Killing in the name (fuck you I won’t do what you tell me) isn’t some generic rebellion song, it’s about police brutality and systemic racism within our police, military, Justice systems, etc. People who shout those lyrics because they don’t want to wear a mask during a pandemic or a seatbelt, have sorely misunderstood the assignment.
Exactly. It's like ultra conservative Paul Ryan saying RATM was his favorite band and Tom Morello firmly telling him that he's facilitating the machine they're raging about & that he's not needed in the RATM circle. And conservatives not realizing that Green Day always hated them, lol. They really, really don't listen to the lyrics or understand the context & get pissed when they think 'their' band has turned on them.
@@jenniferfoster1692 It's almost always transactional with conservatives, as well as us vs them, to their black and white thinking, most things to them are a dichotomy. Very little nuance or subtlety. Like the thoughts of a 4 year old.
Crazy how wearing a mask is akin to being a slave to anti vaxxers.... while they go work 60+ hours for a guy about to go on his 6th vacation of the year.
I don’t get how people miss it. Like, 80% of the song is “some of those who work forces are the same that burn crosses”, AKA “some cops are Klan members”. They make it about as clear as they can.
Does Rage like America? I'm not sure that's the right question because it undermines critique. I don't think any revolutionary hates the place they seek to improve. They hate the systems that benefit the few.
That’s what I was thinking just now. I don’t think they hate the land but they definitely don’t love most the people running the machinery/systems in place.
The politics of the problem everyone resolving their issues civilly amongst themselves is the only answer because the government is not looking for an answer to people fighting amongst themselves
Zdlr "Zechariah "has Mexican heritage as far as I know and that's where the song down rodeo came from and bulls on parade was from the same circumstances and I'm a white boy that grew up in the late 80s early 90s listening to rage against the machine and I still bump that shit every day because it just says how corrupt our government can be maybe not necessarily now against people of color but just how fucked up they are
I think it’s fair to say they see and hate how any nation’s lies it tells itself ends up leaving a whole Underclass without power, opportunities and all the money
Protesting injustice is the most Patriotic thing you can do. Wearing a flag shirt doesn't make you Patriots. They are speaking for alot of people. To want change for your country to make it more equitable again is PATRIOTIC
Exactly. People think the flag and the symbols makes them a "patriot". America isn't a flag, America isn't the government or the military, America is the people.
What do you think is the 'machine' they were raging against? A lot of their songs are critical of the US for is genocide against the natives, and treatment of other minorities
Rodeo Drive is one of the most expensive streets in the world. The song was written in the 90s after the LA riots were sparked by the beating of Rodney King. 'We hungry but them belly full' is a from a song by Bob Marley and The Wailers. Fred Hampton was a Black Panther leader who was building alliances with poor Hispanics and Appalachians when he was shot dead in an FBI raid. Using the 5th amendment to protect oneself from incrimination is here held to give folks more power than the 1st which is supposed to guarantee ones equality. 'Just a quiet peaceful dance' refers to the Ghost Dance done by Indians to mourn their lost ones which was hoped to bring an end to expansion into their lands and establish peace forever. It was also seen as a war dance calling on the Indian's dead to strengthen the living to achieve the same result. Unfortunately it resulted in the Wounded Knee Massacre of the Lakota Sioux, hence liberation and peace for the Lakota were 'the things we'll never have' at the end of the song. I think RATM love America otherwise they wouldn't have bothered to try to make it a better place by getting people to think about it's history and issues. I just think they want better lives for all it's citizens.
Just because you point out the flaws in America doesn’t mean you hate America. Wanting to improve your home doesn’t mean you hate your neighborhood. Personally those who want to fix our flaws are the most patriotic in my opinion. For the last 40 years the wealthy have sucked up all the prosperity from all our hardwork.
As a brown person who lives in west LA, you got it wrong. Yes there are tons of brown people in California, but this song specifically calls out Rodeo Dr, a single street within Beverly Hills where there are high-end boutiques surrounded by ultra high-end 9 and 10-figure real-estate, and NO, there are not a lot of brown people there besides those working in in the shops and restaurants. In the rest of Los Angeles, you might see Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but by Rodeo is where you will see Bugatti Veyrons. It's a different league, and the disparity between the old money Beverly Hills homeowners and the surrounding communities (even west LA) is like comparing chocolate and shit. The net worth of 6-figure-earning "ballers" from other parts of California are an IRS rounding error to this (predominantly white) group, and that's one thing the song is highlighting.
Yeaaaaaaaaaah. That's a big dose of irony. Using Rage as a jump off point to put the people Rage fought for right in the firing line during covid. I thought dude was actually aware of the subtext of the music. He's the epitome of anti-thought though 🤕 Folks who think they know more than thousands of Doctors and scientists are cringe AF
'I don't see color" is a cop-out. The point is that color doesn't matter. SEE COLOR. SEE DIFFERENCES. Be a good human where color & difference doesn't matter. That's the real marker of humanity.
I always feel like there's good intention behind people saying, "I don't see color" because what they're trying to say is "I don't judge based on color," but it comes off (to some people) as "I don't recognize the differences between cultures." Ultimately, when people get mad about it, it feels like a bit of a straw man argument because how they're hearing it is not what's being said and isn't even related to it. Then we end up fighting people who are trying to be allies (but maybe haven't figured out the right words to say to get that across) over semantics instead of fighting the actual enemies of equality. It's a distraction I wish people would get past and recognize that at least those people are trying. I agree with what you said though. See color, see differences - and RESPECT differences and culture - but also see us all as humans and don't treat one group better or worse than another just because their color and/or culture are different than your own. Just be a good human. Personally, I don't think it's that hard to do but I recognize that there are folks - particularly elderly folk, like my mom - who are well intentioned and trying to shift gears from the world they grew up in but don't quite know what "the right thing to say" is to communicate that. Like, my mom is the sweetest person in the world and has never met a person she didn't like and treat with the utmost of respect and instant friendship, but when she's tried to talk about race, she's said things like "I don't see color." And when she said it, it wasn't a cop-out. It was her way of saying, "I don't judge people for being different from me." And then she gets confused when people attack her over it.
I myself say that I don't see colours. And what I mean by that is that I don't care about your skin pigmentation, to me it makes no sense to judge who you are based on that sole fact (and I always been very dubitative about USA obsession with skin colour and "race"). And I'm not talking about culture and heritage here, just skin pigmentation. What people do and say is what should define them as a person, and only this (which includes your culture, your character, your values, etc). Of course, skin colour still do exists, and I have no issue with people partly of completely define themselves based on this, but I consider it as "physical traits" like height, nose size, etc. Not person defining. Therefore, I don't see colours as I don't deny them either. I'm from Europe btw, which could explains the different point of view on this.
@@johnplaysgames3120 Maybe it's a generational thing. For me (born '83), when someone says "I don't see color", it means exactly the thing you said: "I don't judge based on skin color". Nothing else. And if you talk to people with that attitude, you usually quickly learn that they are exactly the people who very much are interested in different cultures. In my personal experience, if you start looking at different cultures, you quickly see infinitely more things you have in common. The same bunch of semi-intelligent Haplorhini everywhere, so to speak.
