Band members include John Pandit (aka Pandit G) (turntables), Deeder Zaman (aka Master D) (vocals) and Aniruddha Das (aka Dr Das) (bass), later joined by Steve Chandra Savale (aka Chandrasonic) (guitar and adf mastermind), Sanjay Tailor (aka Sun-J) (midi, soundeffects), and Bubble-E (dancer).
Master D left the band in 2000, shortly after that the band was joined by new members:
Pritphal Rajput (aka Cyber) (dhol, tabla), Rocky Singh (drums), MC Spex (vocals), MC Lord Kimo and Akhtar Ahmed (aka Aktarv8r) (vocals), the latter recruited from the band's ongoing education project ADFED.
In 2005 with the release of 'Tank' the band was joined by Ghetto Priest. In August 2007 Asian Dub Foundation started playing with two new vocalists, Al Rumjen (previously with King Prawn) and Aktarv8r returned after MC Spex was asked to leave the band. In November and December 2007 Asian Dub Foundation recorded a new album, Punkara, that was released in spring 2008. The current line-up of the band consists of Chandrasonic, Sun-J, Al Rumjen, Cyber, Aktarv8r, Pandit G and bassist Martin Savale (C-Sonic's brother).
They describe their sound as a mix of "...hard ragga-jungle rhythms, indo-dub basslines, searing sitar- inspired guitars and 'traditional' sounds gleaned from their parents' record collections, shot through with fast-chat conscious lyrics."
Most of their lyrics are politically oriented.
Sites: YouTube.
Jericho
Asian Dub Foundation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation:
The music we make it cuts across borders
We never make music to someone else's orders
Plenty of issues on the agenda
If you want to lend a helping hand
You're always told to shut up and dance
Turn the tables,
We know you're able
Don't just consume
Make your own tune.
The music, we use it
We're making a stand
I wouldn't call this a green and pleasant land
A conscious response is what we demand
Challenge the system and those in command
Express your opinion
It's your domain
If you fail to do this you are partly to blame
My heart is beating
No retreat
The battle continues
We'll suffer no defeat
This war you've been waging
It's time we were raging
In our minds and on the streets
Sample this it's an education
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Look around you, yeah
Open your mind
Check it out, tell me what you find
Here to document a situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Hope and glory
A myth of the Tories
We're here to tell you a different story
Here to redress the situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
A rapper I may be but packaged I'm not
I'll slip through the noose before you tie the knot
This work in progress not slick but rough
Breaking all records twelve inches ain't enough
Sample this
It's an education
The sounds of the original, the original
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
An Asian background that's what's reflected
But this militant vibe ain't what you expected
With your liberal minds you patronize our culture
Scanning the surface like vultures
With your tourist mentality
We're still the natives
You multicultural but we're anti-racist
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
And we cry
Them coulda never escape
Disya judgement
The song “Jericho” by Asian Dub Foundation speaks to the power of music as a tool for social change. The first lines speak of the band’s mission to bring consciousness to their nation through their music. The lyrics urge people to take a stance, to challenge the system and those in command. This is a call to action for individuals to express their opinion and to use their creativity to make their own tune. The lyrics also critique the notion of a “green and pleasant land,” exposing the myth of hope and glory myth peddled by the Tories. The Asian Dub Foundation sees themselves as documentarians of the political and social realities of their time, and the song is a reflection on their mission to use their music to effect change.
The second verse calls out the patronizing attitudes that people with liberal minds can exhibit towards minority cultures. The band highlights that while they may have an Asian background, their music is not limited by that label, and they are not objects to be “exoticized.” They affirm their identity as anti-racist and call for others to be active agents of social change as well. The bridge of the song echoes this theme by stating that “them coulda never escape disya judgement,” emphasizing the importance of accountability for all who benefit from systems of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
The music we make it cuts across borders
We make music that transcends geographic and cultural barriers.
We never make music to someone else's orders
We create music that is authentic to us and not dictated by external forces.
Plenty of issues on the agenda
There are many important topics that require attention.
If you want to lend a helping hand
If you're interested in making a difference,
You're always told to shut up and dance
You're often encouraged to simply enjoy the music and not consider its message.
But you have to change this-take a chance
However, it's important to challenge this status quo and embrace the opportunity to inspire change.
Turn the tables,
Reverse the roles
We know you're able
We believe you have the potential
Don't just consume
Don't only partake in what's already been created
Make your own tune.
Create your own content and express yourself.
The music, we use it
We utilize music as a tool
We're making a stand
We are making a statement and taking action.
I wouldn't call this a green and pleasant land
I wouldn't describe this place as idyllic or serene.
A conscious response is what we demand
Our goal is to stimulate mindful, thoughtful reactions to the world around us.
Challenge the system and those in command
We aim to disrupt the established system and individuals who enforce it.
Express your opinion
Share your thoughts and feelings
It's your domain
This is your space and you have a right to contribute to it.
If you fail to do this you are partly to blame
If you don't speak up, you are tacitly condoning the status quo.
My heart is beating
I am alive and passionate.
No retreat
We won't back down from what we believe in.
The battle continues
We acknowledge that the fight isn't over.
We'll suffer no defeat
We will remain undaunted.
This war you've been waging
The conflict you've been pursuing
It's time we were raging
We need to be passionate and forceful in our response.
In our minds and on the streets
We need to approach these issues from both an intellectual and physical standpoint.
Sample this it's an education
Listen to this music and you'll learn something.
Look around you, yeah
Observe your surroundings
Open your mind
Be receptive to new ideas and perspectives.
Check it out, tell me what you find
Examine it for yourself - what do you discover?
