Mat Ward

All weapons are chemical weapons, says rapper Sole

Whitenoise Sole September 17, 2013 www.soleone.org As US president Barack Obama ramped up his rhetoric about Syria's chemical weapons on September 17, US rapper Sole released his latest album, which reflects on his country's chemical weapons attack on the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Green Left's Mat Ward spoke to the prolific political emcee, who started releasing records in 1994, when he was just 16. ***

Media critic Robert McChesney unravels a web tangled in capitalism

Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism Is Turning the Internet Against Democracy Robert W McChesney Spring 2013 www.thenewpress.com When award-winning author Robert McChesney wrote a much-needed political and economic analysis of the internet, the reaction from his peers was not quite what he expected.

Liberals or Labor is no choice, says Provocalz

Verbal Reality Volume 2 Provocalz Coming October 2013 www.provocalz.bigcartel.com Rapper Provocalz has dedicated a song to Australia's Liberal and Labor parties on his new album - but it won't be music to their ears. On his track "Liberals or Labor", the Indigenous emcee suggests the two big parties are so contemptuous of voters that some, like him, might consider swapping their ballots for bullets: Liberals or Labor, they both leave us to rot So it's criminal behaviour, politicians get shot Pop pop pop pop! It's that real hip-hop, hip-hop

Asian Dub Foundation still sending a strong signal amid all the noise

The Signal And The Noise Asian Dub Foundation Out now in Japan, rest of the world soon www.asiandubfoundation.com Legendary punk-dub-electronica group Asian Dub Foundation are celebrating their 20th year with the release of a typically topical new album, The Signal And The Noise. Green Left's Mat Ward spoke to founding member, guitarist and band leader Steve Chandra Savale, a one-man riff factory who always has his finger on the political pulse. ***

Rapper Birdz throws the book at bigots

Birdz Eye View Birdz Impossible Odds Records July 11, 2013 www.birdz.bandcamp.com Most rappers use their publicity photos to show off their bling, but Nathan Bird uses his to show off something a little more challenging - his books.

Ben Iota takes the rap road less travelled

Born Free Ben Iota Butterthief Records June 20, 2013 www.beniota.com Radical rapper Ben Iota stands out in Australian Hip-Hop like a refugee boat in an empty ocean. Green Left's Mat Ward spoke to him about his new EP "Born Free". ***

Red Eye Balaz cut through the battle-rap crap

Lyrikal Kombat Red Eye Balaz www.facebook.com/RedEyeBalaz Kerser is one of the best-known acts in Australian Hip-Hop. The south-west Sydney emcee has built a huge following by pitching his hardened battle-rap skills against some of the biggest names in the game.

Hip-hop artist marks 60th anniversary of Cuban revolution with new mix tape

On July 26, radical hip-hop producer Agent of Change released a "beat tape" to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the Cuban Revolution. Agent of Change, also known as London-based activist and writer Carlos Martinez, said: "The 18 hip-hop instrumentals - with a couple of feature verses from Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela - celebrate Cuban culture, drawing influence and samples from Cuba’s diverse musical heritage."

Impossible Odds place a strong bet on sovereignty

Bring The Sun Out EP Impossible Odds Classik Nawu Coldwater Band July 2013 www.impossibleoddsrecords.com "Land rights is a load of crap," says Kaylah Truth. They are not the kind of words you'd expect to hear from a radical, politically-savvy Indigenous rapper. But Truth, of militant Murri hip-hop group Impossible Odds, says she has learnt from bitter experience to pursue sovereignty instead. On the band's album, Against All Odds, she raps: I no longer need my fists to fight I just write whenever those emotions do arise

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