If RATM didn't love America, they wouldn't have pushed for change. You can hate aspects of a country (or anything) that you love. People are complex, often contradictory beings. Their lyrics are aggressive, but I don't see hate towards the country as a whole. Listen to Tom Morello speak sometime. That man is genuinely for the people. He loves people, and wants to see them be treated fairly. I have no reason to doubt that the rest of the band feels similarly. The band are activists. If you truly hate something, you don't seek to improve it. You just walk away.
Improving the government amounts to one group trying to enforce their beliefs on others. After all, anything the government gives to someone is taken from someone else
there are people in America who believe themselves to be RAtM fans, but vote republican, completely unaware of the irony and ignorance... worse, there's actually people who vote republican, listen to Rage, and think they are fighting the system by voting the way they do. 100% clueless.
Ummmm Rodeo drive is white as can be. Great reaction. First saw Rage as an opening act for Suicidal Tendencies in ‘93 and have been on their shit for years. Just wanted to clarify that a lot of Rage’s focus is raging against the socioeconomic machines that have kept people down throughout history while empowering the ruling classes. While 2020 certainly had these elements I don’t think it’s a perfect correlation - raging against a virus is not a game a lot of people win that don’t have access to the health infrastructure that many of us take for granted. Just some food for thought.
@@jenniferfoster1692 it's stupid, but I get it, because historically there are examples of the American government doing a lot of fucked up shit to black people when it comes to vaccines, it's like when Royce Da 5 9 said vaccines cause autism, it pisses me off to no end, but I get the paranoia and distrust
Here's a cycle for ya: 1992: rage drops there first album, supporting far left politics (unabashedly) and calling out police brutality in direct response to Rodney King and the battle of LA. 2001: in response to 9/11, Rage (who was already labeled pro terrorist by nightly news) Is the only group who has their entire discography banned from the radio for fear of "inciting violence" 2021: 2 "protests" occured that year.....one was BLM. A direct response to the death of George Floyd, that recieved a police response similar to the "riots" of LA. The other "protest" was a bunch of drunken rednecks with confederate flags rushing the U.S capital, that recieved a police response similar to an uderage party with alcohol. Nothing changed, except the "bread and circus" got more advanced. Please research "bread and circus" then do "no shelter" and "guerrilla radio" ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻✊️❤️
At first I was a little worried where you were going with the timeline, but you did great and are correct. People often correlate BLM protests with J6, and they couldn’t have been more different.
@@Belly_Beane thanks! I just found this rabbit hole of RatM reactions, and I'm all riled up again like i was in the 90s. Check out Tom Morrello's acceptance speech at the rock and roll hall of fame.
@@richardlandrum1966one of the best and most depressing quotes I've ever seen about RATM is, "The most impressive thing is that their lyrics are just as relevant after 30 years, also the saddest thing is that their lyrics are still relevant after 30 years"
“The structure is set. Ya neva change it with a ballot pull” Everybody is wearing their blue ties or red ties, and yet, the cycle churns and churns, not in either side’s favor. Yet we little people still barking at each other.
One does not protest problems from a place of hate.... patriotism is not unquestioned loyalty...we critique that which we care about and have higher hopes for
Rage is all about class consciousness, great stuff. They see beyond the liberal idea that this system is great and can be fixed. Their politics are way left of establishment politics.
Yes! It isn’t the generic “government bad” take we often see. It’s about power, whose interests are being served by the system, who’s leveraging their wealth/power to influence the system to benefit them. With class consciousness we are aware that those interests are in direct conflict with the Interests of The People… the working class, the consumers and producers who create all the wealth in first place.
That's not the liberal idea. If they think it needs to be be fixed, they don't believe it's "great". You contradicted yourself. And I'd rather think that way instead of the conservative "The system is only good if it works specifically for people who look like me and everyone else can fuck off" mentality.
@Jeremy252 liberals are establishment, but many see the contradictions of late-stage capitalism. Their solutions involve reforms but it's the entire system that systemically designed to promote exploitation
Kinda missed the whole point to the coding of the lyrics, especially taking into consideration the era the song itself came out in. I feel you straight up didnt understand the meaning behind some of the lyrics and implore you to look up the explanations behind them. This song is literally a literary masterpiece steeped heavily in historical context.
I'm german, so english is not my own language. So it was hard to really understand their lyrics for me back in the 90s. But the teenage-me already understood their inspiring rage and will to revolve our working political and social systems for a better, more justice and more loveable world. Loved them, still love them and i fear the time, Bands like this do not exist anymore.
@@adamlubieniecki boy talk about being mean & ugly, you've set the bar high. I understand why you'd feel like that but you do yourself more harm with your hatreds. Be good & love yourself to make the world better for all. NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN are strong words but HATRED is never the answer, it will consume your heart & soul. I pray that peace, joy, inner happiness will be your constant companion through your life. Much love to a fellow human being, 🛐 ✝️ 💜
“Does Rage hate America?” There is a concept that can be phrased “Un-ask the question.” There is no answer to such a question that doesn’t take you away from the whole point of their music, so asking it is ultimately unhelpful. RATM critiques what they see, and their critiques are valid… especially when they’re uncomfortable. No one ever grew from a place of comfort. Also, remember this about anger. Anger is a reaction to a recognition that something is wrong. Anger is not wrong, it is informative about your environment, that it needs to be changed for the better. If people with their eyes open are constantly angry, then their environment is f***ed up. Don’t tell them not to be angry, because the emotional reaction literally cannot be helped. In addition, by telling them not to be angry with injustice, you tell them to be complicit instead. No person of honour could accept that. In addition, if you care about your environment’s health, your anger can be a boost towards creating the meaningful change that’s needed. Peace.
@@JohnKerans you mean from Remdesivir? And how many of those could have survived with early treatment? Instead of their doctors telling them to do nothing until you need a ventilator
Theres no escape from the mass mind rape. Believing all the lies that they're tellin you, buying all the products that they're selling you. They say jump and you say how high. Your brain dead you've got a fucking bullet in you're head. At the start of the pandemic fucci said masks were inefective until they had enough supply to push them on the world then he said the opposite. The virus dropplets were smaller than the wholes in the masks that they sold to our governments. Just victims of the in house drive by😷😷🤣🤣
Rage was literally foundational to the way I see the world. Even today. They’re legends and we need more like them, and Run the Jewels. Which I’m still hoping you get to. “Fuck the G-ride I want the machines that are making them” is one of the best bars ever. I wish more people understood the weight of it.
I have loved RATM from the start but I'm also a nurse so after doing research and listening to all the FDA hearings prior to approval I have gotten all my vaccines and boosters. I got COVID once and was not hospitalized. Young dudes like you can take the risks but don't forget those that can't. I believe in choice. You made a good on for you and I did for me. There's good and bad on all sides. Risk vs benefit. You can be a sheep refusing something good for you, too. Love your reactions ❤
I always interpretted the shotgun line as weaponizing skin tone. Some people see "different" as "dangerous". Half the things they talk about in every one of their songs could be commentaries on events _today_ let alone in the 90s.
"F you I won't do what you tell me!" is a sentence loaded with irony. It contradicts itself. You Tube told you to say "F" rather than "Fuck" and you said OK master.
