Author
Ytzhak
"...I’m not necessarily a revolutionary. I’m a rebel. I have no ambitions beyond just trying to be useful. Listen, fuck rap. It doesn’t even matter. Fuck rap, pop, all of that shit. People who want to take all their information about culture from television, well you’re getting gypped from the door right there… people have to start scrutinizing information for themselves..."-- mos def
Taking back his position as Brooklyn's own controversial and conscious emcee, Mos Def addresses the hurricane disaster, racism, the president and Bono on "Katrina Clap." On the song, which uses the original beat from Juvenile's "Nolia Clap," Mos cries out to God to "save the streets" and each person to donate at least "$1" for relief efforts. Juvenile is from New Orleans and has lost much in this national tragedy.
He reserves most of his heat for President Bush who he says "shouldn't be the boss anymore" and echos Kanye's sentiments about the President's disdain for blacks saying "He got a policy for handling the n#@$s as trash."
The Katrina Klap
Tue, 11 Oct 2005 22:08:35 -0700
_NEWS IMAGE_
The truthteller
By Jeremy K
Mos Def speaks out about his politically-charged new track
Brooklyn native Mos Def is unlike much of the glitterati that has descended on the city during this week’s Toronto International Film Festival – even more so since he just put down Toronto roots.
Message boards have been buzzing and the rumours are true. Def got married at City Hall on Aug. 17th to a local woman named Alana, an actress/model who appeared in Snoop Dogg’s “Drop it Like it’s Hot” video. The couple have bought a house here. While obviously enjoying his newlywed status, the fallout from Hurricane Katrina has hit the rapper hard. His (locally recorded) song recently realeased to the Internet and mixtapes, “Dollar Day for New Orleans…Katrina Klap (streaming online here)” encourages fans to donate at least $1 to relief efforts.
Last Thursday, Mos Def hosted and performed at a hastily organized benefit at the Crystal Room on Queen St. Over $4,000 was raised for the Red Cross. No sooner had we sat down on the patio to talk with the new Toronto resident than a fan walking by on the street recognized the rapper and hugged him.
Jeremy K: As you can see, we’re glad to have you here.
Mos Def: I love for y’all to have me. And thank God for y’all city. Harriet Tubman knew what she was doing.
Jeremy K: So why did you want to make “Dollar Day”?
A: Why not, really? I’m just a human being and I see human beings suffering, and a lot of them human beings happened to look a lot like me. Pain in life is inevitable, but that kind of suffering is extra.
Jeremy K: Tell me about the song. Why’d you use the Nolia Clap (a beat originally
used by Crescent City rapper Juvenile)?
Mos Def: Because it’s New Orleans. It’s something that people from the communities could recognize. My real aim with “Dollar Day” is, God willing, to raise $250 million independently, to help adjust the means of the poorest and the weakest, in not just New Orleans but all throughout the Delta region.
Jeremy K: I’m sure you saw Kanye West. What did you think about his comments?
Mos Def: I agree. The funniest thing about the response to what Kanye said is this: Black people have been saying that about, not just Bush, but many of the administrations in America. Their lack of concern for black people, poor people, is true. You know, action kills argument.
Jeremy K: Where should people send their money?
Mos Def: There are a lot of charities out there using this incident as an opportunity to fatten their pockets. People have to really think about how they can help. And I’m challenging myself on what it is I can do. I’m not necessarily a revolutionary. I’m a rebel. I have no ambitions beyond just trying to be useful. To be perfectly honest with you, the entire notion of celebrity, the attendants, is slightly uncomfortable…as an artist, I need to be in a space where I can observe life as opposed to having everyone observe me.
Jeremy K: I wanted to know what you think of other rappers?
Mos Def: Listen, fuck rap. It doesn’t even matter. Fuck rap, pop, all of that shit. People who want to take all their information about culture from television, well you’re getting gypped from the door right there… people have to start scrutinizing information for themselves as opposed to leaving responsibility to people who are just trying to get more ad dollars. God save the streets.
Listen to the song here.
http://www.presstheissue.org/home/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=4&l…
or
http://www.presstheissue.org/index2.html
and
Watch a video of the song here.
http://serv03.bp6.net/~presstheissue.org/videodl/MosDef-DollarDay(Katri…
Credits: Director/Editor: Christian Skjodt
Producer: Jeremy K – Presstheissue.org
E-mail