Seriously, how rad are these guys? I once played a video of theirs on here that made crusty old Deek tear up.
I’ve had this discussion, more than once, with “progressive” types who are all “Oh I like all music but rap and country” which usually means they’ve got some unchecked class and race privilege they need to deal with, but also shows that (with some exceptions) the only time someone who is either non-white or non-middling middle class can get played on the radio is if they are following the dominant kyriarchial paradigm. Rap that is violent and misogynist, country that is ignorant (and violent and misogynist) is what gets mass promotion because it doesn’t challenge the status quo. (See my recent post about Odd Future, for example)
This does challenge that shit. He’s not rapping about bitches and hoes. He’s not talking about how tough he is or how violent he can be. He’s just telling us about life when you’re poor and non-white and riding the bus with a whole fuck ton of politics thrown in. (And it’s a wee bit dated, it ain’t 6 quarters anymore. It’s 10)
FTR, the 48 is my old bus route. Goes from way down in the brown Columbia City, past the U District to lily white Greenlake. I lived in the brown half of the route.