When a pair of quick-witted emcees joins forces with a battle-hardened, groove-fusing rhythm section, a classically trained violist and trumpet player, the result is a sound that explores and expands the frontiers of live hip-hop. Progressive in both style and message, the band's ability to drop from symphonic rock-infused crescendos into stripped-down string-laden breakbeats has earned Flobots a reputation for both originality and authenticity.
After originally forming as a side project in 2005, Flobots brought together Emcee’s Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit with violist Mackenzie Roberts, guitarist Andy Guerrero, bassist Jesse Walker, trumpet player Joe Ferrone, and drummer Kenny Ortiz. By the end of the year, it was clear that the band's refreshingly positive message and nontraditional instrumentation gave it both a universal appeal and a marketable buzz factor. Whether sharing the stage with jam bands, indie rock acts, or hip-hop groups, Flobots won the crowds and quickly reached a tippping point to became one of Denver's most influential bands.
The band's first EP, Platypus, was recorded quickly in response to the clamor of eager fans. Platypus' CD sales in the first week put Flobots at #1 on Twist & Shout's bestseller list. In just a year and half, Platypus has sold over 3000 copies in Colorado and the surrounding region. The strength of this small record and a relentless performing schedule has enabled the band to open for acts like The Coup, Lyrics Born, Immortal Technique, and 2mex. Even Multi-platinum recording artist The Fray took notice, inviting the band to open the last night of their North American Tour at Red Rocks amphitheatre.
Now, just two and a half years from the birth of their first song, the band regularly sells out Denver venues and is developing sizeable followings in California, Nebraska, Utah, and Wyoming.
The upward trajectory continues as the band prepares to release its first full-length record, Fight With Tools (October 2007). Representing a year's worth of writing and recording, the record is a fire-breathing rallying cry for all free-thinking individuals fed-up with the violence and apathy that have thus far defined the new millenium.
In February and March 2009 Flobots are going to join Rise Against, Anti-Flag, and Propaghandi for their United Kingdom tour.
Armed with musicianship, intelligence, and a passionate loyalty to the power of creation, Flobots are looking to engage a new musical culture, one mind at a time.
Acclaimed Universal Republic alternative/hip hop collective Flobots released their sophomore album Survival Story on March 16th. The first single from their new offering is a call-to-unarm, “White Flag Warrior,” featuring a guest appearance by Tim McIIrath, founder of influential Chicago band Rise Against. Survival Story is the follow-up to their 2008 game-changing, 300,000-plus selling Universal Republic debut album, ‘Fight With Tools’. The new album was helmed by noted producer Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Beck, Jack Johnson, Moby), and finds the group at yet another turning point of inspiring transformation.
Flobots garnered across-the-board critical, cultural and commercial acclaim in 2008 with their grassroots-waged kickoff single, the rousing Top 5, platinum-plus smash “Handlebars.” The song became the mind-bending clarion call of both the rap and rock worlds, with the spirited anthem soaring to #1 on the alternative radio chart as the format’s most requested song of the year. “Handlebars” became a digital, video, and MySpace phenomenon, (along with ‘Fight With Tools’ follow-up hit “Rise”) soaring to #10 on the iTunes hip hop chart, with the digital version of the band’s CD climbing to #2 on the iTunes hip hop countdown.
The six-member band was also recognized as innovative agents of massive cultural change during their mainstream rise, with media outlets such as USA Today praising their “stinging social commentary,” and the Boston Herald calling them “rap’s most singular breakthrough act in years.” Flobots became a symbol of a new generation shifting priorities at the decade’s close, thanks to the hands-on and highly charged social-activism embedded in their music and their vigorous community networking. Their uplifting calls to action mirrored the communal reawakening taking place throughout the entire country. The band’s galvanizing live presence rocked late night TV (The Tonight Show
, Conan O’Brien, and others,) and saw them ‘own’ the stage at the Democratic National Convention in their hometown of Denver, as well as on election night. The group also logged several sold-out tours across the U.S. and inspired audiences throughout the world with their incredible live show.
Survival Story finds the band invigorated by the range of life-experiences that flowed through the Flobots’ global collective the past two years (their extremely effective non-profit organization, flobots.org, has mobilized fans to become change-agents in their own communities throughout the world). But, the sophomore album also arrives in 2010 as a vision of hope for a world pondering its limits: Flobots’ unique birds-eye view of a world changed and rearranged – both inside and out.
The new effort features songs such as the counter-intuitive “White Flag Warrior,” the signature “Whips And Chains,” and the funk-infested “Infatuation,” among others. “We understand change can be complicated,” says co-founder Jonny 5. “We’re six different people ourselves trying to make a difference. We’ve always been about valuing everyone’s voice, whether in or outside of the band. We believe Survival Story is a true record of our growth as we all process this great new world that’s emerging.”
Created in Blasting Room studios in Ft. Collins CO, Survival Story was produced by Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys).