Bulls on Parade is not about bulls it’s a political turn of phrase that means ‘police out in force’ .. context is key and while a lot of lyrics can be interpreted with many different perspectives some lines just are what they are 🤘💯 great reactions!
RATM is a protest movement first and music band second. This song is about the wealth divide and the corruption of the system in all its forms that reinforce this divide. Pure class as always by RATM.
This song is from the 90s, so it makes sense. He’s speaking out against institutionalized racism, profiling and police brutality… all which still exist. Yes, we’ve come a long way, but you can’t deny facts.
There is beauty & strength of the ideal of freedom, equality, & democracy. Democracy is a government of this land (2 oldest democracies are native governments.) But the inate hypocrisy of a 'free nation' that is built on the genocidal ashes of indigenous Democracies, built by slavery, driven by corporate feudalism, and defined by the classism & inequities... Our government fails the people while selling us the American dream & drugs in separate hands. Love this land & all my relatives that live here. But if we aren't progressing towards a better, healthier, less corrupt government, then we are moving away.
I like how everyone who reacts to this song for the first time initially thinks its "rodeo" like bull riding, and not posh ass Rodeo (ro-day-oh) Drive in Beverly HIlls. haha
--- Also, if there was never a bunch of people who didn't like the way things were, we would never have the country we do now.. a country created out of rebellion and a desire for something better..
Yeah, he definitely wouldn't. I mean, even in this song, they're shouting out Karl Marx's communist philosophy regarding the workers seizing the means of production ("fuck the g-rides, I want the machines that are making them"). They're pretty openly communist (which, personally, I'm not mad at but BP would be horrified if he sat down for a conversation with RATM).
Highest ranking in personal freedoms were Sweden (9.45) and the Netherlands (9.28). In 2020, United States has dropped to rank 17 according to The Human Freedom Index. The Freedom Index does not measure democracy, but it does measure freedom of speech and media, press killings, political imprisonment, etc.
There are lots of brown people in California, but Rodeo Drive is in Beverly Hills and is one of the most expensive shopping streets on Earth, so the people he's talking about tend to be white and rich af.
RATM is one of those artists that I highly recommend Lyrics Genius for, especially on first listen. Their lyrics are highly coded, bar-heavy, and context-important. BTW BP... in a way, I think you've achieved - or at least have your eves opened - to one of the things he talks about in this song. When he says "Fsck tha G-ride I want the machines that are makin' em", he's recognizing that the shiny product that makes someone appear "rich" is different than the wealth generated by making those shiny products.
It's also blatantly about owning the means of production. Anyone thinking RATM weren't (maybe still are) blatant anarcho-communists isn't really paying close enough attention. The red and black flags in the Bulls on Parade video should be a dead giveaway.
The line is a reference to Karl Marx's communist philosophy that the working class will be less subservient and gain more control of their lives if they control production, especially the production in which they are involved as workers. There's no question that Rage's philosophy is generally communist at its base. But I also think a lot of people don't understand what real communism is bc most of our real world examples are fascists and dictators who CALL themselves "communist" or "socialist" but actually aren't.
@johnplaysgames3120 being a An-Com myself, I agree with everything you just said. Their music is rife with the subjects of class struggle and the concentration of wealth by the lucky few while those whose labor is exploited are left with the scraps and the armed wing of the state are there to enforce this system. Give the workers some ownership, and those same businesses will flee across the border to further exploit another population with lower wages and less worker protections. Most folks equate all communism with Stalin/Lenin and think that's what it all is. Most of us can't stand tankies.
@@citizenbrain8065 I started listening to RATM at 9 years old. At 40 I am solidly anarchist with traces of socialist. Democracy doesn't work. All politicians are a**holes. The economy is rigged. Flags and nationalism are hollow concepts that mean nothing to anyone but the people controlling them. But I also accept that the revolution will never happen so we have to assimilate. For now.
Imagine being an educated historian, a talented artist, watching Rodney King, a drug epidemic, and being a person of color in California at that time. Zach is a unicorn. It’s hard to put myself in his shoes. I was just a privileged white kid from a Midwest suburb. But RATM woke me up to my privilege when I was a kid. A lot of hip hop, punk, and folk music did. I love your honest take on this. Context and curiosity are important. Anger and love can exist together in art.
RATM has the wildest history. The majority of their lyrics are rapped. They're an all-time great of politically conscious hip hop but they sounded so different from other groups that the alternative/grunge/metal fans picked them more than most hip hop fans. So they ended up in a weird place as one of the greatest fusion hip hop groups embraced by a largely white audience (odd for the 90s) that is having to be re-discovered by rap fans.
Does Rage Against the Machine love America? Absolutely! You don't spend the amount of energy they have (both in their music and in their lives) trying to make this country better if you don't love it. On the Fred Hampton/Black Panther thing - By Fred Hampton's time the Black Panthers had pivoted from militarism to the social welfare of their communities. Fred Hampton himself is probably best known for uniting the gangs and lower income people, of all races and colors, in Chicago for social justice in their communities. A militarized Black Panther Party wasn't a threat. The Rainbow Coalition, on the other hand, posed a TRUE threat to the status quo and powers that be. That's why he was murdered.
Pegasus bro, have you ever been out of America? We are just OK. We are just different. We are not better than anyone. Other countries have rights other countries have freedom. Other countries have guns but they don’t kill each other like we do. We are a violent sick society especially in ‘murica. We must recognize it and we must address it otherwise we can’t change it we are the sickest part of the money game, we are obstinate teenagers in the world and we act like it young dumb and full of guns.
"im a kind of person who likes to see the glass half full". This sentiment is all well and good, but keep in mind plenty of people are having their glasses actively tipped over🙏
We should always be critiquing everything regardless of how good it is or how better it is compared to others. Acknowledge the progress and always be mindful of how we can improve.
It's indeed thought-provoking that key members of Rage Against the Machine, a band known for its politically charged music, come from prestigious academic backgrounds in political science, with Tom Morello having graduated from Harvard and Zack de la Rocha having attended Stanford. Their education underscores a deep-seated interest in the American political system and its ideals. De la Rocha's grassroots activism, including time spent in Chiapas, further demonstrates a commitment to social justice. The band's ethos, advocating for the government to truly represent and protect its people, aligns with foundational American principles. It challenges the notion that criticism of one's country is unpatriotic. Rather, their actions suggest that striving for a better society is a form of deep patriotism, seeking to hold America to its promises of liberty and justice for all.Rodeo drive has the top boutiques in Beverly Hills. The main two guys in Rage love the idea of America. if you hate America you'd never spent the time studying poliSci and getting degrees at Harvard and Stanford. Zak is a little more boots on the ground, and he devoted some time in Chiapas.. I don't think always siding with the people, and expecting the government to represent us, is anti American. They just exemplify the irony that actually doing what the government should be doing, protecting its people, calling out injustices, making sure that commerce doesn't become industry, being against poverty, oppression, hunger, fear.. you know.. when did that become anti America?
The upper class never comprehends how good they have it and at the same time, the lowest class just wants some toast with jelly. Take away the jelly... and the bread.... and the toaster...... and the rich baffled at the results.
