I've always been skeptical of the claim that politics and music don't mix. This belief was even expressed by Thom Yorke (lead singer of the band Radiohead) in an interview he did with author Howard Zinn. But if he truly believed this, why would he choose "Hail to the Thief" as the title of his band's latest album? One can't definitively prove this view to be false, but one needs only to look into social movements of the past to realize that there's a purpose and need for political music. An obvious example is rock and folk music of the sixties. Sure, some of it has become dated, but some by artists such as John Lennon and Bob Dylan remain classics. The cultural wasteland described by Lennon in "Working Class Hero" resembles America even more so today, and if one didn't know better it'd be easy to think Dylan's "Masters of War" was written specifically about Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. Reggae music (Bob Marley in particular) and punk rock continue to inspire and energize rebels and expand the consciousness of many others as well. However, arguably the most popular and influential political music today comes from hip hop culture. According to a poll taken in 2003, a majority agreed that American youth can find more truth in Eminem's lyrics than Bush's speeches. (The percentage would no doubt be higher were the poll to be taken today.) The very format of hip hop music makes it an ideal medium to convey a message. Lyrics are usually easier to understand since they're stated rather than sung. Words from many sources can also be added in the form of samples. To reinforce and increase the impact of a message, just about any emotion can be evoked by the soundscape created by the djs, producers and/or musicians. Chuck D of Public Enemy once said "Rap is the CNN for young people all over the world." The more media savvy would take this as an insult since far too often CNN consists of nothing more than PR fluff pieces and outright disinformation. Though some forms of commercialized rap have similarly meaningless and self-defeating messages, what he meant was rap has the potential to be what CNN could and should be: a means to disseminate truth to the world. Since 9/11, corporate news outlets have become even more biased and timid. This may be why younger people are tuning them out and seeking alternatives. Because of corporate monopolization of TV and radio stations commercialized rap is bigger than ever, but there's also an anti-establishment facet of hip hop that was always there but has developed and grown even more rapidly after 9/11. I present as notable examples these hip hop tracks, each containing more honesty and truth in their assessment of post 9/11 America than all corporate news networks combined. The list is by no means complete, but merely a sampling of the type of sublime political music that hopefully might lead to a larger artistic and cultural shift. Fine Arts Militia A Twisted Sense of God From the album "We Are Gathered Here". An inquiring and perceptive spoken word piece written by Chuck D shortly after 9/11. Sage Francis Makeshift Patriot From the album "The Known Unsoldier: Sick of Waging War". A harrowing first person account of the destruction of the WTC and the immediate social aftermath. Non-Prophets Hey Bobby From the Hard Knock Records compilation "What About Us?". A worthy sequal to "Masters of War" done with appropriate intelligence, wit and outrage. Mr. Lif Home of the Brave From the "Emergency Rations" EP. In an admirable show of courage, Lif debuted this song at a club just a few blocks from ground zero during the height of mindless American patriotism, early 2002. Atmosphere Tears For the Sheep From the "Lucy Ford" EP collection. A more abstract depiction of 9/11, effectively evoking the visceral experience from an artist's perspective. Saul Williams The Pledge of Resistance From the "Not in My Name" EP. An idealistic but rational and justified anti-fascist rant with remixes by Coldcut and DJ Spooky. Variable Unit Transcending Terror From the album "Handbook For the Apocalypse". Important food for thought from Howard Zinn with an excellent jazz-style backdrop. Immortal Technique The Fourth Branch From the album "Revolutionary Vol. 2". Being from South America he knows a thing or two about the corporate-imperialist system (and disinfo propagating accomplices) he castigates with his lyrics. Paris What Would You Do? From the album "Sonic Jihad". A song that pulls no punches saying the ugly truths a minority of us already know or suspect and, more importantly, urges direct action.