I was reading a funny story a few weeks ago about a slum in Rio De Janiero well known as the ‘City of God’.  It was featured in the movie by the same name.  Apparently, tourists are able to travel to this region and go on ‘drug tours’ where they enter the slum and, for quite a fee, are able to safely gain access to the most dangerous gang areas, and actually tour a network of operations for smuggling and distributing cocaine.  I only remembered this because when I went to do this post on Mos Def, I noticed that among his lengthy record of social activism includes a similar type of trip to Brazil!

Mos Def’s music is probably the first really socially conscious hip hop I heard, but this post isn’t really about Mos Def’s political views though.  I really just appreciate this man’s ability to rap about things that actually matter.  It saddens me that it is so rare that a rapper tackle interesting and intelligent matters in their art.  I’m quite sure that many rappers are completely unconcerned with art, poetic value, or substance, and I think they’ve got it twisted.

[audio:Mos Def – Ms. Fat Booty.mp3,Mos Def – Mathematics.mp3,Mos Def – Quiet Dog.mp3]