calm. is a hip-hop duo featuring rapper Time and producer Awareness. Time has also done engineering work for Common and is a journalist who has worked with Noam Chomsky. I also previously had the privilege of interviewing Time for an episode of The Ongoing History of Protest Music Podcast.
They recently released the concept album Conversations With A Willow Tree. The album is an ode to a willow tree set in a dystopian world where plants are the heroes that fight colonialism and environmental collapse.
The album track “Landlord of the Gentriflies” is a scathing critique of gentrification. The opening verse from Time features the hard-hitting rebuke: ‘Since that eviction letter, this ain’t really been home. Landlord didn’t discover this, that’s Chris Columbus syndrome. We’re just trying to raise the roof, they just wanna raise the rent. I’ve been working 3 jobs, I gave that cracker every cent. Landlord of the flies, dollar signs in his eyes. Let’s stop working for the rich, so we can live our fucking lives.”
The second verse is from Canadian rapper Lee Reed, who is known for his political lyrics and social activism. His verse further explores the ill effects of capitalistic motivated gentrification. “Half a million evicted they still insisting the system work. Assisted living let you live in thirst. This government place people second, business first. They gentrified our existence, but we been dispersed.”
Renter’s right is a subject close to Reed’s heart. He also recently released the “Drop The Charges,” a charitable single whose proceeds support the HESN (Hamilton Encampment Support Network). HESN is an organization that supports homeless residents of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Just like several major cities throughout the world, the housing crisis is forcing more people onto the streets.
Socially conscious artists such as Time and Lee Reed are an example of how music can be an extension of activism.