On a stage at the Hamilton in D.C. Wasulu Muhammad Jaco, better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, performed more than 30 minutes on a single song at the inaugural music celebration set up by the concert Startup Rockon. After announcing he didn't vote for Obama, he began criticizing the President's foreign policy for the entirety of his set. That is, until security pulled him off stage.
Some lines included "Gaza Strip was getting bombed // Obama didn't say shit."
Though, his last words until being escorted off the stage, "I'm part of the problem, my problem is I'm peaceful."
The moment he criticized himself for being peaceful dissent got him kicked off stage. He gave a message to his fans and audience to act unlawfully in order to create change. His free speech wasn't violated, the moment he hinted at violent civil disobedience he was taken off (Brandenburg v. Ohio). The 30 plus minutes before that the guards let him rant.
On CBS in 2011, Lupe Fiasco reported calling Obama "the biggest terrorist," along with the military-industrial complex, and our nation's foreign policy. He also arrived on the O'Reilly Factor, and this is a bit surprising, O'reilly defends Obama (yes, you read that correctly) and Chicago-born, African American Lupe criticized Obama.
Whether or not you agree with Mr. Fiasco, I'm glad he wasn't taken off stage during his first 30 minutes until he said his problem is being peaceful.
For the most part I liked your review. It looks well researched. It reads well. It's also clever ("yes, you read that correctly").
ReplyDeleteMy only bone to pick would be that your "but..." is the final sentence and you don't really hint at it at all throughout your article.
Speaking of inauguration, can we talk Beyonce? —are people appalled, surprised, un-phased by her lip-syncing? My favorite thought on the subject was an online comment by someone called "Shesamazing: "Beyonce nervous about performing? That'd be like ME being nervous about changing a diaper in front of the President." That's something I want to unpack.
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