Question...

[rob_one]

Which SA hip-hop tracks have their been lately that deal with politics or specific social issues?

[Lord Deacon Of Frost]

Nope just swag swag swag skinny jean swag swag woop

[K'niep Tang]

Which SA hip-hop tracks have their been lately that deal with politics or specific social issues?

Lately as in released in 2011? Can't think of any from the top of my head.

Which SA artists have dropped this year?

[fahfee]

pretty dry except

The Federation - Mr Politician,

and from Tumi's mixtape:

14. How Low by Jose Gonzalez ft. Chen Lo and Zubz
3. Sun King by The Beatles ft. Molemi

Molemi killed it!

[K'niep Tang]

Ah yes, the entire POWA Mixtape is centered on women abuse. And it's a 2011 release.

Mr Politician is old. Like 08/09.

[MrC The Rap God Almighty]

The News - Black Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkP0i_Bk97U

[K'niep Tang]

pretty dry except

The Federation - Mr Politician,

and from Tumi's mixtape:

14. How Low by Jose Gonzalez ft. Chen Lo and Zubz
3. Sun King by The Beatles ft. Molemi

Molemi killed it!

Co-sign. Had to keep rewinding the mixtape just to hear Molemi's verse. One of my favourites on the tape.

[K'niep Tang]

Shit, Rob, if I knew where this info was going...

The Peasant, an album by Wax Lyrikal from PTA is all political. Only like 1 out of the 13 tracks  is not politically. It's all relevant too. It was released in 09 as a free media fire download (www.mediafire.com/?n28xv99r1a645no). And it's super dope.

Then there's Reason's 'Selfish Politics', a remix of Slum Village's track which is titled the same. It's a track which attacks the current political land scape and the lack of service delivery. It was released on Reason's WenzTheAlbumCominOut mixtape (http://capital-magazine.blogspot.com/2011/05/selfish-politics.html).

R-Senic and I did a song called The Building on Trompie's Siamese Midnight Remixtape (http://www.africasgateway.com/forums/index.php/topic,26007.0.html), there was political and social commentary on that.

There's probably a lot more, but none in the mainstream. And the rest of the peeps here on AG can probably list a myriad of songs they're aware of which tackle social issues. And I don't need to tell you why the songs mentioned above aren't/weren't being spun on radio.

The last songs which got some sort of mainstream attention that I can remember right now got banned: Skwatta Kamp (Mr. President) , and Zubz (Get Out).

Just saw your article and it reminded me of this. I completely agree with your article though - not enough social commentary is made in SA hip hop lyrics.

[K'niep Tang]

Further to my response above, although not directly related, I just came across this thread from last year titled "is the conscious rapper dead?

http://www.africasgateway.com/forums/index.php/topic,29753.0.html

[rob_one]

Didn't realise the damn thing was up already!

Thanks for the help y'all.