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星​星​之​火 A Single Spark

by 鍾翔宇 Xiangyu & Ransom-Notes

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1.
African People’s Socialist Party Chairman Omali Yeshitela: “...that it was the enslavement of African people that gave rise to what we know as capitalism today. There was no such thing as capitalism before Black people were enslaved. The reality is that when we met white people, they were poor. They were chased out of Europe by disease and poverty. They had nothing!” 非洲人民社會主義黨奧馬利·耶什泰拉主席:「…是對非洲人民的奴役才造就今日我們所認識的資本主義。在黑人被奴役以前沒有資本主義。真實的狀況是,當我們最初與白人接觸時,他們很窮。他們被疾病與貧困逐出歐陸。他們一無所有!」 星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prairie fire 雖然革命還很遙遠 資產階級不斷謠言惑眾 Although we are far from revolution and the bourgeoisie constantly deludes the people 群眾倒變火種 點燃後以直報怨 The people become kindling and, once lit, will repay enmity with justice 久經考驗的人民不會永遠這麼好騙 A tried and tested people won't stay easily fooled forever 我讓你瞧見 帝國主義 白人至上主義 I'll show you how imperialism, white supremacy, 資產階級專政如何涉及資本主義 and the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie involve capitalism 這目中無人 殺人如草的現代鼠疫 a contemptuous modern-day plague that mercilessly slaughters 讓你注意被現代鍍金年代掩蓋的處境 I'll make you notice the unfavorable situation hidden by the modern gilded age 炫耀閃亮鎖鏈的奴隸 只會繼續被奴役 A slave who flaunts his shiny chains will only continue to be enslaved 唯有放下精神毒品拿起思想武器自強不息 Only by putting down spiritual drugs, picking up ideological weapons, and striving for self-improvement 才有可能獨立思考 橫掃 一切牛鬼蛇神 will it be possible to think independently, sweep away all "cow demons and snake spirits," 和搞清到底誰是值得我們流淚的人 and figure out who really deserves our tears 敢於鬥爭 敢於勝利 Dare to struggle, dare to win 在揭穿反動分子的謬論同時為正義發出聲音 Debunking the fallacies of reactionaries as I use my voice for justice 我支持革命 不指望聖經預言的再臨 I support revolution and don't expect the Second Coming prophesied by the Bible 因為創造歷史的動力不是神明而是人民 because it is the people, and not gods, that are the motive force of history. “The Portuguese has stolen seven-hundred tons of gold from Africa. I know the British went into China in the 1800s, and fought a war to turn the whole Chinese nation into a nation of junkies, forcing them to take drugs, and that drug money went back to Britain building what we now know as capitalism.” 「葡萄牙已從非洲偷走了七百噸的黃金。我所知的英國,它在 19 世紀進入中國打了一場戰爭,把整個中華民族變成毒蟲,強迫他們吸食毒品,再把販毒收入帶回英國健起我們今日所認識的資本主義。」 星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prarie fire 是什麼樣的條件讓少數人享有世外桃源般的美麗人生? What conditions enable a minority to live a beautiful life in a heaven on earth? 這就是階級鬥爭的焦點 This is the focus of class struggle 想想這種生產關係該被調解還是消滅 Think about whether such production relations should be reconciled or destroyed 必須了解 反動勢力早就致力於執行階級鬥爭 We must understand that the forces of reaction have long been committed to engaging in class struggle 而不是造反的人民懷有覬覦之心 it is not the rebelling people who cast greedy eyes on others 當我們面臨的敵人基於私利下反人類的指令 When we face enemies willing to make commands harmful to humanity out of self interest 我們必須自立自強 千萬不能繼續自欺地等待 we must stand on our own feet, and we cannot continue to deceive ourselves 改過自新的壓迫階級自行退出歷史舞台 as we wait for a repentant oppressing class to withdraw itself from history 改良主義是革命的死因 Reformism is a killer of revolution 要麼是社會主義 否則是野蠻狀態 We can have socialism or barbarism 「第三條道路」帶來的災害 我們永遠不能忘懷 We can never forget the disasters brought upon us by "the third way" 革命無罪 造反有理 Revolution is not a crime, it is right to rebel 當別的饒舌歌手狂吹資產階級牛屄 As other rappers suck off the bourgeoisie 我毫不猶疑打破這套路 反正我沒有偶像包袱 I break norms without hesitation, it's not like I have the burdens faced by idols 再加上一切反動派都是紙老虎 plus all reactionaries are paper tigers. “I know the French invaded what is known as Vietnam, and turned Vietnam into a country of addicts, forced the Vietnamese people to use drugs; and all of the resources and most of the loot coming from Vietnam into France came from drug money. I know that African people were kidnapped and thrown all around this world, and it was in fact trade in Black people that was a condition for giving rise to this system that they know as capitalism, that we refer to as white power.” 