BOOK REVIEW: WARRIOR SONG

THE RAWSISTAZ™ REVIEWERS BLACK BOOK REVIEWS
Reviewed: Mar 15, 2007
Warrior Song: A PanAfrikan Centered Handbook for Cultural Liberation and Salvation via the Medium of Music
By Djehuti Wa Kamau
First Scribe Books, September 2006
352 Pages, Trade Paperback, $20.95
ISBN: 097792971X
Genre: Non-Fiction
RAW Rating: 4.5
They stole our music
WARRIOR SONG, A PanAfrikan Centered Handbook for Cultural Liberation and Salvation via the Medium of Music begins by giving an
accurate account of how white people have taken credit for or just plain stole the music, lyrics and styles of people of African descent
since the time of ancient Egypt. By exposing the first culture bandits, the Greeks, Djehuti Wa Kamau begins to chart an endless timeline
of thievery related to our music and culture. This sets the tone for the later chapters that not only expose the culture banditry, but also
explain in detail how what’s left of our music and culture is used against us.
Kamau shows and proves how from the blues to hip hop, white musicians and singers have tried to imitate and duplicate black
musicians and singers. Not being afraid to name drop, Kamau exposes the culture banditry of Johnny Cash, Madonna, Van Morriso n,
Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and many more. He even list quotes by the bandits that show how they try to copy blacks.
After proving how they stole our music and culture, the author explains how governments, multi-media conglomerates, alcohol
companies, tobacco companies, etc. all use the music industry to influence and control our behavior, thoughts and perceptions.
Readers will find this section of the book very interesting. There is a 20-page section in the book that contains real proposals from
tobacco companies, (Salem and others), that shows their intent to target black people for increased cigarette consumption through
heavy marketing campaigns mostly through concert promotions and black music programs. The sections about the mind control tactics
being used in Africa via music and music-related activities are equally as interesting.
Kamau ends the book by providing readers with steps we must take to gain control over our music and culture. Just like in the title of
the book, the solutions are presented from a pan-Afrikan perspective. The solutions were written to be applied globally.
I highly recommend this book for everyone. It should be required reading in every music program and psychology class.
Reviewed by *Granderson Glen for RAW's BMR
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Granderson is an avid reader and African arts collector. He is co-founder of the Pittsburgh Cadre Book Club, and co-creator of
www.ennercity.com.

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