Renegades

2001 | Rock

Spotify | Amazon

"Now renegades are the people with their own philosophies, They change the course of history — Everyday people like you and me — We're the renegades we're the people With our own philosophies We change the course of history — Everyday people like you and me"

Trivia

• This is a cover version of a song by Afrika Bambaataa off the Album Planet Rock: The Album.
• The music video was directed by Steven Murashige and was released after the band had broken up.
• The song was written to draw paralells and throughpoints from the classic civil revolutionaries and modern day street artists and bohemians.
• The group played the song live for the first time at its reunion show at Coachella 2007

THE HOT TAKES

Luke Tatum

A hard-rocking tribute to social revolutionaries. And no, we're not talking about idolized sadists like Che Guevara! This is all about people in the vein of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. And hell, who doesn't love RATM? Other than Nick, of course...

Sherry Voluntary

This is a hard hitting remake of the 1983 release by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force brings some great history and icons to a new generation. I love the lyrical nods to Parliament/Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone. This song is certainly meant to pay homage to the first funkaneers. A renegade by definition is - a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles. Interestingly, is has the connotations of being treacherous and disloyal, yet unlike the word anarchist, is often used by people to describe those they admire. I prefer the real definition, but also see it in a positive light. Funk music has its roots in the black empowerment, and civil rights movement of the 1960’s, and the changing culture that was moving away from the stifling authoritarianism of the 1950’s. A culture around being anti-war, and questioning all the formal institutions of the church and State. This is a positive quality of the renegade. One who is willing to look at the establishment and say, I will not comply, I will challenge your violence and coercion. These lyrics say it well: Now renegades are the people with their own philosophies They change the course of history Everyday people like you and me We're the renegades we're the people With our own philosophies We change the course of history Everyday people like you and me We as libertarians are renegades of our day and time. Holding the line for freedom from tyranny, against authoritarianism and collectivism. It is a tough and thankless fight, that brave men and women did before us, and one that we carry on, so that we can pass on the principles of personal freedom and free markets to generations to come.

Nicky P

Personally I don't see anything particularly libertarian about the song. It's core purpose seems pretty explicitly about music...but let's not ignore the power of music. When Afrika Bambaataa penned the song, his core purpose was to draw a line from the people of the past who had fought for their liberation and the people of his own era. The song seemed to be a reminder that everyday one the people he saw around him were continuing on the legacy set forth by those before them. Now i'm sure if i were put in a room with Afrika Bambaataa he and I probably wouldn't see eye to eye on the cause of the problem but I think we might find common ground on who is responsible for our liberation. I dont suspect he was waiting for someone to come set him free. I was watching a great video by Eric July today talking about white people and black leaders and the reaL oppression of black people by those who would subjegate them by teaching them to rely on the state. This song could serve as a reminder that the only one who can be relied upon to liberate you is yourself. No masters.No one is there to help you.