「我所知的法國,它侵略我們所認識的越南,把越南變成毒蟲國家,強迫越南人民吸食毒品。且從越南運到法國的所有資源、與掠奪的戰利品,其根源都來自於販毒收入。我也知道非洲人民被綁架、丟棄到世界各地,而黑奴貿易事實上就是為我們所認識的資本主義提供基本條件,同時我們也稱之為白人霸權。」
2.
在中文嘻哈圈子裡 我算是奇葩 I am considered an anomaly in the Chinese rap circle 我是在激發並延續這文化還是在背離它? Am I inspiring and continuing this culture or am I deviating from it? 為了解答這個問題 我用唯物辯證分析法 To answer this question, I'll use dialectical materialism 來試圖揭發真理 和帶你熟悉一下 to try to expose the truth and make you more familiar with hip hop 嘻哈 源於 1970 年代的布朗克斯 It originated in the Bronx in the 1970s 用著簡陋設施 但創意從不受硬體限制 with simple equipment, but creativity was never hindered by hardware limitations 經過各式各樣實驗 逐漸發展出特質 Through all kinds of experimentation, unique characteristics were slowly developed 誰曉得幾秒鐘的 loop 配鼓會這麼合適? Who knew few seconds of loops mixed with drums would be so suitable? 雖然這時 黑人權力運動開始失去氣勢 Although the Black Power Movement began to lose momentum at this time 但群眾的革命意識從來沒被歷史棄置 the revolutionary consciousness of the masses was never abandoned by history 像是 AK-47 強而有力 製造成本低 Like the AK-47, powerful yet inexpensive to produce 嘻哈使得無權無聲的人民變得有聲音 hip-hop gave the voiceless and powerless a voice 有壓迫就有反抗 就有黑人想跟雷根算帳 Where there is oppression, there is resistance, and Black people wanted to settle the score with Reagan 作為思想戰場的嘻哈於是得到平民的讚揚 as a battlefield of ideas, hip hop therefore gained the approval of the people 由於有利可圖 嘻哈 開始被大廠牌看中 Because it was profitable, the big labels began eyeing hip hop 雖然被傳送到各地 不過被反動分子管控 Although it was spread throughout the world, but it became controlled by reactionaries 如果現在的主流嘻哈是第二國際 If today’s mainstream hip hop were the Second International 我就是說唱的列寧 振興左翼的魄力 then I am rap’s Lenin, revitalizing the boldness of the left wing 用以著力打破嘻哈考茨基們的僵局 to break through the impasse of the Kautskys of hip hop 即打著造反的幌子哈著反動分子的陽具 namely sucking off reactionaries under the guise of rebellion 資本家剝奪人民嗓子造成嘻哈喪失階級意識 Capitalists rob the people of their voices, causing hip hop to lose its class consciousness 像是貧民窟的房子被財團仕紳化的樣子 the way conglomerates gentrify the houses of impoverished areas 也就是文青店牆壁上掛格瓦拉的遺像 and hipster stores with portraits of Che Guevara hanging from the walls 就像遺忘初衷的嘻哈歌手歌頌 2Pac 一樣 like when rappers who have forgotten the spirit sing praises to 2Pac 雖然「環球」可是缺乏國際主義 Though “Universal” (UMG), it lacks internationalism 而成為了新自由主義的反動思想武器 and has become a reactionary ideological weapon of neoliberalism 這是嘻哈的革命與反革命之對立統一 This is hip hop’s unity of opposites between revolution and counterrevolution 而帶來否定之否定是我的創作動力 and bringing about the negation of the negation is my artistic motivation 衝擊老學校老師的教條 新學校的意識蕭條 Striking against the dogmatism of teachers of the old school and the ideological desolation of the new school 結合小生產的自由和資本主義生產的高效 combining the freedom of small production and the efficiency of capitalist production 為了延續那感動觀眾的激進嘻哈傳統 In order to continue the radical hip hop tradition that’s touched so many audiences 我跟一切反動派決裂 以撼動這文化的繁榮 I am rupturing with all reactionaries to let this culture flourish
3.
誰是朋友?誰是敵人? Who are our friends? Who are our enemies? 我們能否 追究這個問題而不自欺欺人 Can we look into this question without lying to ourselves? 誰的盟友?誰的利潤? Whose allies? Whose profits? 是誰激於義憤而爭鬥和犧牲 Whose struggle and sacrifice are stirred by righteous indignation? 饒舌的激進份子 被說是憤世 The radical rapper is said to be cynical. 我只想引人深思 和去偽存實 I just want to get people to think, cast aside falsities, and retain the truths, 因為從小到大有太多虛偽人士 because there have been too many hypocrites in our lives 灌輸錯誤認識 使人愚昧無知 who have instilled false understandings, causing us to ignorantly 地無視 顯而易見 的壓迫和暴行 disregard the clearly visible oppression and atrocities, 使人固執己見 而失去批判思考力 causing us to stubbornly cling to our own opinions and lose our ability to think critically. 一旦遇到陌生的意見 認知就失調 When we encounter unfamiliar opinions, we experience cognitive dissonance. 變本加厲地延伸原本的錯誤視角 Doubling down on our mistaken views 成為了心理防禦機制 也使我們無意識地 has become a psychological defense mechanism which causes us to unknowingly 成為壓迫自己的體制的棋子 become pawns of the system that oppresses us 即使我們自以為自己是正義的義士 although we think of ourselves as just and morally courageous people, 但其實是我們迷失於斷章取義的歷史 it is actually us who are lost in deliberately misinterpreted history. 而敵視 並歧視 被壓迫的各國人民 We vilify and discriminate against the oppressed peoples of all countries; 自以為仁義 卻把壓迫者 奉若神明 we think we are righteous, yet we deify the oppressors. 不分明侵略和防禦只要求無條件的和平 We don't differentiate between aggression and defense, we simply ask for unprincipled peace, 得到奴隸主的肯定不過不被他們尊敬 gaining the approval of slave masters but not their respect. 監禁率最高的國家被當作自由象徵 The country with the highest incarceration rate is considered to be a symbol of freedom; 最常推翻民選政府的它被當作摯友良朋 we call it our friend as it leads in overthrowing democratically elected governments. 我們只有盲人摸象般稱頌或貶斥 We make praises and criticisms based on conclusions made from bad information, 偏執地不檢視騙子掩飾的現實 stubbornly refusing to investigate the truths hidden by liars. 別人飢餓 我們說是領導人無人性 When others starve, we say their leaders are devoid of humanity 卻不記得制裁的目的 是經過餓死人民 while failing to remember that the goal of sanctions is to sabotage stability 破壞穩定 以迫使 革命群眾 放棄革命 through starvation in order to extort the revolutionary masses into giving up revolution. 如果這不是恐怖主義 那麼你的定義可能有問題 If this isn't terrorism, then your definition might be flawed. 我問你 唯一動用核武器的到底是誰? I ask you, who is the only one to have used nuclear weapons? 為何朝鮮發展核武就被認為是罪? Why is it considered a crime when (DPR) Korea develops nukes? 誰的奴性思維被支配得顛倒是非 Whose slave mentality's been dominated to the point where right and wrong are inverted, 使我們把自衛視為威脅 把威脅視為慈悲? having us believe defense is threatening and threats are benevolent? 是誰不知不覺地在重複戈培爾所起草 Who unknowingly repeats lies written by Goebbels 的流言蜚語的同時說別人被洗腦 while at the same time calling others brainwashed, 並對用著堅如鐵的毅力英勇地起義 while unreasonably being hostile towards those who use their iron-firm willpower 驅逐侵略者的人民無理地壞有敵意? to heroically drive out aggressors through rebellion?
4.
夢 Dream 02:30
美國夢是擁有房子、車子、票子 The American dream is having a house, a car, and cash 是擁有幸福家庭 各種裝飾各式矯飾 it's having a happy family with all sorts of adornments and disguises 美國夢是人人過得奢侈要死 The American dream is living luxuriously as hell 大夢初醒的時候再問幌子何時消失 then asking when the facade will end when rudely awakened 美國夢是只要努力就能富裕 The American dream means you can become rich as long as you work hard 像好萊塢的明星一樣生活毫無顧慮 living a worry-free life like Hollywood stars 美國夢是被迫離鄉背井的時候 The American dream is saying you're pursuing freedom 跟隨帝國奪取的資源卻說是在尋找自由 when you're really following the resources robbed by the empire 美國夢之所以是夢是因為 The American dream is a dream 一般人只有寢睡時才有機會體會 because most people have to be asleep to experience 這華而不實的童話 不然得不理會現實 this extravagant yet empty fairy tale or they have to ignore reality 而以為 自己必會起飛 and make believe that they will succeed 假如起飛 就以為自己不可能被擊墜 and if they succeed, they believe they will never fall 想起我七歲 開始領會 和諧家庭多麼易碎 I remember when I began to realize the fragility of my "harmonious family" at the age of seven 問題一堆 債務積累 生意不好 夫妻敵對 With all sorts of problems, debt, poor