June, 2004.

This album is called "Let's Get Free." Released in 2000, it's the first record from the socially and politically conscious, revolutionary hip-hop duo dead prez. dead prez is composed of M-1 and Stic.man. They sing of the gritty realities of coloured people in amerika and suggest ways of change.

This is not hip-hop to sell records; this is hip-hop for revolution. As such, this album falls into a category known affectionately as “Real Hip-Hop.”

Some of the lyrics are not relevant to us solving our problems, but most are. While the entire album is pleasurable to listen to, we must extract and implement only what is right for us. To know what is right for us, we must educate ourselves. Education is the first step of the mental revolution in Guyana. The second and third steps are organisation and mobilisation, respectively.

Tracks like “I’m an African” are excellent ways to encourage pride in African amerikans; or rather Africans in amerika, who have been subverted, dehumanised and called ugly by white amerika for so long. In Guyana however, this song may nurture, popularise, and to some people, even justify the segregation of Afro- and Indo-Guyanese. We must understand that if we were to take our social case to the amerikan society—the society at which “Let’s Get Free” is aimed—then we, blacks and browns and yellows, would be categorised and treated as a single inferior unit called coloured people by white amerika. In fact, on dead prez’s two most recent albums “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’” and “RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta’” they have made more evident their expanded call to brown and yellow people. In the ideal society, colour would be insignificant, but to get to that ideal society, the oppressed have to unite and be powerful.

Yes, we all have a common enemy, but it’s extremely important that we’re all able to correctly identify the enemy. This album must not be used be used to further divide Guyanese. If misused, this album could destabilise Guyana, so let’s be vigilant to use it as a source of unification and inspiration. Let’s be responsible and Let’s Get Free.

It is the kind of knowledge on this album that will enable us to unite nationally or globally as a single people and demand freedom.

108 seconds of silence have been removed from before the final two tracks chiefly to facilitate faster reproduction to CD or cassette. You’re encouraged to duplicate and distribute this record. At the very least, share your copy with others. Share knowledge.

If the music here inspires you, then you might be interested in other artists like Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Public Enemy, KRS-One, The Coup, Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, Jean Grae, Paris and so many other raptivists that you’re not going to hear on the corporately run radio.

Don’t depend on music alone—read books on economics, politics, history, social issues, psychology, and of course, books on revolution.

Educate, organise, mobilise.