(Left to right: General Jeff, Gigio, Laura Ferreiro, Jody Armour, Maria Armoudian, Josh Kun)
If it isn’t politics alone that’s mobilizing the masses, it’s music and politics. From Public Enemy’s early days of urging us to “fight the power,” to Kanye West’s candid blurb about Bush not caring about black people, there is no doubt that politics has found its place among musicians.
Or, have musicians found their place in politics?
This was the topic Tuesday at a panel discussion, “Mic Check: Music in Politics,” hosted by the Annenberg Latino Student Association. The impressive lineup, including USC professor Josh Kun with guests General Jeff (who’s not new to P+P) and NME Senior Reporter Laura Ferreiro, discussed the change of political music over time, and how corporate influence, artists’ greed, and consumers have suppressed powerful messages in music.