In the summer of 2011, Andy Guerro left Flobots in order to concentrate in his older band, Bop Skizzum.
There's A War Going On For Your Mind
Flobots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Media mavens mount surgical strikes from trapper keeper collages and online magazine racks
Cover girl cutouts throw up pop-up ads
Infecting victims with silicone shrapnel
Worldwide passenger pigeons deploy paratroopers
Now it's raining pornography
Lovers take shelter
Post-production debutantes pursue you in Nascar chariots
They construct ransom letters from Biblical passages and bleed mascara into the holy water supplies
There's a war going on for your mind
Industry insiders slang test tube babies to corporate crack heads
They flash logos and blast ghettos
Their embroidered neckties say "Stop Snitching"
Conscious rappers and whistle blowers get stitches made of acupuncture needles and marionette strings
There is a war going on for your mind
Professional wrestlers and vice presidents want you to believe them
The desert sky is their blue screen
They superimpose explosions
They shout at you
"Pay no attention to the men behind the barbed curtain
Nor the craters beneath the draped flags
Those hoods are there for your protection
And meteors these days are the size of corpses"
There's a war going on for your mind
We are the insurgents
Flobots's "There's A War Going On For Your Mind" lyrics discuss the barrage of media that we are subjected to daily, from ads and cutouts to pop-up ads and even pornography. The song is a commentary on how our minds are being manipulated and controlled by a select few who have the power and resources to do so. The opening lyric, "There's a war going on for your mind," sets the tone for the rest of the song, which describes the different ways in which this war is being waged.
The lyrics also delve into the concept of power and control, with references to the "industry insiders" who "slang test tube babies to corporate crack heads." The use of the term "corporate crack heads" suggests that these insiders are addicted to the power and control they have over the masses through their manipulation of the media. They use logos and embroidered neckties to assert their authority and discourage people from speaking out, as evidenced by the neckties that say "Stop Snitching." The needle and string reference is also significant; it suggests that those who speak out against the propaganda are being silenced through painful and often violent means.
Flobots makes it clear that we, the people, are the insurgents in this war for our minds. It is up to us to take control and fight back against the manipulation and brainwashing that we are constantly subjected to. In this way, the song becomes a call to action, urging us to resist the media and advertising that seek to control our thoughts and beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a war going on for your mind
The song's central message is that the ways we consume media, entertainment, and information are constantly manipulated and weaponized in a larger war for our attention and opinions. This war is ongoing and affects everyone.
Media mavens mount surgical strikes from trapper keeper collages and online magazine racks
People who control and distribute media content are using various methods, both old and new, to influence us. They meticulously plan and execute strategies to get our attention and shape our views.
Cover girl cutouts throw up pop-up ads
Infecting victims with silicone shrapnel
Even seemingly harmless and ubiquitous things like ads and commercials can be harmful and detrimental to our mental health. They are designed to penetrate our subconsciousness and influence our behavior without us even realizing it.
Worldwide passenger pigeons deploy paratroopers
Now it's raining pornography
Lovers take shelter
With the rise of technology and the internet, explicit and graphic content has become more accessible than ever before. This media content can be disturbing and traumatic to some people, causing them to seek refuge from it.
Post-production debutantes pursue you in Nascar chariots
They construct ransom letters from Biblical passages and bleed mascara into the holy water supplies
People in power and control can use their resources and influence to manipulate and intimidate us. They may even use religion, a sacred and personal aspect of life, against us to achieve their goals.
Industry insiders slang test tube babies to corporate crack heads
They flash logos and blast ghettos
Their embroidered neckties say "Stop Snitching"
Companies and businesses often use controversial ethics and tactics to profit and expand. They exploit and market to disadvantaged communities while also promoting secrecy and silence in their ranks.
Conscious rappers and whistle blowers get stitches made of acupuncture needles and marionette strings
People who speak out against the status quo or expose corruption are often punished and silenced in brutal and inhumane ways. Their voices are suppressed or controlled by those in power.
Professional wrestlers and vice presidents want you to believe them
The desert sky is their blue screen
They superimpose explosions
They shout at you
People in positions of power and influence, whether in entertainment or politics, often manipulate and deceive us using grandiose and flashy imagery. They seek to control our beliefs and opinions by dictating what we see and hear.
"Pay no attention to the men behind the barbed curtain
Nor the craters beneath the draped flags
Those hoods are there for your protection
And meteors these days are the size of corpses"
Those in power and control will try to justify their actions or the state of the world by giving us false or incomplete information. They seek to distract us from the real truths and issues by creating a false sense of security and urgency.
We are the insurgents
The song concludes by stating that we, the people, are the ones who must fight back against the war for our minds. We must be aware, vigilant, and resist the manipulations and ploys that threaten our freedoms and autonomy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW GUERRERO, JAMIE LAURIE, JESSE WALKER, KENNETH ORTIZ, MACKENZIE ROBERTS, STEPHEN BRACKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind