There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Prophets of Rage is… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Prophets of Rage is an American rap rock supergroup. Formed in 2016, the group consists of three members of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave (bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk), two members of Public Enemy (DJ Lord and rapper Chuck D), and rapper B-Real of Cypress Hill.

Morello declared to Rolling Stone: "We're an elite task force of revolutionary musicians determined to confront this mountain of election year bullshit, and confront it head-on with Marshall stacks blazing."

The band's name derives from the title of the Public Enemy song "Prophets of Rage" from its 1988 album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. To coincide with the band's protest performance at the Republican National Convention, it released its debut single, titled "Prophets of Rage". The band played its first live show on January 20, 2016.

From May 2016 through October 2016, the band embarked on a North American tour, dubbed the "Make America Rage Again Tour". The set list combined the catalogues of each of the band members' current and former groups, as well as new material written by the band. There is a "Make the World Rage Again" tour scheduled for 2017.

An EP The Party’s Over was released on August 19, 2016. Alongside the songs Prophets of Rage and The Party’s Over, the EP contains live cover versions of the songs "Killing in the Name" (Rage Against the Machine), "Shut 'Em Down" (Public Enemy) and "No Sleep 'til Cleveland", a rework of "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys. The EP was produced by Brendan O'Brien.

On June 1, 2017, the band released a single with accompanying music video for the track "Unfuck the World" from their album Prophets of Rage released September 15, 2017 on CD and vinyl. The band released the second single from the album titled "Living on the 110" on July 11, 2017. On July 22, 2017, the band released the third single, "Radical Eyes".

2) Rico Pabón has kept his soul intact through music as the lead member of Prophets of Rage (POR) and as MC for San Francisco Bay Area Afro-Latin Hip Hop band Agua Libre (formerly O-Maya). 1994 saw the first release from POR, No More Patience. In 1997, after the release of their sophomore offering, Brand New World, POR seemed poised for a national breakthrough. Their single, Memories, was in heavy rotation at urban radio stations around the country, including San Francisco's KMEL. Unfortunately, despite airplay and critical acclaim, national prominence eluded the group as their music was buried in the rubble of music industry restructuring.

www.myspace.com/ricopabon

3) Prophets of Rage was founded by Ewol in K-Town(Kaiserslautern), Germany in 1992. He later invited Yeti as a member and finally Styxx 1993. They released their experimental hip hop debut album, Unite or Perish in 1994. They toured with Megavier ( The Fantastic Four and Megalomaniacs). IN 1996, without Yeti; Ewol, Styxx, added Cave Dave on bass, Sebo on guitar, and Jules on drums. DJ AMIR and DJ SHADOW HELD IT DOWN!! They released their second album, Zen Gravy in 1997 with Four Music. This time around there were features including DJ Amir of Dungeon Mastaz. The album was once again experimental hip hop with a band backing them up on tour with Coolio and Coolen Saue. They helped change the German hip hop scene with their advanced styles of rhyming and sharp production. Additional production and moral support came from DJ. Shadow.

Hands Up
Prophets of Rage Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Hands up, hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?

Took out the world, but they embraced the lies
Hear the song they sing, are you hypnotized?
Can I sell you somethin'? Let me tell you somethin'

See I come from nothin', and my hands are calloused
While the one percent, stay tippin' the balance
I'ma put 'em on blast, [???]
Put the nightstick away, keep it off my back
What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?

Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Hands up, hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?

Past ages past, world ain't gonna last
Change his self and thrive, will he survive?
Cybermetric hat trip, trip on a backflip
Molotov matchsticks, will burn Calabasas
Thanks to crowds, Jimmy C wrapped in a shrowd
Trapped in a sound cloud, probably on my pow wow
No ifs no whats no whos no hows
Support the crazy horse, we need you now

Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Hands up, hands up, hands up
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?

Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?
Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?
Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?

Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Prophets Of Rage's song "Hands Up" convey a strong sense of frustration and resistance against the powers that be. The repetition of "hands up" throughout the song is a call to action, urging listeners to raise their hands in solidarity and defiance. This gesture is often associated with protests and demonstrations, symbolizing a desire for change and a refusal to be silenced.

The lyrics suggest that the world is being controlled by a small group of individuals who manipulate the truth for their benefit. The line "Took out the world, but they embraced the lies" highlights the idea that those in power are able to shape perceptions and sway public opinion. The singer questions whether people are aware of their manipulation, asking if they are "hypnotized" by the "song they sing." The juxtaposition of the singer's calloused hands, symbolizing hard work and struggle, with the indulgence of the one percent further emphasizes the unequal distribution of wealth and power.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of survival and the need for collective action. The references to past ages and the uncertainty of the world's future suggest a sense of urgency in addressing social and environmental challenges. The line "Support the crazy horse, we need you now" is a plea for unity and support, invoking the spirit of Crazy Horse, a Native American leader known for his resistance against oppression.

Overall, "Hands Up" serves as a rallying cry, urging listeners to challenge the status quo, resist manipulation, and join together in pursuit of a more just and equitable world.

Line by Line Meaning

Hands up, hands up, hands up, come on
Raise your hands in surrender or protest, it's time to take action

Hands up, hands up, hands up, hands up
Continue to raise your hands, showing unity and solidarity

Had enough, had enough, what the fuck?
Reached a breaking point, feeling frustrated and angry

Took out the world, but they embraced the lies
Conquered and influenced the world, but people were deceived and bought into falsehoods

Hear the song they sing, are you hypnotized?
Listen to the message they promote, are you blindly following without questioning?

Can I sell you somethin'? Let me tell you somethin'
Can I convince you of something? Allow me to impart some truths

See I come from nothin', and my hands are calloused
I come from poverty and struggle, and I have the physical scars to prove it

While the one percent, stay tippin' the balance
The wealthy elite maintain their power and control over society

I'ma put 'em on blast, [???]
I'm going to expose and criticize them openly, [???]

Put the nightstick away, keep it off my back
Stop using force and oppression against me, leave me alone

Past ages past, world ain't gonna last
Time keeps moving forward, but our world is heading towards its demise

Change his self and thrive, will he survive?
Can society adapt and flourish by transforming itself, or will it perish?

Cybermetric hat trip, trip on a backflip
The fascination and obsession with social media algorithms, causing confusion and disorientation

Molotov matchsticks, will burn Calabasas
Symbolic reference to rebellion and destruction, impacting the wealthy and privileged communities

Thanks to crowds, Jimmy C wrapped in a shroud
With the support of the masses, people like Jimmy C (possibly a political figure) are silenced or figuratively buried

Trapped in a sound cloud, probably on my pow wow
Imprisoned within a virtual world of distractions, perhaps overshadowing important discussions or gatherings

No ifs no whats no whos no hows
No conditions, no confusion, no questioning about why and how things should be changed

Support the crazy horse, we need you now
Stand with the rebel who challenges the status quo, we require their guidance and action