business, a mutually-hostile husband and wife 為了撐起幸福家庭的門面 父母過著疲憊的日子 In order to maintain appearances of a happy family, my parents lived life exhausted 希望兒子的社會經濟地位 hoping their son's socio-economic position 能在逝世之前發生好轉因為這樣才能應對 can get better before death, because this is the only way to confront 淪為負債累累的銀行傀儡的這種卑微的存在 this petty existence as a heavily indebted puppet of the bank 和在家的基礎墜毀前將夢魔摧毀 and destroy the nightmare before the foundation of the family crumbles 赤裸的個人主義社會使人失去自我 This all-and-out individualistic society causes people to lose their sense of self 打拼幾十年 結果搞得張惶失措 working hard for decades, only to be thrown into confusion 在異國的一座荒涼迷宮追隨黃粱一夢 Chasing an unattainable dream in a desolate maze in a foreign country 付出一輩子的血汗得到的是慌張心痛 Pouring out a lifetime of blood and sweat, receiving heartache in return 美國夢像是我童年住的房子 The American dream is like my childhood house 從外表看來看起來好像又大又舒適 It looks big and comfortable from the outside 歡迎你來靠近窗子 看裡面長什麼樣子 I welcome you to look through the window and see what it looks like on the inside 看你想不想嘗試那種生活方式 and see if you want to try living that lifestyle 從小到大 看著家庭的垂死掙扎 Witnessing the deathbed struggle of your family from a young age 美國夢的幻滅造成爸爸酒癮變得更大 My father's disillusionment with the American dream worsened his alcoholism 媽媽工時的增長 趕不上家債的增大 The increases in my mom's working hours couldn't catch up with our debt 可見天道酬勤只不過是美麗神話 It seems like the saying "good things come to those who work hard" is just a beautiful myth 在一個空房比流浪漢多的國家艱苦奮鬥 Struggling in a country where there are more empty houses than homeless people 只為了防止 自己的房子 被銀行徵收 just to prevent one's house from being foreclosed on by the bank 媽媽打著三份工但仍舊無法拯救家庭 My mom worked three jobs, yet she was unable to save the family 也無法阻止銀行天天來電問候 and she was unable to stop the banks from calling with their daily regards 美國夢像那棟表裡不一的屋子 The American dream is like that house whose outward appearance is different from its inside 它隱藏著的諸事通通正在腐蝕 everything it conceals is rotting away 無論你經歷多少苦事 無論你如何竭力 No matter how many hardships you endure, no matter how hard you try 美國夢不屬於你我而屬於資產階級 The American dream does not belong to us, but the bourgeoisie
5.
如果跟你說我們所謂的民主 If I told you that our so-called democracy 不是我們的民主而是資產階級用以應付 isn't our democracy, but a farce used by the bourgeoisie to contain 階級衝突並把人民引入迷途 class conflicts and lead people astray 的一種凝固 階級專政的一種騙術 in order to solidify class rule 你會覺得離譜 還是會思考民主的限度 Would you find it ridiculous, or would you think about the limitations of democracy? 還是你會自問政府對誰專政對誰民主? Or would you ask yourself for whom the government is democratic and dictatorial? 資產階級全力以赴掩護 國家的階級性 The bourgeoisie spares no effort to conceal the class nature of the state 說法律之前人人平等 and says that all people are equal under the law 要你信你的選票能敵過大企業的大股東們的命令 They want you to believe that your vote can stack up against the directives of the big shareholders of large corporations 你醒醒 我們平民 在這制度裡 只是投票的機器 Wake up, in this system, us civilians are merely voting machines 沒錯 有時會發生政黨輪替 但我問你 It's true that sometimes the ruling party changes, but let me ask you: 有哪個政黨沒在協助資產階級整你 is there a party that isn't helping the bourgeoisie screw you over? 一個無黨籍政客要是負得起選舉保證金 If an independent politician can afford the election deposit 我保證你 他的階級立場是為選票而討好人民 then I assure you that his class position is to butter up the people for their votes 競選時總是稱自己是工運的好同志 While campaigning, they say they're good comrades of workers' movements 而上台後幫公司董事壓低工資拉長工時 and once they're elected, they help company directors lower wages and extend working hours Ransom-Notes 敲著 MPC 我用麥克風襲擊 Ransom-Notes is on the MPC while I'm on the mic carrying out a surprise attack 自由主義者對資本主義國家機器的迷信 on the blind worship of the capitalist state apparatus by liberals 別被國家中立原則騙了 讓我提醒你 