Bay Area revolutionary hip-hop firebrand Paris returns with the third single and video from his new critically-acclaimed double album, Pistol Politics. “Hard Truth Soldier (Redux)” features the trademark snarl and aggression that have made him a political rap stalwart, and serves as what he calls “a general statement of purpose, emphasizing the principles of self-love, self-reliance and self-determination”.
Paris has a long lasting career filled with incendiary lyrics and shocking videos, and “Hard Truth Soldier (Redux)” continues in that tradition by showcasing his well-known unapologetic revolutionary stance of self-empowerment. He raps,
“Take us back to black businesses with black business/ Black wealth and black people doing for self/ Take us back to days so we moving in step/ ‘Til we raise up, understand it’s freedom or death.”
While some may criticize his music and imagery as controversial and exclusionary, Paris responds coolly. “We’re all entitled to our opinions. But remember, if I’m not inciting emotion and sparking analytical thought, my art’s not effective. Love of self does not mean hatred of others. These messages of pride and upliftment are seldom heard in hip-hop now — and when they are, it’s rarely with force. To me, hip-hop is at its best when it’s challenging, when it’s aggressive, and when it speaks to the condition of the People. This is that revolutionary knock.”
Paris’ latest album Pistol Politics is available now at Guerrilla Funk, iTunes & other fine retailers everywhere.