DJ Babu (from the DJ crew Beat Junkies), Evidence, and Rakaa joined together in 1992 in Los Angeles, CA and released Third Degree and Work the Angles, which were quickly established as favorites in the underground scene and among rap critics. They eventually signed to Capitol and in 2000 released The Platform, to more critical acclaim. Their sophomore set Expansion Team was released in 2001, led by the Alchemist-produced single Worst Comes To Worst, which sampled from Mobb Deep's Survival Of The Fittest. Their third album, Neighborhood Watch, was released in 2004 and debuted at #55 on USA's Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In addition to the Kanye West-produced single, This Way, it also featured the single Who's Who?, which was also included as a track on the Need for Speed: Underground and SSX 3 soundtracks, and peaked at #35 on the UK Singles Chart.
In 2006, they returned with the single Back Again, produced by The Alchemist. The trio's fourth album, 20/20, debuted on February 21, 2006.
In 2007 they released The Release Party. This package included a feature-length documentary on DVD as well as EP featuring new songs and remixes. The film, released through Decon, is a celebration of the release from their contract with Capital.
Directors of Photography is the fifth studio album by the American hip hop group. The album was released on August 12, 2014, by Rhymesayers Entertainment.
Proper Propaganda
Dilated Peoples Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Near the intersection of Crenshaw and Wiltshire
Where, as you can see in the background
Military personnel are mobilized and waiting orders
Despite the quiet and the deceptive calm, tension is still
thick in the air after last night's concert and rebellion
The incident was allegedly sparked by police officers trying
Dilated People's
We'll keep you updated with any new developments. For Triclops
Media Watch, this is Harry Allen, hip hop activist and media assassin
And now, Proper Propaganda..
(Begin Song)
Watch it. Yes. (Indistinct shout-outs)
Hey yo we handle it, these brothers are fabulous
Dilated showing you what rhyme travel is
Words spitoon from sunlight to moon
Bustin' on stage like gunfight saloons
Click clack, my mic back, you like that?
Journalists? We're journalists too, we could strike back
Hardcore reporters with orders from headquarters
Behind enemy lines, sidestepping the borders
With press passes, we bring it to you as it happens
The streets love my crew for music and rappin
Street commander slash beat expander
Here to fight the slander with the proper propaganda
What's happenin'? You got a question? Then ask it
The news is just a TV show, get past it
And this, from a quiet wartime journalist
Headlines, wake up, refuse and resist
Resist, like this, like this, like
Like thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-this, why'all
(Chorus)
We kick finance action, and scores of sports
Politics, new fashion and war reports
Entertainment, when we come to perform watch
And the illest weatherman in the biz, I'm storm watch
Triclops Media, record, tape and TV, Net radio, CD or DVD
Iriscience (write rhymes on paper time)
This is why Baboo is scratching and keeping time
(Scratching) I make the people listen boogy down and move
Glory, The pen is mighter than the sword
'Cause the pen gives the word sending swords to war
They twisted it when they quoted Mao Tse-tung
They said political power comes from the barrel of a gun
The officer meets his fate, by .44 .38
It was a dirty deed, but that don't mean a dirty case
Witnesses against the state are shushed
Facts overlooked so the judge can throw the book
Perhaps for politicians with something to prove
In the city where they blew the roof off and move
Yo, questions when answered leads to more questions
Why'd it take months to remember a confession?
The principles are the same even without the name
But I still say M-you-M-I-A
I have to fight, it could easily be me
But just being the thinker than speakin it freely
Although I use my brain before using a fist
Don't push it, wake up, refuse and resist
(Scratching)
(Chorus)
The lyrics of Dilated Peoples's Proper Propaganda discusses the importance of properly reporting news and events, especially in the context of hip hop music and culture. The song begins with a news report from hip hop activist and media assassin Harry Allen, who reports from the Scottish Right Temple near Crenshaw and Wiltshire, where military personnel are mobilized after last night's concert and rebellion. The song highlights that despite the calm, tension still lingers in the air, as the police tried to shut down a supposedly peaceful concert by hip hop artists.