Lolll. Your reaction to the first verse was the appropriate one. Yes. Zach is actually saying America is a fiction - a fantasy for a few, nightmare for the rest. Appreciate yr personal take. But consider you (and most people) are coming from a traditional, mainstream POV. It’s almost impossible not to. But RatM at least shows a place to start breaking the fiction apart. One thing I’m pretty sure of - you can’t let Rage into your soul, and keep buying into Tom McDonald. There isn’t a more conservative, mainstream worshipping rapper alive since MC Hammer. Stick with Rage. The real anti-mainstream goats
Zakh de la Rocha actually used to frequent the Freestyle rap scene and clubs in L.A. back in the late 80ies and early 90ies...- If you could get him on the podcast for a freestyle I would be hyped and impressed like hell!! :D
Rodeo in Beverly Hills (i.e. the rich white people when this dropped) is pronounced differently once you leave BH. Outside of BH it is the cows and horses rodeo.
Rodeo is a Road in LA. Home of the rich. It's not about CA. You wouldn't dare see a brother rolling down with a shotgun. I wish people today could hear the words of wisdom Zach preaches.
Bro, you’re right wing. It’s fine, don’t be ashamed. Stand for what you believe. I don’t necessarily agree with the right on most things, but I respect someone standing for what they believe.
Omg soooo good- thanks so much! Please do “Wake Up” next with lyrics. You think this is hard (and it is, no mistake there) but omg I must see you do Wake Up!
Yeah, pretty sure the "Bulls" in Bulls on Parade are cops. . Mid-90s. Pretty sure Rodeo was where all the designer stores were. Like, it's where Beverley Hills shopped.
The song was written after, and partially about, the 1992 LA Riots. You have to understand the lyrics "So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo with a shotgun, These people ain't seen a brown skin man, Since their grandparents bought one" in the context that it followed the police beating of Rodney King.
These songs were directly related to the bands thoughts on the beating of Rodney king. Rolling down rodeo with a shotgun, refers to rodeo drive being a very affluent area and how class systems segregating people is in itself violence.
I’m from Los Angeles and Rodeo Drive is synonymous with white privilege. Yes, there are many many Hispanics and African Americans in CA. There is a reason he chose Rodeo Drive. Rodeo Drive is the heartbeat of Beverly Hills. White white and more white! The 1% shop on Rodeo Drive and most, not all have never faced racial hardships
Wow, you just are not with it, bro... The first reaction to this song i ever stopped in the middle. I gave you some leeway after your beginning bs rant, but then you somehow even managed to ruin the songs itself, which i thought was impossible. Weird, dude...
Zach DeLarocha has a degree, and Tom Morello is educated from Liberty Illinois. His mom was a teacher. Knowledge is power. Get your brain out of OK. Love you Brother
They are "raging" against corrupt America. You can still love something and see the flaws. The band's music was a means of spreading ideas, and they often criticized US government policies and participated in political protests. Some of their songs were inspired by events such as the Rodney King police brutality incident and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. As for Rodeo Drive, it's one of the richest municipalities in the US and less than 2% Black.
I grew up on RATM.... saw em at Lollapalooza in 95 & damn near died in the mosh pit 🤣 so fn worth it 👍🤣 thank u so much for sharing your journey with us 😊 I'm lovin it 💕
i saw a comment that took it as when a passenger calls "shotgun".he's talking about a like minded person riding with him.. also it could be a metaphor for a microphone.. zac speaks metaphorically all the time..
ugh the whole point flew way over his head. Especially the the best line in the song, "Havent seen a brown skin man since their grandparents bought one". Rodeo drive used as an metaphor to analogize racism is not only brilliant it's something only angelinos (LA *born* and raised folks) truly get, I guess.
Killing in the name (fuck you I won’t do what you tell me) isn’t some generic rebellion song, it’s about police brutality and systemic racism within our police, military, Justice systems, etc. People who shout those lyrics because they don’t want to wear a mask during a pandemic or a seatbelt, have sorely misunderstood the assignment.
Exactly. It's like ultra conservative Paul Ryan saying RATM was his favorite band and Tom Morello firmly telling him that he's facilitating the machine they're raging about & that he's not needed in the RATM circle. And conservatives not realizing that Green Day always hated them, lol. They really, really don't listen to the lyrics or understand the context & get pissed when they think 'their' band has turned on them.
@@jenniferfoster1692 It's almost always transactional with conservatives, as well as us vs them, to their black and white thinking, most things to them are a dichotomy. Very little nuance or subtlety. Like the thoughts of a 4 year old.
Crazy how wearing a mask is akin to being a slave to anti vaxxers.... while they go work 60+ hours for a guy about to go on his 6th vacation of the year.
I don’t get how people miss it. Like, 80% of the song is “some of those who work forces are the same that burn crosses”, AKA “some cops are Klan members”. They make it about as clear as they can.
@@powersofdestruction5694capitalist indoctrination “Tha pen devils set that stage for tha war at home”
Does Rage like America? I'm not sure that's the right question because it undermines critique. I don't think any revolutionary hates the place they seek to improve. They hate the systems that benefit the few.
That’s what I was thinking just now. I don’t think they hate the land but they definitely don’t love most the people running the machinery/systems in place.
Well said
The politics of the problem everyone resolving their issues civilly amongst themselves is the only answer because the government is not looking for an answer to people fighting amongst themselves
Zdlr "Zechariah "has Mexican heritage as far as I know and that's where the song down rodeo came from and bulls on parade was from the same circumstances and I'm a white boy that grew up in the late 80s early 90s listening to rage against the machine and I still bump that shit every day because it just says how corrupt our government can be maybe not necessarily now against people of color but just how fucked up they are
I think it’s fair to say they see and hate how any nation’s lies it tells itself ends up leaving a whole
Underclass without power, opportunities and all the money
Protesting injustice is the most Patriotic thing you can do. Wearing a flag shirt doesn't make you Patriots. They are speaking for alot of people. To want change for your country to make it more equitable again is PATRIOTIC
Exactly. People think the flag and the symbols makes them a "patriot". America isn't a flag, America isn't the government or the military, America is the people.
Word, born 3/26/1969 and I know the Z's know what's up.
"America was created by slave owners who told us everyone is created equal"
- George Carlin
What do you think is the 'machine' they were raging against? A lot of their songs are critical of the US for is genocide against the natives, and treatment of other minorities
@@TheOnlyGhxst hell, every country is its people, it's just a damn shame the people forget that, and allow the powers that be to turn us on each other
Rodeo Drive to my generation was a symbol of uber-rich, powerful, out of touch, old money.
100%
This is what I came to say and found out everyone will argue over everything in the comments. LOL
Rage is as relevant now as the day they released their first song
Rodeo Drive is one of the most expensive streets in the world. The song was written in the 90s after the LA riots were sparked by the beating of Rodney King. 'We hungry but them belly full' is a from a song by Bob Marley and The Wailers. Fred Hampton was a Black Panther leader who was building alliances with poor Hispanics and Appalachians when he was shot dead in an FBI raid. Using the 5th amendment to protect oneself from incrimination is here held to give folks more power than the 1st which is supposed to guarantee ones equality. 'Just a quiet peaceful dance' refers to the Ghost Dance done by Indians to mourn their lost ones which was hoped to bring an end to expansion into their lands and establish peace forever. It was also seen as a war dance calling on the Indian's dead to strengthen the living to achieve the same result. Unfortunately it resulted in the Wounded Knee Massacre of the Lakota Sioux, hence liberation and peace for the Lakota were 'the things we'll never have' at the end of the song. I think RATM love America otherwise they wouldn't have bothered to try to make it a better place by getting people to think about it's history and issues. I just think they want better lives for all it's citizens.
