Not expecting a discussion about Postcolonial literature with a songwriter, are you? But if you've really looked into what Himanshu Suri and Das Racist are about, this should not be surprising.
Here's the problem with labeling Das Racist "joke rap." Sure, they have funny songs like "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell." But some people assume that because Suri and Victor Vasquez write humorous lyrics, they can't also be socially conscious artists. But the two ideas aren't mutually exclusive. The world of performing arts is filled with people who deliver serious messages about race or class and who are also pretty funny. People like Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, and Chris Rock. Even people like George Carlin and Lenny Bruce, who didn't discuss race and class as much, had plenty to say.
Read More