“I think that all the silence is worse than all the violence.
Fear is such a weak emotion thats why I despise it.
We scared of almost everything, afraid to even tell the truth.
So scared of what you think of me, I’m scared of even telling you.
Sometimes I’m like the only person I feel safe to tell it to.
I’m locked inside a cell in me, I know that there’s a jail in you.
Consider this your bailing out, so take a breath, inhale a few.
My screams is finally getting free, my thoughts is finally yelling through.”
Lupe Fiasco was a guest on The Colbert Report a few nights ago and he was there to perform Words I Never Said from his new album, Lasers. Lupe has always been known as a so-called “conscious rapper,” speaking toward societal issues and other concerns that go well beyond having shiny jewelry and pretty girls.
Not surprisingly, this single has a very political slant to it. However, the focus of the song isn’t to push one political agenda or another one. In the snippet from the lyrics above, Lupe is much more trying to tell us to speak our minds and not be afraid to say what we need to say. The silence, according to Fiasco, could actually be worse than all the violence.
Yes, he talks about the War on Terror and he has some choice words for the previous administration, but he also speaks up against Barack Obama, as well. He says he didn’t vote for him in 2008 and he’s not going to vote for him in 2012 either.
Whether you agree with his particular political alignment or not, it’s important to take the core message home: have your say in the democratic process and make your voice heard. If you’re not willing to pick up the broom, you’re not doing anything to help clean up the room either.
I have listened to Lupe Fiasco in the past, but this is easily the most politically-charged album that he has released to date. He’s breaking his silence and so should you.
While he is expressing his opinion politically he states that he didn’t vote for our current President and won’t in 2012. Then with his liberal opinions, just who did he vote for? The only other person on the ballot that had a remote chance of winning was a very conservative John McCain.
The others include the Green, American Independent, Peace and Freedom and Libertarian Parties. Those people did not have a chance and would be a wasted vote for principle. With his views he doesn’t seem the type to vote right wing, or for a no name that wasted his vote. So, that begs the question “Did he really vote?”
I don’t see anything in his words that lead me to believe he has voted. He didn’t vote for Bush, right wing. He didn’t vote for Obama, left wing. So, until I see him stand up and support one person then I can’t take him seriously as a political voice.
His point is a good one, speak, try to make change, but you need to support one side or another. While I’m not conservative, nor am I left wing I do respect John Chow for taking a stance and telling everyone who to support and why, then who he was voting for.
I’m not sure who got his vote, but I’m also not convinced that it’s a “wasted vote” if it went to one of the other parties. You’re still making your voice heard and it’s all a part of the democratic process.