You just over here dropping all the knowledge. Well done
These are truly interesting times we are living in.
Right on
Thank-you for clarifying those points man. Nobody check-facts anymore.
Just because you point out the flaws in America doesn’t mean you hate America. Wanting to improve your home doesn’t mean you hate your neighborhood. Personally those who want to fix our flaws are the most patriotic in my opinion. For the last 40 years the wealthy have sucked up all the prosperity from all our hardwork.
As a brown person who lives in west LA, you got it wrong. Yes there are tons of brown people in California, but this song specifically calls out Rodeo Dr, a single street within Beverly Hills where there are high-end boutiques surrounded by ultra high-end 9 and 10-figure real-estate, and NO, there are not a lot of brown people there besides those working in in the shops and restaurants. In the rest of Los Angeles, you might see Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but by Rodeo is where you will see Bugatti Veyrons. It's a different league, and the disparity between the old money Beverly Hills homeowners and the surrounding communities (even west LA) is like comparing chocolate and shit. The net worth of 6-figure-earning "ballers" from other parts of California are an IRS rounding error to this (predominantly white) group, and that's one thing the song is highlighting.
Bro if that's how you used Rage during the pandemic, you fucked all the way up. Rage cares for the fellow man.
100%
FUCKIN AYE.
Had to leave a separate comment then unsubscribe... Damn. I thought I had found a new channel to follow.
yeah its a shame that BP is just another cookie cutter anti vax clown. the irony of him claiming to be a christian is hilarious.
Yeaaaaaaaaaah. That's a big dose of irony. Using Rage as a jump off point to put the people Rage fought for right in the firing line during covid. I thought dude was actually aware of the subtext of the music. He's the epitome of anti-thought though 🤕 Folks who think they know more than thousands of Doctors and scientists are cringe AF
'I don't see color" is a cop-out. The point is that color doesn't matter. SEE COLOR. SEE DIFFERENCES. Be a good human where color & difference doesn't matter. That's the real marker of humanity.
This.
I always feel like there's good intention behind people saying, "I don't see color" because what they're trying to say is "I don't judge based on color," but it comes off (to some people) as "I don't recognize the differences between cultures." Ultimately, when people get mad about it, it feels like a bit of a straw man argument because how they're hearing it is not what's being said and isn't even related to it. Then we end up fighting people who are trying to be allies (but maybe haven't figured out the right words to say to get that across) over semantics instead of fighting the actual enemies of equality. It's a distraction I wish people would get past and recognize that at least those people are trying.
I agree with what you said though. See color, see differences - and RESPECT differences and culture - but also see us all as humans and don't treat one group better or worse than another just because their color and/or culture are different than your own. Just be a good human. Personally, I don't think it's that hard to do but I recognize that there are folks - particularly elderly folk, like my mom - who are well intentioned and trying to shift gears from the world they grew up in but don't quite know what "the right thing to say" is to communicate that. Like, my mom is the sweetest person in the world and has never met a person she didn't like and treat with the utmost of respect and instant friendship, but when she's tried to talk about race, she's said things like "I don't see color." And when she said it, it wasn't a cop-out. It was her way of saying, "I don't judge people for being different from me." And then she gets confused when people attack her over it.
I myself say that I don't see colours. And what I mean by that is that I don't care about your skin pigmentation, to me it makes no sense to judge who you are based on that sole fact (and I always been very dubitative about USA obsession with skin colour and "race"). And I'm not talking about culture and heritage here, just skin pigmentation.
What people do and say is what should define them as a person, and only this (which includes your culture, your character, your values, etc).
Of course, skin colour still do exists, and I have no issue with people partly of completely define themselves based on this, but I consider it as "physical traits" like height, nose size, etc. Not person defining.
Therefore, I don't see colours as I don't deny them either.
I'm from Europe btw, which could explains the different point of view on this.
@@johnplaysgames3120 Maybe it's a generational thing. For me (born '83), when someone says "I don't see color", it means exactly the thing you said: "I don't judge based on skin color". Nothing else. And if you talk to people with that attitude, you usually quickly learn that they are exactly the people who very much are interested in different cultures. In my personal experience, if you start looking at different cultures, you quickly see infinitely more things you have in common. The same bunch of semi-intelligent Haplorhini everywhere, so to speak.
This band is so over your head
If RATM didn't love America, they wouldn't have pushed for change. You can hate aspects of a country (or anything) that you love. People are complex, often contradictory beings.
Their lyrics are aggressive, but I don't see hate towards the country as a whole. Listen to Tom Morello speak sometime. That man is genuinely for the people. He loves people, and wants to see them be treated fairly.
I have no reason to doubt that the rest of the band feels similarly. The band are activists. If you truly hate something, you don't seek to improve it. You just walk away.
Improving the government amounts to one group trying to enforce their beliefs on others. After all, anything the government gives to someone is taken from someone else
Zack is the most underrated MC in history
I have him in my top 10....possible top 5.....Rakim, KRS and Chuck D are my personal top 3
@@danielbalboni6804 got him in my top five.
He’s up there and Tom is just a god
there are people in America who believe themselves to be RAtM fans, but vote republican, completely unaware of the irony and ignorance... worse, there's actually people who vote republican, listen to Rage, and think they are fighting the system by voting the way they do.
100% clueless.
Is voting Democrats fighting the system????
Now you gotta do more for sure. Especially "Bullet in your head" and "Know your enemy"
And wake up
And Freedom
Darkness
@@richardlandrum1966 Damn straight. Their best IMO!
Ummmm Rodeo drive is white as can be. Great reaction. First saw Rage as an opening act for Suicidal Tendencies in ‘93 and have been on their shit for years.
Just wanted to clarify that a lot of Rage’s focus is raging against the socioeconomic machines that have kept people down throughout history while empowering the ruling classes. While 2020 certainly had these elements I don’t think it’s a perfect correlation - raging against a virus is not a game a lot of people win that don’t have access to the health infrastructure that many of us take for granted. Just some food for thought.
Him trying to tie whatever stuff he had going on in 2020 to RATM is some smarmy stuff.
He totally misused that message and I wonder if he'll notice when he gets to that song which people were following his way of acting.
Good luck. He calls it the 'plandemic', so what you're saying probably won't be very well received.
@@jenniferfoster1692 Seriously? *sigh*.
@@jenniferfoster1692 it's stupid, but I get it, because historically there are examples of the American government doing a lot of fucked up shit to black people when it comes to vaccines, it's like when Royce Da 5 9 said vaccines cause autism, it pisses me off to no end, but I get the paranoia and distrust
Rage wrote a lot of these songs around the time of Rodney King and the LA Riots in 1992.
