As both a member of Boogie Down Productions and a solo artist, KRS-One has established himself as one of the pioneers of socially conscious hip-hop. He released his 23rd album Between Da Protests towards the end of 2020.
“This is revolution music! I was going to wait until sometime in 2021 to begin the releasing of singles, but I think we need this right now!” KRS-One stated in a press release.
“As I see it, it is not just about protesting injustice; it is also about being just. It is also about staying motivated and focused upon what is real and what is right, and not getting distracted by the obvious hype.”
The album is the perfect summation of a time period marked by anti-racism protests. Like his past work, he just doesn’t comment on current events, but he also takes listeners to the classroom and makes historical connections to what is currently happening.
One of the album’s highlight’s “Don’t Fall For It” resonates in light of the 2020 US elections. Lyrics such as “Don’t fall for it, the Reps and the Dems are the same” and “No justice, but in four years they hyping us again” is a reminder that politicians like to pander to the black voter, but once elected nothing fundamentally changes.
For lasting change to take place more needs to be done than just voting. KRS-One clearly points out why the current two-party system needs a complete overhaul.