fearful reaction of the American people. The “War on Terror” and “Axis of Evil” are just two of the many government-created terms that Americans have since made household phrases.
In fact, the September 11th tragedy helped Bush’s approval rating so much that many intelligent, questioning people suspect that it was the classic “Problem Reaction Solution” tactic from the US government.
For those who don’t know what that is, it’s a three-step method in which the government manufactures a crisis and blames it on someone who they want to demonize, intentionally invoking a reaction of fear from the public that usually consists of asking the government for help and forfeiting their rights.
This sets up the government to offer their “solution,” which was the goal before the initial crisis occurred. Getting the American people to give up their rights so easily with the PATRIOT Act and getting them to support a war based on lies was their goal from day one. Unfortunately, they succeeded, and the joke’s on us.
The “Mission Accomplished” announcement came and went. Four thousand American casualties and 30,000 more wounded later, and we’re still over there, and we’re still being betrayed by this administration.
That’s why whenever I see a “these colors don’t run” or “support our troops” bumper sticker, I just pity that person so much. I even saw one the other day that read “proud infidel” right next to a “Bush/Cheney ’04” sticker. Poor chump. He probably thinks that those guys actually give a shit about him and his family. Maybe one day Bush, [Dick] Cheney, and [Donald] Rumsfield will be tried for war crimes, but until then, the joke’s on us.
(continued from previous question)
DC: As for America’s obsession with silencing dissent, the fact that Rupert Murdoch’s / Fox’s / News Corp’s MySpace discriminated against and censored us by banning our lead single is evidence that the obsession is more present in our everyday lives than a lot of Americans realize.
There are many people in power like Murdoch who clearly only abide by the constitution when it’s convenient for them. There’s a section called the first amendment in there that gives us US citizens free speech.
I use the word discriminate when I describe what happened with our music online because our “Kill Bill O’Reilly” video was yanked off YouTube, and we were sent an e-mail stating that it was inappropriate content, even though there is some really vile stuff on YouTube that seems to pass their moral inspection.
I wouldn’t have a problem if they were consistent, but it seems that they singled us out because we were expressing some dissent towards the self-proclaimed “most powerful name in news” and their fascist, fear-peddling talking demon head O’Reilly. We’ve since re-uploaded the video and it can be seen on our website: www.eastcoastavengers.com. We also have a new video dropping this week for “The Trouble with Motorcades.”
I feel that our culture of war and covert operations will most definitely continue no matter who is in charge, because the people that we are made to believe are in charge are actually just puppets. They’re actors in the biggest reality show known to man.
Anyone who has done any real research on the subject of control on this planet knows that the centralization of power isn’t even in the White House or the Pentagon. The covert methods of mind control and psychological warfare implemented by the powers that control this entire world will continue as long as we continue to register our complaints with these decoys.
A thief is less likely to pick your pocket if you’re looking at him, right?
How important is it for musicians to be politically or socially outspoken? How can this nation’s system of distraction and unyielding consumerism be overcome?
DC: I think it’s absolutely vital for musicians (and any other artist for that matter) who are informed and aware to make their voices heard. It shouldn’t be so much about the voice as it is about the message though.
That’s the problem with narcissistic entertainers like Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh: their egos are so huge that their shows are so focused on them rather than shifting some of that focus on real issues. Those guys screen material before they go on the air, and pick out stories that give them room to stretch out their already inflated egos and spew their patented brand of lies and hatred.
Besides the obvious differences, that’s one of the things that sets ECA apart from those worms: our voice is unadulterated. We feel like it’s our responsibility to inform while we entertain. In my opinion, great art should challenge popular thought. There’s so much ignorance on the airwaves nowadays. Thoughtless music and popular music shouldn’t be as synonymous as they are.
When it comes to rap, the big record companies want the quick and easy money, so they push music that promotes sex and violence. It’s usually the same in film. It’s like the difference between a fast-food cheeseburger and a filet mignon. Most labels probably wouldn’t even know how to, let alone be up to the challenge of breaking a group that actually has some substance like ECA.
The question of how this nation’s system of distraction and consumerism can be overcome is a loaded one. There are a lot of basic things that need to change. The people are going to have to do some waking up.
We are born into a system that distracts us through the media while it programs us to consume to support the economy. Everything is a commercial nowadays. We’ve been cheated by our government and bought off with technological conveniences.
Just seeing these things, and being aware that they are happening everyday, could lead the people to the right conclusion. A thief is less likely to pick your pocket if you’re looking at him, right?
– Scott Morrow
East Coast Avengers: www.eastcoastavengers.com
Brick Records: www.brickrecords.com