Don't be fooled by the principle of state neutrality, let me remind you 是社會有了階級後才出現了國家機器 that states formed only after the formation of classes 而這個機器必定 代表某個階級的利益 and this apparatus necessarily serves the interests of a particular class 因為階級矛盾不可調和根本是天經地義 because the irreconcilability of class contradictions is an unquestionable truth 資本主義國家的槍和子彈 The guns and bullets of the capitalist state 捍衛的是資產階級的財產所有權而不是用來自殘 are used to defend the property rights of capitalists, not for self harm 把政治當作請客吃飯 If you treat politics like a dinner party, 就只能選菜單上由財團精選的菜色 吃完還要買單 then you'll only be able to choose items on the menu carefully selected by conglomerates, and you'll have to pay up afterwards 摘掉空心菜、南朝鮮魚的民意代表假面具 Remove the guise of Tsai Ing-wen and Han Kuo-yu being representatives of public opinion 會看穿這場選郭台銘們的代理人的大騙局 and you'll see that we're really choosing between representatives for the likes of Terry Gou 當危機來臨 而社會陷於變局 When crisis comes and society enters a state of turbulence 資產階級專政只會延續 不會讓你透過選舉 The bourgeois dictatorship will only continue and won't allow you to 攫取統治權 帶人民脫離煉獄 take control of state power through voting then lead people out of purgatory 如果你不相信我就看看阿連德的結局 If you don't believe me then look at the fate of Allende 要是你認為我反民主 那就表示你沒看清楚 If you think I'm against democracy, then it means you aren't seeing clearly 資產階級以民主之名反民主的企圖 the attempts by the bourgeoisie of undermining democracy in the name of "democracy" 記住 群眾的力量 我們絕對不能低估 Remember, we must not underestimate the power of the masses 但千萬不能被小資的改良主義迷住 but we cannot be mesmerized by petty-bourgeois reformism 因為與勞動群眾敵對 的現有議會 because the existing parliamentary system that is against the working masses 改良不掉資本的統治地位 cannot reform away the dominant position of capital 而僅會經過短暫又小的讓步擊碎工人的階級意識 and will only shatter the workers' class consciousness through temporary and minute concessions 因此 我們該學習無產階級革命理論和歷史 Hence we should study the theories and history of proletarian revolutions.
6.
面對著虛無主義 我必須急速出擊 In the face of nihilism, I must strike quickly 因為我希望我們子孫後代還能呼吸 because I hope our posterity can breathe 但根據生態環境科學家我們已經快要來不及 but according to environmental scientists, we don’t have much time left 我們估計只剩下十年著手開始處理這個處境 We have an estimated 10 years remaining to start addressing this difficulty 問題是缺乏辯證分析能力的天真文青 the problem is naive hipsters without the ability of dialectical analysis 只許州官放火 不許百姓點燈 The ruling class can fly Gulfstreams while the people are forbidden to have straws 把生產方式問題閹割變成個人消費選擇 Reducing issues pertaining to the mode of production to individual consumption choices 原則是使用紙吸管就得以免責 their principle is that we can absolve ourselves by using paper straws 別被騙了 七成以上的溫室氣體排放量 Don’t be tricked, over 70% of all carbon emissions 來自一百家公司 但左膠總是憑空妄想 come from 100 companies, but pseudo-leftists wishfully dream that 透過商量 我們能和資產階級聯手改良 through negotiations, we can reform capitalism with the bourgeoisie 資本主義而在其幫助下一起牽手邁向 and with their guidance, walk hand-in-hand towards a better future 一個沒有妖魔鬼怪 沒有戰爭 沒有悲哀 without evil, without war, without sadness 又可持續發展 的一個美好未來 with sustainable development 鬼才相信資本家會為了防止地球被毀壞 Only the naive believe that capitalists will put aside the principle of maximizing shareholder wealth 把股東財富最大化的原則推開 for the sake of preventing the world’s destruction 毫無疑問 人民的需求應該優先於利潤 There’s no doubt that the people’s needs should come before profits 但資方宣揚的理論造成我們哲學上的貧困 but theories advocated by capitalists have resulted in the poverty of philosophy 沒有正確的政治觀點就等於沒有靈魂 Not having a correct political point of view is like having no soul 那麼是否該提升我們對於資本主義社會基本矛盾的理解? hence shouldn’t we raise our understanding of the fundamental contradictions of capitalist society? 