It is the album the Israel lobby tried – and failed – to kill. “Soundtrack to the Struggle 3” by MintPress News’ Lowkey is released today.
It is the rapper’s first album in five years and is already receiving critical acclaim. Today on “The MintCast,” Mnar Adley sits down with Lowkey to discuss his new offering, the attempts to shut him down, and why good music is often political.
A tireless fighter for justice, Lowkey’s tracks have become anthems in the anti-war movement, particularly in the struggle for Palestine liberation. “Soundtrack to the Struggle 3” is no different and provides a political snapshot in time, taking on issues such as the genocide in Gaza, the persecution of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange, and the pervasive surveillance power of our smartphones.
If the Israel lobby had its way, this album would never have seen the light of day. Last year, the pressure group We Believe in Israel petitioned music giant Spotify to remove his songs from their platform, citing non-existent anti-Semitism concerns. We Believe in Israel works hand-in-hand with the Israeli government, which has been monitoring Lowkey closely for over a decade. The Jewish Chronicle newspaper once noted that the rapper’s skill and worldwide fan base constituted a “nightmare” for the government in Tel Aviv.
“Pro-Israel groups had me no-platformed at different shows; I’ve been canceled in at least four countries so far, thanks to their maneuvers,” Lowkey told MintPress, adding: “They have recorded meetings I have been at, taken pictures of me in public, and I am sure there is a lot more we do not know about…I’m sure this album will make them very angry and unhappy… They certainly won’t want people to listen to this album.”
Lowkey began his music career in the mid-2000s as a member of the group Poisonous Poets. Although he is now a solo artist, he has collaborated with many of the most well-known names in the music industry, including Arctic Monkeys, Wretch 32, Immortal Technique and Akala. He is a patron of Stop The War Coalition, the Racial Justice Network, and The Peace and Justice Project.
This kind of pedigree earned him respect and admiration in the music scene but made major labels extremely wary of working with him because of his radicalism. As he told MintPress:
I was never really embraced by any major label, despite selling hundreds of thousands of records, getting millions of views online, and selling thousands of tickets. I was never approached by a major label. And actually, major labels are signing artists that have done far less, and have demonstrated far less marketability. And I am of the view that it is simply down to the subject matter.”
“Soundtrack to the Struggle 3” is available to stream for free on major music platforms such as Spotify. You can also watch official music videos on YouTube. Lowkey is currently on tour in the United Kingdom and will play live shows in London, Birmingham and Manchester this November. The album is also available in hard copy for purchase at his shows.
Mnar Adley is an award-winning journalist and editor and is the founder and director of MintPress News. She is also president and director of the non-profit media organization Behind the Headlines. Adley also co-hosts the MintCast podcast and is a producer and host of the video series Behind The Headlines. Contact Mnar at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @mnarmuh.
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Also, check out rapper Lowkey’s video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.
