After He Took Everything From You He Could Steal

If I felt at liberty to truly express myself, I could speak volumes about George Bush's uncompromising stance in support of a recent decision allowing a company operated by the United Arab Emirates to take over operations at six major U.S.ports:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/21/port.security/.

I would be inclined to point out how puzzling it is that Bush has threatened to utilize his veto power to stop Congress from enacting legislation to prevent the transaction. His impassioned response seems awfully suspect, especially considering the fact that he claims to have been ignorant about the whole matter until just recently:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8FU9QTG2.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_up&chan=db.

I might also have a thing or two to say about my unbridled enthusiam for the fact that the ACLU, amongst others, are calling for Dubya's impeachment (as a result of the questionable legalities surrounding the National Security Agency's wiretapping "efforts"):
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/21/163845.shtml.

However, I have to be cautious about getting too revolutionary up in here. I have to remember that we aren't as free as we used to be---and I'd suggest checking this book if you even begin to disagree:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556525559/104-3552737-7403909?v=glance&n=283155.

A couple of months after I started Souled On, I started getting a lot of traffic from government officials. It was rather laughable to me, because my readership was so small as to render my opinions insignificant. I still can't really imagine why I was garnering that sort of attention, but something about that shit is scary.

I believe whole-heartedly in freedom of speech, and my gangsta side tells me that I can say whatever the fuck I want, whenever I want. Another part of me, however, fears that "the man" is going to come and kidnap me any day now. My right to a trial will be conveniently "overlooked", and I'll end up imprisoned in some remote place where the guards are even uglier than Lynndie England:
http://www.downwithabsolutes.com/wp-content/lynndie.JPG.

So forgive me if I occasionally feel the need to bite my tongue. It's probably just the weed causing this paranoia...really. Or is it???

While you're stuck pondering that, I'm gonna move on to some other shit...

Download "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" by Nina Simone at 2 1/2 Pounds of Bacon: http://fastbacker.blogspot.com/2006/02/little-more-calm.html. If you have any tolerance whatsoever for 90's indie rock, you may also want to check "In This Hole" by Cat Power, included in the same post. This will be way too soft for some of you, but there's no denying the understated beauty of this track.

I may not have had occasion to say so before, but I fucks wit reggae. Moistworks just posted a few classic reggae cuts---most notably "Daddy" by Toots & The Maytals and "Like A Rolling Stone" by The Wailers: http://www.moistworks.com/. Today's post was also pretty nice, featuring songs by Malcolm McClaren, Roots Manuva, Monie Love, Definition of Sound, a Neneh Cherry remix w/ Biggie, and much more...

At TMWSIY, you can download a couple more tracks from Coldcut's Sound Mirrors LP. I ain't gonna lie--both of these tracks kind of rub me the wrong way. I'm posting a link anyway, out of respect for your right to self-determination: http://tmwsiy.blogspot.com/2006/02/mirrors-sound.html.

On Presidents' Day, Trees Lounge posted several tracks with a presidential spin. Download joints by Blackalicious, Jay-Z, Wyclef Jean, Eric B & Rakim, and the Pharcyde:
http://trees-lounge.blogspot.com/2006/02/merry-presidents-day.html.
By the same token, Marathonpacks posted David Ruffin's "I Could Never Be President" in honor of the holiday:
http://www.marathonpacks.com/2006/02/david-ruffin-i-could-never-be.html.

Palms Out Sounds has posted too much good shit to even bother mentioning specifics. Go there, and peep that Lance Drummonds video while you're at it: http://palmsout.blogspot.com/

I've developed a strange crush/fascination thing with Angry Black Bitch. She's intelligent, humorous, foul-mouthed (yet eloquent), and...well...bitchy. What the fuck's not to love?:
http://angryblackbitch.blogspot.com/.

ANABlog is currently featuring a track I consider to be amongst my favorite soul joints---"The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind) by The Dells: http://www.analogartsensemble.net/2006/02/dells.html.

Chuck D (along with numerous other artists) is scheduled to perform at Cindy Sheehan's anti-war concert, "Bring 'Em Home Now":
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/22/174821.shtml.

Cop "Black Sweat" by Prince at Musique Sous Influence:
http://docteurgonzo.blogspot.com/2006/02/work-it.html.

"Speed Law" and "Mathematics" (two tracks from Mos Def''s Black On Both Sides) are available at Indoor Fireworks:
http://indoorfireworks.blogspot.com/2006/02/young-bloods-cant-spell-but-they-can.html.

I've wanted to feature Banksy's artwork since I first started doing this blog, so today's the day. For those who aren't familiar, he's a UK graf artist whose anti-corporate ideology, political imagination, and cultural wit make his artistic expressions too incredible to ignore. Check his website here: http://www.banksy.co.uk/menu.html.

I think Stephanie McKay's voice is phenomenal, but I haven't met many people who even recognize her name. As I result, I was pleasantly surprised when "Sadder Day" turned up on The Number One Songs In Heaven (see post on 2/20). Now that you have the opportunity, don't sleep a second longer:
http://www.londonlee.com/blog.html.

Grandgood recently posted a great throwback joint---"Foolish Mentality" by 12 Jewelz (produced by DJ Greyboy): http://www.grandgood.com/random.html. Other recent posts include a Wu-Tang concert review, updated information about Sony's "dishonest practices", and words to the poem that Saul Williams recites on his MTV2 commercial.

Okay---I'm outta time, so that's gonna have to end this shit for today, family. Be easy...