像是為什麼自動化的機械 Such as how come machines of automation 理論上能讓工人過得好一些 卻常在一夜之間 can in theory improve workers’ lives, but often end up 迫使工人與職場離別 forcing workers into unemployment overnight 使得勉強維生的掙扎變得更加激烈 intensifying the struggle to make ends meet 與此同時 企業執行長獎金一疊一疊賺 Meanwhile, CEOs are making stacks through bonuses 對於這些細節喊懶人你別管 in regards to these details, they scream “don’t worry about it, lazy people” 剩餘價值理論揭穿每天發生的竊案 The theory of surplus value exposes the daily thefts 養活那些穿著西裝的癟三的 是你的血汗 it’s your blood and sweat that feeds those wretched beggars in suits 這個歷史階段究竟有多麼野蠻? How barbaric is this historical stage? 你想 以往有飢荒是因為收成不理想 Think about it, famines in the past occured due to poor harvests 但現在不一樣 全球農業產量足以養活一百億人 but things are different now; there is enough agricultural output to feed 10 billion 但每年卻有三百萬以上個小孩 yet over 3 million children 因為營養 不良而死亡 die each year due to malnutrition 很多智障指望市場解決問題但事實上 A lot of idiots believe the market can solve these problems but the reality is 正是市場造成賣不出的食品被扔棄 it is in fact the market that causes unsold food to be thrown away 造成忍飢挨餓的人民不怎麼被人理 allowing the hungry people to go ignored 資本主義的規律是資本得無限增長擴大 The law of capitalism is that capital must grow infinitely 無論利潤與人類的利益之間存在多大落差 regardless of how big the discrepancy between profits and the human interests is 凡是有利潤可圖的行業 總是擴展 as long as an industry is profitable, it’ll grow 資產階級甚至願意為之作戰 像癌擴散 The bourgeoisie is even willing to go to war for this like the metastasis of cancer 無論對整體社會有多慘 你也無路可躲閃 regardless of how bad it is for society, there’s nowhere for you to hide 不向資方出賣勞動力就失去住處而破產 if you don’t sell your labor power to the capitalists, you will be evicted and go bankrupt 果然 利潤在增長 可是工資沒在跟上 Sure enough, profits are rising, but wages aren’t following 當我們奔向滅亡 生活也沒有過得更棒 as we head towards extinction, our lives aren’t getting better 面對資本主義的症狀 人民群眾一定要增強階級意識 In the face of these capitalist symptoms, the masses need to strengthen their class consciousness 否則我們只會繼續視而不見真相 or else we’ll only continue turning a blind eye to truths 資本主義是否有效 就看你怎樣衡量 Does capitalism work? It depends on how you measure it 在追求利潤方面沒有任何制度比它更強 In terms of generating profits, no system is stronger 但想想光輝奪目的外表怎樣掩蓋內在的荒廢 but think about how how glamourous appearances cover up the inner ruin 被浪費掉的資源和人才有多麼的昂貴 and how expensive the wasted resources and talent are 想想我們的未來充滿多少長輩無法想像的狼狽 Think about how our futures are filled with dilemmas unimaginable by our previous generations 自由主義者他媽的全部都是窩囊廢 Liberals are all fucking useless cowards 社會主義革命是人類的最後一線生機 Socialist revolution is the last hope for human survival 我們早就有能力解決以上描述的問題 We’ve long had the ability to fix the issues stated above 可是問題是人民與生產資料分離 but the problem is the people are separated from the means of production 無法規劃生產活動要怎麼化腐朽為神奇? How will we turn something rotten into something beautiful without commanding heights of the economy? 就連資產階級都懂這個明顯真理 Even the bourgeoisie understands this truth 所以至今還在否定各地革命的成績 so, to this day, it continues to deny the successes of socialist revolutions everywhere 我們的勝利必然損害他們的階級利益 our victory necessarily hurts their class interests 所以心知肚明的他們積極製造歇斯底里 Aware of this, they actively generate hysteria 以防止我們拓展視野而推翻這個充滿失業 to prevent us from expanding our horizons and overthrow this old world 又充滿日夜過勞的低薪勞工的舊世界 filled with unemployment but also filled with overworked and underpaid workers 你想默默地等待資本主義帶來的人類滅絕 Do you want to quietly wait for capitalism to bring about human extinction 還是想建設社會主義 以試圖解決眼前的困境 or would you rather construct socialism in effort to solve the problems in front of us 和創造一個新的文明 and create a new civilization 打造一個真正屬於勞動群眾的政體 and establish a political order that truly belongs to the working masses? 資本主義絕對會死 我們毫無選擇餘地 Capitalism will die, we have no choice in that 重點是你願不願意跟它一起同歸於盡? the important thing is are you willing to die with it?