The main message of the song is to showcase how Dilated Peoples is fighting slander with proper propaganda. As journalists, Dilated Peoples specializes in hardcore reporting with orders from the headquarters, and they work behind enemy lines and sidestep borders to bring the news to you as it happens. They're not just rappers but are also true journalists who can strike back like any other journalist.
The second verse focuses on how the media twists and manipulates political news to sell it in the market, often intentionally misinterpreting quotes or events to cause a stir. The song also questions the authorities and politicians of the state, pointing out how they overlook facts and witnesses to throw the book at people. The song ends with a call to action, urging people to resist and refuse the status quo, violence, and propaganda.
Line by Line Meaning
We're coming to you live from the Scottish Right Temple
We are reporting from the Scottish Right Temple, giving you live updates on the current situation.
Near the intersection of Crenshaw and Wiltshire
The area we are reporting from is located near the intersection of Crenshaw and Wiltshire.
Where, as you can see in the background
From the background, you can see that military personnel are mobilized and waiting for orders, even though there's a deceptive calm in the environment.
Military personnel are mobilized and waiting orders
The military is present in full force, standing by for further instructions.
Despite the quiet and the deceptive calm, tension is still thick in the air after last night's concert and rebellion
A feeling of tension still exists despite everything seeming calm post last night's concert and rebellious activity.
The incident was allegedly sparked by police officers trying
According to reports, the police officers caused an event that incited the rebellion.
To shut down a reportedly peaceful concert by hip hop artists
The police officers were trying to stop a concert by hip-hop artists, which was believed to be peaceful.
Hey yo we handle it, these brothers are fabulous
We are Dilated People, and we handle the situation with grace, recognizing the excellence of those around us.
Dilated showing you what rhyme travel is
We, Dilated People, are exhibiting to you what it means to travel through rhymes with our performance.
Words spitoon from sunlight to moon
Our words spill out, moving fluidly from the daylight to the night.
Bustin' on stage like gunfight saloons
We take to the stage to perform like a gunshot in an old western saloon fight.
Click clack, my mic back, you like that?
Here's my mic, listen to me! Are you enjoying it?
Journalists? We're journalists too, we could strike back
We consider ourselves journalists, and thus, we can strike back at those who try to censor us.
With press passes, we bring it to you as it happens
As genuine members of the press, we can provide you with information as and when it happens.
The streets love my crew for music and rappin
Our neighborhood appreciates us for our music and rapping skills.
Street commander slash beat expander
We're street commanders who bring new beat experiences to the people.
Here to fight the slander with the proper propaganda
We are here to fight against the falsehoods with the right kind of propaganda.
The news is just a TV show, get past it
The news is an entertainment show that should be disregarded as such.
Headlines, wake up, refuse and resist
The sensational headlines are jarring; we should awaken, refuse to accept it and resist it.
Resist, like this, like this, like
Resistance should occur in this manner, like this, like this, like.
Politics, new fashion and war reports
We report on and entertain information about politics, new fashion, and war.
And the illest weatherman in the biz, I'm storm watch
Our in-house weatherman is the best, and we've named him Storm Watch.
Triclops Media, record, tape and TV, Net radio, CD or DVD
Our media house, called Triclops, provides a range of audio and visual entertainment media, from records and tapes to TV, Net Radio, CDs, and DVDs.
Iriscience (write rhymes on paper time)
One of our members, Iriscience, composes rhymes while respecting the importance of time management.
The officer meets his fate, by .44 .38
The officer suffered the consequences of his fate at the hands of a .44 or .38.
It was a dirty deed, but that don't mean a dirty case
Although a terrible act was committed, it doesn't imply that the case should be treated in the same way.
The principles are the same even without the name
Principles remain constant, even if they aren't called by name.