Here's a cycle for ya:
1992: rage drops there first album, supporting far left politics (unabashedly) and calling out police brutality in direct response to Rodney King and the battle of LA.
2001: in response to 9/11, Rage (who was already labeled pro terrorist by nightly news)
Is the only group who has their entire discography banned from the radio for fear of "inciting violence"
2021: 2 "protests" occured that year.....one was BLM. A direct response to the death of George Floyd, that recieved a police response similar to the "riots" of LA.
The other "protest" was a bunch of drunken rednecks with confederate flags rushing the U.S capital, that recieved a police response similar to an uderage party with alcohol.
Nothing changed, except the "bread and circus" got more advanced. Please research "bread and circus" then do "no shelter" and "guerrilla radio"
✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻✊️❤️
Puscifer has a great song called "bread and circus"
At first I was a little worried where you were going with the timeline, but you did great and are correct.
People often correlate BLM protests with J6, and they couldn’t have been more different.
@@Belly_Beane thanks! I just found this rabbit hole of RatM reactions, and I'm all riled up again like i was in the 90s. Check out Tom Morrello's acceptance speech at the rock and roll hall of fame.
@@richardlandrum1966one of the best and most depressing quotes I've ever seen about RATM is, "The most impressive thing is that their lyrics are just as relevant after 30 years, also the saddest thing is that their lyrics are still relevant after 30 years"
@@terrymartin5839 only problem with that quote, is it overlooks that most of these lyrics are relevant to all of human history
“The structure is set. Ya neva change it with a ballot pull”
Everybody is wearing their blue ties or red ties, and yet, the cycle churns and churns, not in either side’s favor. Yet we little people still barking at each other.
Yep, a non-proportional system is not democratic
One does not protest problems from a place of hate.... patriotism is not unquestioned loyalty...we critique that which we care about and have higher hopes for
Rage is all about class consciousness, great stuff. They see beyond the liberal idea that this system is great and can be fixed. Their politics are way left of establishment politics.
Yes! It isn’t the generic “government bad” take we often see. It’s about power, whose interests are being served by the system, who’s leveraging their wealth/power to influence the system to benefit them.
With class consciousness we are aware that those interests are in direct conflict with the Interests of The People… the working class, the consumers and producers who create all the wealth in first place.
That's not the liberal idea. If they think it needs to be be fixed, they don't believe it's "great". You contradicted yourself. And I'd rather think that way instead of the conservative "The system is only good if it works specifically for people who look like me and everyone else can fuck off" mentality.
@Jeremy252 liberals are establishment, but many see the contradictions of late-stage capitalism. Their solutions involve reforms but it's the entire system that systemically designed to promote exploitation
Haha you do know they're liberal!
@tommigun102470 no they are communists lol, liberal would be an insult to them
Kinda missed the whole point to the coding of the lyrics, especially taking into consideration the era the song itself came out in. I feel you straight up didnt understand the meaning behind some of the lyrics and implore you to look up the explanations behind them. This song is literally a literary masterpiece steeped heavily in historical context.
honestly, this dude using ratm to compare to his qanon nonsense. its mad disrespectful
Did you notice Tom’s guitar says “Arm the homeless” lol
I remember buying “Evil Empire” the day it dropped & “Down Rodeo” was 1 of my favorites & 25+ years later people are still feeling it? 🖤
GFTO You know what this song is about. Lets talk. Red Lining... Systemic violence Lets talk lil bro
This is the most Uncle Tom reaction to this track I've ever seen.
Came here to say this.
I'm german, so english is not my own language. So it was hard to really understand their lyrics for me back in the 90s.
But the teenage-me already understood their inspiring rage and will to revolve our working political and social systems for a better, more justice and more loveable world.
Loved them, still love them and i fear the time, Bands like this do not exist anymore.
if u are german maybe this versionis for U
"these people ain't seen a Jew man
since their grandparents burn one !"
Check out KAFVKA
@@adamlubieniecki boy talk about being mean & ugly, you've set the bar high. I understand why you'd feel like that but you do yourself more harm with your hatreds. Be good & love yourself to make the world better for all. NEVER FORGET, NEVER AGAIN are strong words but HATRED is never the answer, it will consume your heart & soul.
I pray that peace, joy, inner happiness will be your constant companion through your life.
Much love to a fellow human being, 🛐 ✝️ 💜
Yes they love America, his shotgun is a metaphor for his microphone.
“Does Rage hate America?”
There is a concept that can be phrased “Un-ask the question.” There is no answer to such a question that doesn’t take you away from the whole point of their music, so asking it is ultimately unhelpful.
RATM critiques what they see, and their critiques are valid… especially when they’re uncomfortable. No one ever grew from a place of comfort.
Also, remember this about anger. Anger is a reaction to a recognition that something is wrong. Anger is not wrong, it is informative about your environment, that it needs to be changed for the better. If people with their eyes open are constantly angry, then their environment is f***ed up. Don’t tell them not to be angry, because the emotional reaction literally cannot be helped. In addition, by telling them not to be angry with injustice, you tell them to be complicit instead. No person of honour could accept that. In addition, if you care about your environment’s health, your anger can be a boost towards creating the meaningful change that’s needed.
Peace.
Thinking that not wearing a mask during a pandemic is fighting fascism. 😂
Common cold a.k.a. pandemic
@@carsonwentz8301common cold? Tell that to the families of the 7 million people that have died from it
@@JohnKerans you mean from Remdesivir?
And how many of those could have survived with early treatment? Instead of their doctors telling them to do nothing until you need a ventilator
Theres no escape from the mass mind rape. Believing all the lies that they're tellin you, buying all the products that they're selling you. They say jump and you say how high. Your brain dead you've got a fucking bullet in you're head. At the start of the pandemic fucci said masks were inefective until they had enough supply to push them on the world then he said the opposite. The virus dropplets were smaller than the wholes in the masks that they sold to our governments. Just victims of the in house drive by😷😷🤣🤣
Rage was literally foundational to the way I see the world. Even today. They’re legends and we need more like them, and Run the Jewels. Which I’m still hoping you get to.
“Fuck the G-ride I want the machines that are making them” is one of the best bars ever. I wish more people understood the weight of it.
Would love to see him react to Run the Jewels!!
Literally seizing the means
It’s too bad Killer Mike has turned into such a cop and landlord simp 😭
@@Belly_Beane oh hey now.
@@Belly_BeaneNah.
If you like the Fred Hampton line, you should listen to Wake Up next.
And freedom
Came here to say the same thing
This guy doesn't even understand the band how would he understand the songs. This guys a code.
I think I heard a SHOT!
I have loved RATM from the start but I'm also a nurse so after doing research and listening to all the FDA hearings prior to approval I have gotten all my vaccines and boosters. I got COVID once and was not hospitalized. Young dudes like you can take the risks but don't forget those that can't. I believe in choice. You made a good on for you and I did for me. There's good and bad on all sides. Risk vs benefit. You can be a sheep refusing something good for you, too. Love your reactions ❤
🤩
I always interpretted the shotgun line as weaponizing skin tone. Some people see "different" as "dangerous". Half the things they talk about in every one of their songs could be commentaries on events _today_ let alone in the 90s.
