Austin McCoy

Week 7: The Rise of West Coast/Gangsta Rap - YouTube

Today's class playlist. Starting with Toddy Tee's "Batterram."

youtube.com/playlist?lis...

I told students if folks were offended by NWA’s “F- the Police,” then his criticisms of law enforcement on The Predator were more offensive.

Picture of three Ice Cube CDs from left to right to bottom: Amerikkka’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate, and The Predator.

We talked about gangsta rap, the 1992 LA uprising, and Ice Cube in hip hop history today. I explained how Cube responded to police violence before the rebellion and after.

I never knew there was a team "erase the boards when you come in." That just seems backwards to me

YouTube video by NasVEVO Nas - If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) (Official HD Video) ft. Lauryn Hill

I asked students in my hip hop history class to choose songs released before 2001 and analyze and contextualize them. I was kind of surprised to find that "If I Ruled the World" was the most chosen song.

Yes! I'm glad you asked! Here are the song choices that surprised me:
Common - "Invocation"
Beastie Boys - "Shadrach"
KRS-One - "MCs Act Like They Don't Know"
Pete Rock and CL Smooth - "TROY"
Black Star - "Definition."

Obviously, this song is worthy, but I thought I'd see more of the same Eminem, Dr. Dre, Tupac, or Snoop tracks. What is great is students discussed how Nas's song is utopian and it is about addressing racist policing and mass incarceration in the 1990s--two years after the passage of the Crime Bill.

YouTube video by NasVEVO Nas - If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) (Official HD Video) ft. Lauryn Hill

I asked students in my hip hop history class to choose songs released before 2001 and analyze and contextualize them. I was kind of surprised to find that "If I Ruled the World" was the most chosen song.

She ended up with a bat in her mouth — and $21,000 in medical bills Erica Kahn made two mistakes: One was skipping health insurance when she was laid off from her job. The other was screaming when a wild bat landed on her face.

One of the many reasons why we should have single payer.

(The distribution of COVID shots before all of the restrictions is an example of how single payer could work, which might be another reason for the elite opposition to them.)

Oh boy smh

Yeah, there's a lot of folks who need to pay attention to how reactionaries have already been criminalizing protest in FL, TX, and ATL.

and, as you've said, THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF THIS GOING BACK TO JIM CROW, IF NOT ENSLAVEMENT.

This is especially the case if the Feds want to follow Atlanta's lead and start charging organizers and protesters with racketeering (and conspiracy). Just because the ATL case was dismissed won't stop the Feds from trying

Also--I thought some of these institutions were going to refrain from making "political statements."

Black student found hanging from tree at Delta State University The body of 21-year-old Demartravion "Trey" Reed was discovered on Monday, prompting the university to cancel classes and campus activities.

The "nothing to see here" tone from the authorities--not surprising, but still, like, wtf. A Black man hanging himself from a tree, in a public place, in Mississippi?

And the idea that folks should just trust the authorities on this ☠️

thegrio.com/2025/09/15/b...

The last several days have demonstrated that we need a stronger labor movement to protect worker’s free speech rights

Just feels like a lot of folks are lying to themselves right now smh

So a war to end slavery and another to end nazism isn’t “real violence”? lol okay, buddy

“If you think more violence…” I guess this person hasn’t heard about World War 2, or the Civil War, both fought to defeat fascism and racist authoritarianism

And despite the fact both of them were gunned down, many folks living here never wanted to take what they said about living in an incredibly violent society seriously. Then, and now.

I mean this sincerely—Malcolm X tried to tell us something deeper about violence in our society in November 1963, as did MLK when he spoke out against the Vietnam War at Riverside in 1967. And folks got mad at them for their analysis…

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amazing

HIST 493: History of Hip Hop in America - YouTube

Some of you asked if I would make a playlist for my Hip Hop history class. Here it is! It's pretty long because I basically condensed all of my Spotify playlists and added more notable tracks.

youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Thanks! 🙏

Want to read about @austinmccoy.bsky.social's Hip Hop History class? He wrote about it for #AHAPerspectives last year: 🗃️

Yes! They're awesome. I believe one of my friends introduced them to me by showing me the documentary about them.

Hope you enjoy!

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You already know 🙏

Nice! I hope you enjoy!