But I still say M-you-M-I-A
I still argue for the cause of the Miami Cubans.
Although I use my brain before using a fist
While making decisions, I prioritize using my brain over my fists.
Don't push it, wake up, refuse and resist
Don't aggravate the situation, be aware, and refuse to accept it while pushing back against it.
Lyrics © Royalty Network
Written by: Tim McQueen, Edward Schell, Claude Johnson, Christopher E Oroc, Rakaa Taylor, Michael Taylor Perretta, Johnny Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Wilson
Hey yo we handle it, these brothers are fabulous
Dilated showing you what rhyme travel is
Words spitoon from sunlight to moon
Bustin' on stage like gunfight saloons
Click clack, my mic back, you like that?
Journalists? We're journalists too, we could strike back
Hardcore reporters with orders from headquarters
Behind enemy lines, sidestepping the borders
With press passes, we bring it to you as it happens
The streets love my crew for music and rappin
Street commander slash beat expander
Here to fight the slander with the proper propaganda
What's happenin'? You got a question? Then ask it
The news is just a TV show, get past it
And this, from a quiet wartime journalist
Headlines, wake up, refuse and resist
Resist, like this, like this, like
Like thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-thi-this, why'all
We kick finance action, and scores of sports
Politics, new fashion and war reports
Entertainment, when we come to perform watch
And the illest weatherman in the biz, I'm storm watch
Triclops Media, record, tape and TV, Net radio, CD or DVD
Iriscience (write rhymes on paper time)
This is why Baboo is scratching and keeping time
[Scratching] I make the people listen boogy down and move
Glory, The pen is mighter than the sword
'Cause the pen gives the word sending swords to war
They twisted it when they quoted Mao Tse-tung
They said political power comes from the barrel of a gun
The officer meets his fate, by .44 .38
It was a dirty deed, but that don't mean a dirty case
Witnesses against the state are shushed
Facts overlooked so the judge can throw the book
Perhaps for politicians with something to prove
In the city where they blew the roof off and move
Yo, questions when answered leads to more questions
Why'd it take months to remember a confession?
The principles are the same even without the name
But I still say M-you-M-I-A
I have to fight, it could easily be me
But just being the thinker than speakin it freely
Although I use my brain before using a fist
Don't push it, wake up, refuse and resist
We kick finance action, and scores of sports
Politics, new fashion and war reports
Entertainment, when we come to perform watch
And the illest weatherman in the biz, I'm storm watch
Triclops Media, record, tape and TV, Net radio, CD or DVD
Iriscience (write rhymes on paper time)
This is why Baboo is scratching and keeping time
[Scratching] I make the people listen boogy down and move
Jeff Ree
Expansion Team is one of the illest albums of all time, SO underrated!
abel ordoñez
@george mitchell xxx
abel ordoñez
@george mitchell z😁xxxxcc
abel ordoñez
@george mitchell 🥔🏅🏅🏅🏐🏐🥇:-{:-{:-{,,
george mitchell
Yes!
No sThaPlace dat 'I'nE dope as UsuAll Kid AT'M
PURE MUSIC HISTORY
If Yu didn't listen to this atleast 100 times over the years, Yu doing smth wrong.
oscar aguero
Uno de los MEJORES temas de su MEJOR disco. Aun recuerdo, cuando no dejaban de sonar esos tracks en mi estereo y en mi barrio. La CREMA ! Oscar M E X I C O
Scott B
I took this cd from my older brother and never told anyone. I used to fall asleep to this album on my walkman every night for the better part of a year.
GozerTheGozerian
3:13 tell me who among today's weak-ass hip hop producers can do THAT? Gorgeous sample, impeccable scratching, just the right amount of snap on those kicks and snares. And that's without even mentioning the rest of the skill on display here, from flow to lyricism to powerful mic presence. Dilated is seriously underrated.
The DJ China
Pure fire! This music makes you realise how lucky you are to be alive right now! <3