LOVE that you took our suggestion and reacted to one of the best in-your-face songs that RATM has to offer.
Oh you are gonna LOVE their song "Know Your Enemy".
In late 1960s. Brothers formed a civil- rights club. Called themselves, "BLACK PANTHERS". They were Shotgun fans.
"F you I won't do what you tell me!" is a sentence loaded with irony. It contradicts itself. You Tube told you to say "F" rather than "Fuck" and you said OK master.
Bulls on Parade is not about bulls it’s a political turn of phrase that means ‘police out in force’ .. context is key and while a lot of lyrics can be interpreted with many different perspectives some lines just are what they are 🤘💯 great reactions!
Also, a particular double meaning in the name is a market bull run of the military industrial complex.
Yeah, I'm Irish and I don't know how that slipped him.
There's no both sidings Rage, sorry
You need to check out Rage’s “Know Your Enemy.” I think it would definitely be up your alley.
RATM is a protest movement first and music band second. This song is about the wealth divide and the corruption of the system in all its forms that reinforce this divide. Pure class as always by RATM.
This song is from the 90s, so it makes sense. He’s speaking out against institutionalized racism, profiling and police brutality… all which still exist. Yes, we’ve come a long way, but you can’t deny facts.
There is beauty & strength of the ideal of freedom, equality, & democracy. Democracy is a government of this land (2 oldest democracies are native governments.) But the inate hypocrisy of a 'free nation' that is built on the genocidal ashes of indigenous Democracies, built by slavery, driven by corporate feudalism, and defined by the classism & inequities... Our government fails the people while selling us the American dream & drugs in separate hands. Love this land & all my relatives that live here. But if we aren't progressing towards a better, healthier, less corrupt government, then we are moving away.
I like how everyone who reacts to this song for the first time initially thinks its "rodeo" like bull riding, and not posh ass Rodeo (ro-day-oh) Drive in Beverly HIlls. haha
--- Also, if there was never a bunch of people who didn't like the way things were, we would never have the country we do now.. a country created out of rebellion and a desire for something better..
I do not think you will agree with their politics...
Yeah, he definitely wouldn't. I mean, even in this song, they're shouting out Karl Marx's communist philosophy regarding the workers seizing the means of production ("fuck the g-rides, I want the machines that are making them"). They're pretty openly communist (which, personally, I'm not mad at but BP would be horrified if he sat down for a conversation with RATM).
Nobody agrees with others
Highest ranking in personal freedoms were Sweden (9.45) and the Netherlands (9.28). In 2020, United States has dropped to rank 17 according to The Human Freedom Index. The Freedom Index does not measure democracy, but it does measure freedom of speech and media, press killings, political imprisonment, etc.
Go with these, Take the Power Back, Wake Up, Know Your Enemy, Fistful of Steel, Township Rebelion. The video for the song Freedom will blow your mind
RATM are one of if not the most prolific bands of the 90's
I'm British and I learned so much about American politics from this band
Tom Morello is a legend
There are lots of brown people in California, but Rodeo Drive is in Beverly Hills and is one of the most expensive shopping streets on Earth, so the people he's talking about tend to be white and rich af.
You do know this is over 30 years old
I wanna say this dropped early 90's.
around '92 after the LA Riots
RATM is one of those artists that I highly recommend Lyrics Genius for, especially on first listen. Their lyrics are highly coded, bar-heavy, and context-important.
BTW BP... in a way, I think you've achieved - or at least have your eves opened - to one of the things he talks about in this song. When he says "Fsck tha G-ride I want the machines that are makin' em", he's recognizing that the shiny product that makes someone appear "rich" is different than the wealth generated by making those shiny products.
It's also blatantly about owning the means of production. Anyone thinking RATM weren't (maybe still are) blatant anarcho-communists isn't really paying close enough attention.
The red and black flags in the Bulls on Parade video should be a dead giveaway.
“Fuck the G ride, I want the machines that are making them” is definitely talking about the proletariats owning the means of production.
The line is a reference to Karl Marx's communist philosophy that the working class will be less subservient and gain more control of their lives if they control production, especially the production in which they are involved as workers. There's no question that Rage's philosophy is generally communist at its base. But I also think a lot of people don't understand what real communism is bc most of our real world examples are fascists and dictators who CALL themselves "communist" or "socialist" but actually aren't.
@johnplaysgames3120 being a An-Com myself, I agree with everything you just said. Their music is rife with the subjects of class struggle and the concentration of wealth by the lucky few while those whose labor is exploited are left with the scraps and the armed wing of the state are there to enforce this system.
Give the workers some ownership, and those same businesses will flee across the border to further exploit another population with lower wages and less worker protections.
Most folks equate all communism with Stalin/Lenin and think that's what it all is. Most of us can't stand tankies.
@@citizenbrain8065 I started listening to RATM at 9 years old. At 40 I am solidly anarchist with traces of socialist. Democracy doesn't work. All politicians are a**holes. The economy is rigged. Flags and nationalism are hollow concepts that mean nothing to anyone but the people controlling them. But I also accept that the revolution will never happen so we have to assimilate.
For now.
1: Rodeo Drive is full of RICH white people - all the Gucci, Chanel, Prada stores etc are there.
2: Zach is half Jewish, half Mexican
African, Mexican, German, Irish and Sephardi Jewish descent.
Imagine being an educated historian, a talented artist, watching Rodney King, a drug epidemic, and being a person of color in California at that time. Zach is a unicorn. It’s hard to put myself in his shoes. I was just a privileged white kid from a Midwest suburb. But RATM woke me up to my privilege when I was a kid. A lot of hip hop, punk, and folk music did. I love your honest take on this. Context and curiosity are important. Anger and love can exist together in art.
There are apparently people who have listened to RATM and not realized they were political
Same as Green Day, lol. People saying 'they changed'. 🤣
RATM has the wildest history. The majority of their lyrics are rapped. They're an all-time great of politically conscious hip hop but they sounded so different from other groups that the alternative/grunge/metal fans picked them more than most hip hop fans. So they ended up in a weird place as one of the greatest fusion hip hop groups embraced by a largely white audience (odd for the 90s) that is having to be re-discovered by rap fans.
I've always thought those "quite peacful dance" lines are a reference to The Ghost Dance indigenous movement back in the late 1800's
This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. -MLK
Rodney King happened only a few years prior to this. Just to put it in the context you are searching for.
Does Rage Against the Machine love America? Absolutely! You don't spend the amount of energy they have (both in their music and in their lives) trying to make this country better if you don't love it.
On the Fred Hampton/Black Panther thing - By Fred Hampton's time the Black Panthers had pivoted from militarism to the social welfare of their communities. Fred Hampton himself is probably best known for uniting the gangs and lower income people, of all races and colors, in Chicago for social justice in their communities. A militarized Black Panther Party wasn't a threat. The Rainbow Coalition, on the other hand, posed a TRUE threat to the status quo and powers that be. That's why he was murdered.
Pegasus bro, have you ever been out of America? We are just OK. We are just different. We are not better than anyone. Other countries have rights other countries have freedom. Other countries have guns but they don’t kill each other like we do. We are a violent sick society especially in ‘murica. We must recognize it and we must address it otherwise we can’t change it we are the sickest part of the money game, we are obstinate teenagers in the world and we act like it young dumb and full of guns.
