Ikonoklasta – Luaty Beirão

Posted by Tim on May 1, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Once again I find myself heading to Africa to find what I understand to be the true essence of the protest of Rap and Hip-Hop. In Luanda in Angola emerges Luaty Beirão aka Ikonoklasta.

I frequently hear from dinosaurs of the music industry that there is no political music around any-more as the audience doesn’t want it. I’m not sure which bands they are listening to in their home country, where in the UK as an example there is plenty, as for the allegation being thrown out over world music, perhaps it is time for those dinosaurs to take their rightful place in museums.

Angola underwent decades of civil war from 1975 to 2002 after becoming independent of Portugal, since when there has been an uneasy peace. In 1979 José Eduardo dos Santos became President and he still remains in situ, taking over from the only other, Neto, who took office in 1975 and died in Office. There are ‘free-elections’ scheduled for later this year, but musical protesters like Ikonoklasta face arrest, detention and as I write I understand he has been forced in to hiding.

Website

Ikonoklasta is making a difference to the world with his music and as such is a key addition to the Indie Bands Blog. His appearance in March 2011 was favourably received by fans, but not by the State and he was promptly arrested on the morning of the 7th March 2011.

Translation by Paulo of Galicia underneath..

Government mother fucker
I´m a kamikaze
why this has to be like that?
Why speaking about them has to be life threat?

Mr Danilo, if you are here, run and tell daddy (Dos Santos),
tell him please, that we don´t want him anymore here
32 years is to much… a lot!

Until when that shit!? Of intimidatory policy
you say, I´m going to shut up you at home
see right, your brother, your uncle, your father, think right
attention, i do know where you live,
why??
the other gave the opinion of him saying Zé Du must die
is censoring the sound, it´s the opinion of a frustrated
he is frustrated with the situation
Mr Dino Matross, Mr Virgílio De Fontes Pereira, every you, suck!!
Paulo Flores said that “oppressor of the oppressed” get out!! no??
The first Dino Matross is threatening the population
“oppressor of the oppressed” get out!!
Mr Dino Matross, Mr Virgílio De Fontes Pereira Out!!!!
Attention, I want to see on 7th
who is the pure REVU, on 7th
everybody already know
if we live till there, let´s see if I show everything so you can read
calm down, put clear Edu, put it clear:
YOU ZÉ TRHOW THE FEET, YOUR TIME IS OVER…. IN BWÉ
Independence square 7 this our day, Libya is achieving, Kadafi is going to fall
Zé Dú isn´t going to be anymore a friend, we don´t want more, we don´t want more
Bring only pans and spoons, we don´t want aggression
don´t bring party flags…please
to make noise with vuvuzelas and kitchen things
nobody wants party
Thank you very much
Join to the fight for total independence of Angola from the Dictator Jose Eduardo Dos
Santos and all his comitive !