Pharoahe Monch is my favorite emcee, and “Free” showcases his talents. He rocks over an aggressive guitar riff with a Millie Jackson sample. Combining clever wordplay, social commentary, intricate rhyme schemes, metaphors galore, an inspiring chorus, and a tenacious delivery, it makes for an awesome song in every sense.
Here’s my favorite lyric:
“So google Pharoahe Monch, search Triskaidekaphobia
I’ll explain why these city banks watch over ya”
Triskaidekaphobia = The fear of 13
city banks = Citibank
watch over ya = Wachovia
He’s very cryptic here, stating that he has information regarding the true agendas of the banking system and it’s connection with the number 13. Whether he actually knows this information or it’s an intricate demonstration of braggadocio, it’s awesome wordplay.
This song serves two purposes. It’s not only a great workout song, but it’s message is very relevant to the current events in the US recently. With congress passing the National Defense Authorization Act and a failed attempt to pass the SOPA and PIPA internet censorship bills, our freedoms are being questioned. People are waking up, questioning what is going on around them, and protecting their freedoms. With how quickly the SOPA and PIPA bills were abandoned, it shows how effectively people can use the internet to unite and spread knowledge for a common cause.
This is my opinion on free speech and information. If you research something on the internet, it’s akin to speaking with multiple people about a topic. Some might be experts, and others not so much. But the point is to draw your own conclusion by evaluating multiple sources. With television, you’re provided with limited points of view. This information is also controlled, which means you have to trust it to be completely true and unbiased (and nothing is completely true and unbiased). Free information allows individuals to do their own research and form their own conclusions, instead of being force fed. Wouldn’t you rather have the opportunity to consult many sources, instead of having to accept “the truth” from one or two conglomerates? This applies to everything from the news to health and fitness. I’m sure Buddha would agree with the idea of free information, as it provides more opportunity for individuals to use their own reason to draw conclusions.
