Filed under: art, politics | Tags: barack obama, politics, rolling stone, shepard fairey
Shepard Fairey’s second Obama commentary (because that’s the only thing to call it–more than art, Fairey is a master of cultural criticism), thoughtfully designed and gracing the cover of Rolling Stone. All those college kids summering at home while August slips through their fingers are gonna go nuts.
My first thought was the placement of the presidential seal behind Obama’s crown. Intentional, surely. Approaches a bit of bombasticness. The great Barkley Hendricks used the halo (or an initimation of it) to much more powerful effect in “Lawdy Mama,” his stunning gold-leafed portrait that typifies the 70’s mantra of “Black is Beautiful.
About his second Obama cover, Fairey writes:
However, a lot can and will change. As Joe Strummer of The Clash once said, “The future is unwritten.” In my illustration I make reference to Gilbert Stuart’s famous unfinished portrait of George Washington to capture the idea that, although we’re quick to judge, it’s too early to tell how Obama’s presidency will turn out. Hopefully Obama and all of us who have stood behind him will do everything we can to fill in our incomplete future the way we’ve pictured it.
It’s a great thing to ponder: As he enters the second part of his first year in office, will President Obama step boldly into the fray, fulfilling his promise of hope? Or will he suffer under the necessary weight of compromise?
Filed under: music, politics | Tags: hegemony, jay-z, marc lynch, politics, rap, the game
Jay-Z and Obama
Great article by Marc Lynch, a political science professor and rap aficionado, drawing parallels between timely feuds in the rap world and the international political scene. Sound like a stretch?
The article has its roots in L.A. rapper “The Game”’s attack on rap behemoth Jay-Z. Lynch’s comparison likens The Game to a small nation and Jay-Z to a superpower (the only remaining one) like the United States. He says that it’s a crap shoot whether The Game will actually make a dent in the Jay-Z’s hegemonic rap empire, but it’s the effort that will make a name for The Game. Kinda like a newbie politician who knows that he’ll lose his first campaign but gain name-recognition for future runs.
Jay-Z is entrenched in a prince-like seat of power in the rap world. Lynch notes that few rappers have challenged him:
As a young 50 Cent spat at him (twisting one of Jay’s own famous lines), “if I shoot you I’m famous, if you shoot me you’re brainless.” He’s generally avoided getting embroiled in beefs since reaching the top, only occasionally and briefly hitting back at provocations from rising contenders like 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and others. Responding to every challenge does not become a hegemon.
We know that often our greatest success comes in the student surpassing the teacher. This may be the case for The Game, a rising young star who was once a protege of Dr. Dre. We’ll see how the feud–and its parallel to international politics–plays out.
Filed under: film, government, politics | Tags: joseph gordon levitt, obama, politics, scott heim, youth
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the director of this short video, is a good friend of my good friend, Scott Heim, who wrote the novel Mysterious Skin. He’s an actor (best known for playing the slacker kid on 3rd Rock but has far exceeded this role in films like Brick and the adaptation of Mysterious Skin).
I’m impressed with the verve and youthful energy of Joseph’s video. When he was last able to vote, he had the choice of a dull Gore or a dummy named Bush–all of which didn’t matter as our last President was chosen by the Supreme Court rather than everyday U.S. citizens. Give Joseph’s video a look-see.