Here to document a situation
We're here to chronicle and bring attention to an issue.
Hope and glory
Optimism and idealism
A myth of the Tories
A cosmetic version of reality promoted by a political party
We're here to tell you a different story
We want to provide an alternative narrative.
Here to redress the situation
We aim to correct and rebalance the issue.
A rapper I may be but packaged I'm not
I may be a rap artist, but I'm not polished or overproduced
I'll slip through the noose before you tie the knot
I won't let myself be confined or entrapped.
This work in progress not slick but rough
This is an evolving piece, which is raw and unrefined.
Breaking all records twelve inches ain't enough
We're pushing boundaries and breaking conventions. Achieving only the standard is not sufficient.
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
We are not a curiosity or an aberration, we are simply who we are.
The only 'e' we use is electric
The only e-word relevant to our music is 'electric'.
With your liberal minds you patronize our culture
Your progressive worldviews are still rooted in condescension towards our ethnicity and traditions.
Scanning the surface like vultures
Examining our culture only superficially and selectively
With your tourist mentality
You approach our culture as an outsider without seeking to truly comprehend it.
We're still the natives
We are still the ones who belong here and are attached to this land.
You multicultural but we're anti-racist
While you may promote diversity, we actively oppose racism in our actions and beliefs.
And we cry
And we lament
Them coulda never escape
They cannot escape the consequences of their actions.
Disya judgement
This is the decision or verdict.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANIRUDDHA DAS, DEEDAR ZAMAN, DEEDER ZAMAN, JOHN ASHOK PANDIT, SAIDULLAH ZAMAN, STEVE CHANDRA SAVALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Cosmobas
r the consciousness of the nation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation:
The music we make it cuts across borders
We never make music to someone else's orders
Plenty of issues on the agenda
If you want to lend a helping hand
You're always told to shut up and dance
But you have to change this-take a chance
Turn the tables,
We know you're able
Don't just consume
Make your own tune.
The music, we use it
We're making a stand
I wouldn't call this a green and pleasant land
A conscious response is what we demand
Challenge the system and those in command
Express your opinion
It's your domain
If you fail to do this you are partly to blame
My heart is beating
No retreat
The battle continues
We'll suffer no defeat
This war you've been waging
It's time we were raging
In our minds and on the streets
Sample this it's an education
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Look around you, yeah
Open your mind
Check it out, tell me what you find
Here to document a situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Hope and glory
A myth of the Tories
We're here to tell you a different story
Here to redress the situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
A rapper I may be but packaged I'm not
I'll slip through the noose before you tie the knot
This work in progress not slick but rough
Breaking all records twelve inches ain't enough
Sample this
It's an education
The sounds of the original, the original
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
An Asian background that's what's reflected
But this militant vibe ain't what you expected
With your liberal minds you patronize our culture
Scanning the surface like vultures
With your tourist mentality
We're still the natives
You multicultural but we're anti-racist
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
And we cry
Them coulda never escape
Disya judgement
@jenniferweldon9082
their music never gets old. cranken it loud now!
@ogp12
I would stay away from the war rhetoric, battles and defeat and such, but the 'Don't just consume, make your own tune' line hits the spot. I recall watching an interview with Kode9 where he said "The minute you are making sounds instead of being a passive victim of your environment, you start to carve out your territory in the environment. That's why for a lot of kids it's so empowering to do music in an otherwise shit, depressed situation"
@snagaragpicruag
THE BEST BAND OF THE WORLD... OF ALL TIMES !!! Long live ADF and intercultural music! !!¡¡¡
@BubuBF
Na Woodstocku zrobili rozpierdol! Mega koncert! Dziękuje :D The best concert on Woodstock 2012! Thank U guys! ;)
@Cosmobas
r the consciousness of the nation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation:
The music we make it cuts across borders
We never make music to someone else's orders
Plenty of issues on the agenda
If you want to lend a helping hand
You're always told to shut up and dance
But you have to change this-take a chance
Turn the tables,
We know you're able
Don't just consume
Make your own tune.
The music, we use it
We're making a stand
I wouldn't call this a green and pleasant land
A conscious response is what we demand
Challenge the system and those in command
Express your opinion
It's your domain
If you fail to do this you are partly to blame
My heart is beating
No retreat
The battle continues
We'll suffer no defeat
This war you've been waging
It's time we were raging
In our minds and on the streets
Sample this it's an education
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Look around you, yeah
Open your mind
Check it out, tell me what you find
Here to document a situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
Hope and glory
A myth of the Tories
We're here to tell you a different story
Here to redress the situation
The sounds of the Asian dub foundation
A rapper I may be but packaged I'm not
I'll slip through the noose before you tie the knot
This work in progress not slick but rough
Breaking all records twelve inches ain't enough
Sample this
It's an education
The sounds of the original, the original
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
An Asian background that's what's reflected
But this militant vibe ain't what you expected
With your liberal minds you patronize our culture
Scanning the surface like vultures
With your tourist mentality
We're still the natives
You multicultural but we're anti-racist
We ain't ethnic, exotic or eclectic
The only 'e' we use is electric
And we cry
Them coulda never escape
Disya judgement
@snagaragpicruag
Esta canción es de mis favoritas de toda la vida ... ! Maestros, en este álbum -sobre todo-, en rafi's revenge -igual- y en Community Music !!! visionarios y espirituales ... cuando estaban los re masters !
@MrDarknessabove
Saudades... Grande som!
@TheSuperhappypeople
Listened to this while on my way to school back in the 90s. Man.. throws me back. Good times❤
@dhurtlakrass3795
For me the best album they released !!!
@oliviermoinard6002
Amy Winehouse