Don’t Worry If I Write Rhymes, I Write Checks

Win isn’t the only resident of a region with a bizarre, musically inclined politician. It turns out that since this mid-term election cycle is bat shit crazy, who but Jimmy McMillan, a representative of the “Rent Is Too Damn High Party”, would present the most compelling platform and campaign song in New York’s upcoming gubernatorial election.

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Wyclef Jean: Buried on Sunday, Not Going Back to Work on Monday

Update: Apparently it’s tough not being allowed to run for President.  Wyclef Jean was admitted to the hospital “suffering from stress and fatigue based on the grueling eight weeks he’s had.”  Of course, eight weeks is a long time; but not nearly as long as the 260 weeks that comprise a 5-year Presidential term in Haiti or the 520 weeks he would serve if re-elected; or is it comparable to the stress precipitated by the grueling task of rebuilding a country where thousands lack basic shelter.  Rest up Wyclef, you’ll need it for your next self-promoting gimmick.

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Five For Fenty? Stinky Dink’s Down

A common criticism thrown around American politics is that decidedly unsavory things happen “inside the beltway.”  While this unfairly maligns the innocent people who are actually from DC or those parts of Maryland and Virginia encircled by I-495, there is a lot of truth to it.  What a lot of people don’t know is that it’s not just a Federal affliction; DC city politics is much, much more unsavory – Marion Barry, everyone’s looking right at you.  To make a long story short, the current mayoral primary campaign is pretty farcical, which has yielded some real gems.  However, the race is now taking a turn around the dance floor thanks to the new theme song of current incumbent Adrian Fenty (D) called “Five for Fenty” that has associations with buying marijuana and is performed by a rapper called Stinky Dink.  Listen to the song and see the scoop here.

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Rage Against the Machine To Play Show in Support of AZ Boycott

Via DemocracyNow!:

“The rock band Rage Against the Machine has announced plans to hold a benefit concert on Friday in Los Angeles to raise money for organizations challenging the Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law. Band member Tom Morello has helped lead the “SoundStrike” artist boycott of Arizona.

Tom Morello: “We’re here today to support the international boycott of Arizona in the wake of the passage of SB1070. We’re here to use our music to unite people of all colors and economic strata in a single voice of solidarity to say ‘no’ to legalized racial profiling. And we are here to rock this mother to the ground.””

You can see Playtonic’s discussion of this issue in an earlier article from April: Musicians Debate Political Dissent. In addition to political visibility, this concert will be notable as the first Rage show in the U.S. in two years and its first in LA in a decade.

Musicians Debate Methods Of Political Dissent

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Fugazi to Release “Almost Every Show” Online

This is fantastic news!  Fugazi is a one of the more influential bands to come out of the perpetually once-and-future D.C. music scene, which was driven by the mighty Dischord Records during the 1990s.  They play dynamically, had great charisma, and were surrounded by a committed and vibrant scene that emphasized a DIY ethic.  DC being what it is, they were fairly political, but not in a geo-political way.   I have no doubt that this will be a great resource for Fugazi fans, as well as for those learning about them for the first time.

Check out these tasty crumbs.  More videos below the jump.

The above video was filmed in Lafayette Park, Washington, DC, in 1991.  The White House is directly behind the stage.

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Musicians Debate Methods Of Political Dissent

In case you are not up on your country’s news, last week Arizona signed into law the nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration. Its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants by making the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and giving the police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally (read more here). As politicans and citizens weigh in on this issue, a few musicians have also engaged themselves in the debate, as well as formulating the proper means of political dissent.

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What Came First…The Art Or The Money?

Afternoon Playtonics,

Welcome back to the work week aka the daily grind aka the paper chase. Today, a fitting post for a Monday slid across the Legal Affairs Desk and onto the general news stack. Over at TechDirt, I read a thought provoking article titled “What If More Money Makes People Less Inclined To Create?Essentially, the article questions the principle behind copyright laws, “that by making sure there is enough financial remuneration, people will be more interested in creating more great content.” Rather, “What the research shows, instead, is that the great wellspring of creativity is intrinsic motivation–that is, I do my best work for personal rewards (out of love or intellectual fulfillment) and not external motivation (money).” I guess mo’ money doesn’t necessarily lead to mo’ good music.

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Legal Affairs Desk: Quick to Assassinate What They Do Not Understand

The Legal Affairs Desk takes a generally supportive line on nudity in the pursuit of artistic expression, which is why we were distressed to learn that “The Queen of Neo-Soul” Erykah Badu has been charged with disorderly conduct in relation to the recent filming of her new music video “Window Seat.”  The video shows Badu, a Dallas, Texas native, performing a walking striptease until entirely nude in Dealey Plaza, the site of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.

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