Visual Identity Politics and Remix Society

TimelineofHueyRemixed

Huey Remixed 2015: Paris

In November, 2015 in San Francisco, CA, USA, a photograph of Paris in a rattan chair made by Paris, was a leitmotif in the video of ‘Hard Thruth Soldier (Redux)’.

I first encountered this image in the Netflix documentary “Evolution of Hip Hop”. In this picture you see, San Francisco-based rapper Paris re-create the famous wicker chair photo the of Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton. This image is downloaded from sfchronicle.com.

This specific image is a leitmotif in the video “Hard Truth Soldier (redux)”, found on guerillafunk.com. The video, written, directed and starring Paris is the third single from the album Pistol Politics, released in September 11, 2015. In this video Paris is performing his rhymes from the wicker chair, alongside historical and iconic imagery of the Black Panther Movement, the civil rights struggle, the Black Lives Matter protests, black heroes and hiphop-icons.

Paris

Oscar Jackson, Jr. (born October 29, 1967), better known by his stage name Paris, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California, known for his highly charged political and socially conscious lyrics.

“Hard Truth Soldier (redux)” Lyrics (genius.com)

[Verse 1]
Just below the surface is hate
Retake, Black Panther mind state
With a platinum heater tucked in my draws
Still raw, still down for the cause
Choosin’ words wisely
Knowin’ some despisin’ what I’m writing, ain’t no time for compromising
Watchin’ coons clown, ice cold expression
Too many on the paper chase with no direction
So we correct ‘em, catch ‘em in dresses
Snatch your bitch ass backwards myself, ‘the fuck you thankin’?
“Blap” when the strap buck, now they back up
Ain’t no more act up, now shit ain’t funny no more
I know that some of y’all ‘course, ain’t feelin’ me
Everyday it seem to get worse, y’all niggas killin’ me
I stay low key, and let ‘em be with the coon shit
Blame it on the coon shit, it’s real like that
Cause Hollywood ain’t real like that
Hold up your hands if you feel like that
Where all my hard truth soldiers at?
Hit back, it’s P-Dog, I never run or buckle
Knowin’ when you look in my eyes as I choke the muzzle
Always reppin the struggle
Represent the people, freedom fighter do or die on another level
Never looking’ to settle
Black metal, Gat Turner with the twin burners, when I buck the devil

[Hook]
What they say, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
Believe, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
That’s right, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
Believe, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier

[Verse 2]
So many fake ass J-cat wannabe acts
With them fake raps niggas always wanna be macks
Never face facts, niggas always wanna relax
So I stay black, make them cat niggas collapse
Gives a fuck bout your shine, I’m a rider for mines
Let the dogs out, never leave a child behind
Goin’ balls out, cause you know I’m knowin’ the time
So I call out, all these coon niggas with rhymes
It’s the G-U-E-R, R-I double L, A funk
Back to black, back with that
Black fist and blackness black back to business
Bitch slap ya lip and clap back at pigs
This is, the movement, I keep it a hundred
Take it back to the days when the people was on it
Take it back to the days when black fists was raised
Take it back to the fight, black people unite, I tell ‘em

[Hook]
What they say, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
Believe, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
That’s right, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier
Believe, you ain’t nothin’ but a soldier
Yeah, straight hard truth soldier

[Verse 3]
It’s that 1-2-3, the 3 the 2-1
Paris back in this motherfucka, muggin’ and gunnin’
To rewind and remind us of what it’s about
Shine light so the blind get to figure it out
OG Coon killa, who wanna test
Any nigga in a dress, I’ma put him to rest
Any wannabe pimp police or kingpins that’s rappin’
And pushing poison to kids, I’m killin’
Like that, nigga what? It’s hard truth
The return of the rough, and y’all through
I’m black manhood, I can’t be bought
Or sold out or co-opted, swayed or paid off
STOP cosigning’ coons, make us all look bad
STOP cosigning fools say we hatin and mad
Man, you motherfuckin’ right niggas hatin’ and mad
So STOP co signing’ coons, make us all look bad
Take us back to the days, back to the start
Back to the place, back to the art
Back to the panthers and livin’ in peace
And to community and kids playin’ safe in the street
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
Till we raise up understand it’s freedom or death, and tell ‘em

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Panthers-impact-on-pop-culture-more-complex-9971630.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_(rapper)
http://www.guerrillafunk.com/paris/pistol_politics/hardtruthsoldier_redux.html