So, who will be the new Dylan of the current anti-war movement?

[crispini]

Now, bear in mind I wasn't born back then, but watching this Dylan special, it seems to me that he became pretty influential, almost emblematic, of the spirit of his age. Is there a musician out there now who expresses the same feeling around the Iraq war and the current age? Is it even possible for this kind of phenomenon to emerge today?

Sorry if this is a stupid question or it's been discussed a lot lately -- I'm just curious. :)

[tarkus]

1. Kanye West?

Rappers are the only people with any staying power in the pop scene right now, and I don't think Lil' Jon is going to get political anytime soon. Kanye has already fought homophobia in rap and spoke out against Bush, so maybe he will get more political. Or perhaps less political, since he had to apologize for his statement about Bush and Katrina.

[crispini]

3. I thought of him.

I think it's pretty interesting that one of the songs on his new CD is about conflict diamonds -- "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" Remix. Do you really think he can tap into the "gestalt" of feeling, though? I mean, I agree with you about rap having the most staying power and being the most popular in the pop scene. I also wonder, though -- don't you have to be able to SING a protest song? Or is that just me?

I'll watch him, that's for sure. Did he reallly have to apologize? I missed that. I was very, very impressed with that. That's guts!

I wonder if there are any up and comers out there?

[Floogeldy]

2. Nobody

Nope.

[crispini]

4. Wow. Google is your friend!

http://www.salon.com/ent/music/review/wmd/2004/09/01/25/

[graywarrior]

5. There ain't nobody.

Everyone is too scared. Or, no one would pay attention, what with the Holloway girl missing and everything.

[WCGreen]

6. Steve Earle has been pretty outspoken and very

profound in his song writing....

Also, Bright Eyes.....

Green Day....

[crispini]

9. I like Steve Earle but is he popular enough?

Maybe Green Day, hm.... Dylan was really really popular, right?

[WCGreen]

15. Dylan wasn't poplar popular....

His protest songs, folk songs really, isn't what made him popular....

It was the context in which they were sung....

Phil Ochs was probably more influential by the time the anti war movement got going simply because fame didn't get in his way....

He wasn't the media darling that Dylan was....

He quietly went from college to college, entertaining with thought provoking songs and traditional folk music on a very personal level....

Make no mistake about it, Dylan was enormously popluar.....

But

[KG]

11. steve earle is actually a committed activist for several causes.

[RevCheesehead]

7. Don't know about the anti-war movement... however,

I think there is plenty of social commentary to be found in Rap music (and it took watching a movie like "Bulworth" to make the connection).

Well, OK, except for maybe "who let the dogs out?"

[crispini]

8. So point me to some good stuff, Rev!

I'm not a big Rap fan but I can learn to like it especially with progressive-type social commentary. :P

[RevCheesehead]

10. Trust me - you want to find someone far more knowledgable than me.

Like I said, "Bulworth" tells a lot.

[crispini]

13. thanks!

I'll toss it in the queue.

[ghostsofgiants]

14. Try these songs...

Sweatshop Union - "Us", "The Thing About It" and "Close to Home"
Warsawpack - "Wolfblitzer"
Company Flow - "Patriotism"
Sage Francis - "Slow Down Gandhi"
Zack De La Rocha and DJ Shadow - "March of Death"
Mr. Lif - "Home of the Brave"

[crispini]

16. Cool!

Thanks! :thumbsup: things to try, very good! :7

[ghostsofgiants]

12. There are a lot of politically and socially conscious artists out there...

They just don't happen to be in the mainstream, unfortunately.

Sweatshop Union
Bright Eyes
Desaparecidos
Rx Bandits
Rise Against
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Sage Francis
Protest The Hero
Thrice
Closet Monster


And a whole lot more than just that.

[Tsiyu]

17. She or he will be a rapper

Dylan is a prolific writer; only a rapper could match Bobby's word count in a song.

[jane_pippin]

18. You won't ever find another Dylan. There are probably 10 in your town now

but you'll never know it. Nobody will. The fix is in.

(Of course I exaggerate, but you get my point. I'm feeling a little punchy tonight. Sorry.)


Oh, and by the way, this request still stands:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=3983896

[crispini]

20. LOL.

I hear ya. Damn big corporations have way too much control of the broadcast media. :(

[jane_pippin]

21. I do agree that if there is anybody, it will be from rap/hip-hop

but it will have to be independent.(or at least in my fantasy world where I'm right about things it will be).

[crispini]

23. I agree, and I guess I will have to learn to like rap

to see if I can find that person. I'm not a big fan of rap... I guess I'm old fashioned-- I like songs that you can sing along with... rap is much more like spoken word IMO. But I do like Kanye's new CD so I think I will be able to acquire a taste for it. :)

[JVS]

19. The greatest thinker of all time, Chuck D

[crispini]

24. I'll check him out.

Tks! :hi:

[tuvor]

22. It's a different system from the 60s. If there IS a "modern Dylan"...

...I doubt you'll find him in the record stores.

That's my half-assed best guess.

[Dancing_Dave]

25. Maybe Susan Raven

From Wales. Her main stylistic influence is Peter Gabriel, though.

Whoever they are will find their global audience through the internet.

[Scout1071]

26. Kanye!

[RagingInMiami]

27. Eminem?

From his song "Mosh"

"the people up top on the side and the middle
Come together lets all bomb and swamp just a little
Just let it gradually build from the front to the back
All you can see is a sea of people some white and some black
Don't matter what color, all that matters we gathered together
To celebrate for the same cause don't matter the weather
If it rains let it rain, yea the wetter the better
They ain't gonna stop us they can't, we stronger now more than ever
They tell us no we say yea, they tell us stop we say go
Rebel with a rebel yell, raise hell we gonna let em know
Stomp, push, shove, mush, Fuck Bush, until they bring our troops home"