20 Protest Songs That Matter: No. 16
- Posted by Spinner Staff
- Comments (29)
--Kanye West (2005)
Rebelling Against: Blood diamonds!
This hip-hop track, which features a sample of Shirley Bassey's Bond theme 'Diamonds Are Forever,' was devised by West to show that much of the ice that keeps us blinged out was mined using child slave labor. His aim was to further show that the profits from these illicit "conflict diamonds" bankroll civil wars in African nations such as Sierra Leone.
Listen to 'Diamonds From Sierra Leone'
Buy it on iTunes
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Reader Comments(1 of 2)
kcat 2-14-2008
this song is not about blood diamonds, but rock-a-fella records. kanye admits he didnt even know about them until after the record was produced. The video is made so that is appears as if the song is about them, but it is just an example of philanthropic marketing, making himself look good through a cause. im fairly certain most of his diamonds are from conflict areas. notice how the people buying the blood diamonds are all white, and the ones getting them are all black? racism
Nick .Bat 4-02-2008
the song that this site used isnt the one from the album.
the album version IS ACTUALLY about conflict diamonds.
Check the lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kanyewest/diamondsfromsierraleoneremix.html
It is a great protest song!
Faustusat 7-15-2007
seriously? i like kanye and some of what he writes could be considered political but this song is just a pro-kanye f everyone who is not kanye song. i wonder if the person who compiled this list even listened to the song...
BlackSunshineat 6-27-2008
I agree. The diamonds he is talking about is basically the Roc-A-Fella diamond hand gesture. And the diamond on his wrists, maybe. THIS one says nothing about any protest to me, neither. The song from lyric to another is about HIM, not blood diamonds. Forget what the title suggests.
Amirat 7-15-2007
Everyone know that this song is nothing butt Kanye West's tribute to Michael Jackson and his weakend stays at Neverland.
tkat 7-20-2007
Seriously!!! Wonderful choice with the number of people who have been killed for the "blood diamonds". Faustus, you might want to read up on the subject and the unanimous postive reviews this song got from critics who "uderstood" the subject.
malicouscomaat 7-16-2007
I don't consider him to be a "musical artist" in any shape or form. As if he even cares about anybody but himself.
irfdarknightat 7-15-2007
Kanye west only spoke about it for like a few lines of the song, it isn't about stopping conflict diamonds, he is talking about Roc-a-fella not dying, which was the group that jay-z used to be apart of, Nas'"Shine On Em" is much more compelling and a way better protest song.
Anoukaat 7-15-2007
Except Faustus is right, TK. The only reason why the video morphed into a protest of blood diamonds is because Shirley Bassey and her attorneys were going to take Kanye to court for sampling her without permission. So all of a sudden, just another 'it's good to be me' rap is turned into a political statement. That's the video, NOT the song. Listen to the lyrics, without the first part of the video. All the real Kanye protest songs, and spinner chooses this one. But the whole list is wack.
Marat 7-15-2007
I'm just curious...does that mean that Kanye doesn't wear diamonds anymore? Ooh right, of course he still does.
alexat 7-15-2007
DAMN LIGHTEN UP GUYS! YEA I DON'T REALLY LIKE HIM EITHER BUT THE SONG WAS GREAT AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S RAP THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT HEARTLESS OR BAD.
kahle34at 7-16-2007
This is the wrong song the Remix is the one about diamonds from sierra leone.
Lucidat 7-17-2007
Keywords: ALL DIAMONDS ARE BLOOD DIAMONDS.
wondercoolat 7-19-2007
whateva!!! i rock to this song tough but this is far from a protest song...and yeah the remix speaks much more on blood diamonds but that was only prompted by Lupe's version called "Conflict Diamonds"...which is one of the sickest songs ever recorded by Lu. Check Nas' Shine on em and Lupe's Conflict Diamonds...much more in depth than this
Lizat 8-03-2007
Go, Alex! You guys are just being racist or whatever. Just because you don't agree with Kayne's lyrics OR the list doesn't mean you have to rag about it!
Maria-Danielleat 8-05-2007
As I sit and read all of these responses, I'm just curious: How many of YOU are caucasian and wearing diamonds? While I am not a fan of rap , I will say this: I do not agree with the lyrics of most rappers nor do I condone the things they say. However, I do understand a lot more than most of you probably do. Most blacks do not listen to rap music, nor do most blacks agree with what is being said in the lyrics, but; most blacks will tell you that these rappers are strictly talking about the things they see going on in their "hoods", something that most of White America has NO CLUE about. The remix version to this song does address the crisis in Sierra Leone. By the way: Can anyone on this list take a guess at WHO are the CEO's of these diamond companies? Here's a hint: It certainly isn't anyone of African descent. Try European or Jewish descent.
AMONTALVOat 8-08-2007
Thank you Anouka!!!! And i don't understand why some people only think this is a race thing. Of course they have to turn it into a race thing cuz they got nothing else to say.
AMONTALVOat 8-08-2007
Thank You Anouka!!! And why do people have to turn this into a race thing? Of course they would cuz they have nothing else to say. Besides, Kanye wasn't the first one to bring up the issue.
Megan Sixxat 8-23-2007
this song has a nice message
aquarius0213793at 8-28-2007
omg maybe if you guys would watch the movie blood diamond, you would understand what is going on in africa.