"im a kind of person who likes to see the glass half full". This sentiment is all well and good, but keep in mind plenty of people are having their glasses actively tipped over🙏
We should always be critiquing everything regardless of how good it is or how better it is compared to others.
Acknowledge the progress and always be mindful of how we can improve.
“The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.” Anton Chekhov. Zack knew that, I dont think its about hate america...
It's indeed thought-provoking that key members of Rage Against the Machine, a band known for its politically charged music, come from prestigious academic backgrounds in political science, with Tom Morello having graduated from Harvard and Zack de la Rocha having attended Stanford. Their education underscores a deep-seated interest in the American political system and its ideals. De la Rocha's grassroots activism, including time spent in Chiapas, further demonstrates a commitment to social justice. The band's ethos, advocating for the government to truly represent and protect its people, aligns with foundational American principles. It challenges the notion that criticism of one's country is unpatriotic. Rather, their actions suggest that striving for a better society is a form of deep patriotism, seeking to hold America to its promises of liberty and justice for all.Rodeo drive has the top boutiques in Beverly Hills. The main two guys in Rage love the idea of America. if you hate America you'd never spent the time studying poliSci and getting degrees at Harvard and Stanford. Zak is a little more boots on the ground, and he devoted some time in Chiapas.. I don't think always siding with the people, and expecting the government to represent us, is anti American. They just exemplify the irony that actually doing what the government should be doing, protecting its people, calling out injustices, making sure that commerce doesn't become industry, being against poverty, oppression, hunger, fear.. you know.. when did that become anti America?
The upper class never comprehends how good they have it and at the same time, the lowest class just wants some toast with jelly. Take away the jelly... and the bread.... and the toaster...... and the rich baffled at the results.
You 1000% need to react to Wake up from Rage against the machin
Yooooo, I love Rage!! Please, please react to more of their music. I feel like you’d really vibe with them.
Lolll. Your reaction to the first verse was the appropriate one. Yes. Zach is actually saying America is a fiction - a fantasy for a few, nightmare for the rest.
Appreciate yr personal take. But consider you (and most people) are coming from a traditional, mainstream POV. It’s almost impossible not to. But RatM at least shows a place to start breaking the fiction apart.
One thing I’m pretty sure of - you can’t let Rage into your soul, and keep buying into Tom McDonald. There isn’t a more conservative, mainstream worshipping rapper alive since MC Hammer. Stick with Rage. The real anti-mainstream goats
We have overcame a lot, but we’ve never lived up to our potential. Will we ever?
"Its called the American Dream cause you gotta be asleep to believe it. "
All the worlds a stage
Divide and conquer
Order out of chaos
The US bans so many songs, books, bands, TV and many other things , while in Canada it's not banned
Zakh de la Rocha actually used to frequent the Freestyle rap scene and clubs in L.A. back in the late 80ies and early 90ies...- If you could get him on the podcast for a freestyle I would be hyped and impressed like hell!! :D
He won’t come on, he’s a branch covidian Biden worshiper.
I doubt zach would fucks with this channel.
@@juantimer hmm, you are prolly right... but if Tom Morello can be friends with Ted Nugent I guess anything is possible!😄
@@JokerInk-CustomBuilds that’s true
5 minutes of nonstop squirrel chattering until Zach dropped that first line, then silence. XD
Rodeo in Beverly Hills (i.e. the rich white people when this dropped) is pronounced differently once you leave BH. Outside of BH it is the cows and horses rodeo.
Rodeo is a Road in LA. Home of the rich. It's not about CA. You wouldn't dare see a brother rolling down with a shotgun. I wish people today could hear the words of wisdom Zach preaches.
Bro, you’re right wing. It’s fine, don’t be ashamed. Stand for what you believe. I don’t necessarily agree with the right on most things, but I respect someone standing for what they believe.
Yeah, he seems to have drunk the neoliberal coolaid and will happily exploit others if given half a chance.
Omg soooo good- thanks so much! Please do “Wake Up” next with lyrics. You think this is hard (and it is, no mistake there) but omg I must see you do Wake Up!
You gotta check out Wake Up next! 🤘
Yeah, pretty sure the "Bulls" in Bulls on Parade are cops.
.
Mid-90s. Pretty sure Rodeo was where all the designer stores were. Like, it's where Beverley Hills shopped.
The song was written after, and partially about, the 1992 LA Riots. You have to understand the lyrics "So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo with a shotgun, These people ain't seen a brown skin man, Since their grandparents bought one" in the context that it followed the police beating of Rodney King.
Now imagine what Tom Morello (guitarist for Rage) and Ren could do together sweet dream
These songs were directly related to the bands thoughts on the beating of Rodney king. Rolling down rodeo with a shotgun, refers to rodeo drive being a very affluent area and how class systems segregating people is in itself violence.
I’m from Los Angeles and Rodeo Drive is synonymous with white privilege. Yes, there are many many Hispanics and African Americans in CA. There is a reason he chose Rodeo Drive. Rodeo Drive is the heartbeat of Beverly Hills. White white and more white! The 1% shop on Rodeo Drive and most, not all have never faced racial hardships
The modern gop are bringing back old-school racism in a bad way 😢
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
In what way?
So the equal and opposite reaction to some people gaining rights is to go back to oppressing them more?
still one of the hardest songs. Love this song, especially after the LA riots and seeing the city burn for weeks.
Wow, you just are not with it, bro... The first reaction to this song i ever stopped in the middle. I gave you some leeway after your beginning bs rant, but then you somehow even managed to ruin the songs itself, which i thought was impossible. Weird, dude...
They wrote a lot of these songs in the Rodney King 90s. Feelings in Cali were a bit different.
The reaction on 7:00 min is priceless
Are they 2A advocates?... did you see his guitar? It reads "Arm the Homeless."
Zach DeLarocha has a degree, and Tom Morello is educated from Liberty Illinois. His mom was a teacher. Knowledge is power. Get your brain out of OK. Love you Brother
They are "raging" against corrupt America. You can still love something and see the flaws. The band's music was a means of spreading ideas, and they often criticized US government policies and participated in political protests. Some of their songs were inspired by events such as the Rodney King police brutality incident and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. As for Rodeo Drive, it's one of the richest municipalities in the US and less than 2% Black.
I grew up on RATM.... saw em at Lollapalooza in 95 & damn near died in the mosh pit 🤣 so fn worth it 👍🤣 thank u so much for sharing your journey with us 😊 I'm lovin it 💕
Please do Wake Up - great song and probably Zach's best flow.
i saw a comment that took it as when a passenger calls "shotgun".he's talking about a like minded person riding with him.. also it could be a metaphor for a microphone.. zac speaks metaphorically all the time..
"Fuck the G-ride, I want the machines that are make'n em." Shout out to Karl Marx.
ugh the whole point flew way over his head. Especially the the best line in the song, "Havent seen a brown skin man since their grandparents bought one". Rodeo drive used as an metaphor to analogize racism is not only brilliant it's something only angelinos (LA *born* and raised folks) truly get, I guess.