about

Shortly after his 2018 album "Bombard the Headquarters" was nominated best hip hop album by the Golden Indie Music Awards, Xiangyu, one of the few openly communist rappers in the Sinosphere, together with his comrade Ransom-Notes from the UK, began working on "a Single Spark." In comparison to his previous album, which contains comedic songs like "Paolyta B" and "the Idol's Handbook," "a Single Spark" takes on a more serious tone and delves deeper into Xiangyu's ideology.

Despite the comparatively somber tone, this new album avoids repetitive preaching. Through sharing his personal experiences and the things he saw growing up in the United States, Xiangyu debunks the so-called "American Dream." Using materialist dialectics, he tells us how hip hop has lost its rebellious essence, and also analyzes power dynamics and touches on topics such as the environment. It is difficult to imagine how Xiangyu and Ransom-Notes were able to condense such a vast expanse of knowledge into an album less than 20 minutes in length. You will not be disappointed should you decide to sit down and listen to such a bold album while studying the lyrics. Reminiscent of hip hop's golden age, Ransom-Notes' beatmaking provides the listener with the sugar that makes the pill easier to swallow. Xiangyu's carefully constructed rhymes and the occasional humorous punch line demonstrate his sincere attempt to make his agitprop more accessible to the layperson.

Criticizing US hegemony and the socioeconomic order of today is tantamount to shattering the fundamental beliefs of many, and Xiangyu is acutely aware of this. The fact that hip hop can serve as a platform for pointing out injustices is what attracted Xiangyu to the genre in the first place. "A Single Spark" is similar to "Soundtrack to the Struggle" by Lowkey, one of Xiangyu's influences, in the sense that it is truly revolutionary in content. Those who truly seek to transform the predicaments plaguing our world today will certainly find inspiration in Xiangyu's music.

credits

released July 27, 2019

All lyrics written by Xiangyu,
all beats produced by Ransom-Notes,
recorded by Xiangyu,
mixed by Xiangyu and Ransom-Notes,
mastered by Glenn Schick,
artwork by Bijan Nader Sharifi

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鍾翔宇 Xiangyu Taiwan

鍾翔宇是個馬克思列寧主義說唱歌手和反帝國主義鼓動家。他的音樂風格比較偏向意識說唱,歌詞內容常涉及反帝、階級鬥爭和人民解放等主題。

如有任何諮詢請洽 xy@xiangyu.tw。

Xiangyu is a Marxist-Leninist rapper and anti-imperialist agitator whose style can be generalized as conscious rap. Anti-imperialism, class struggle, and people's liberation, among other topics, are common themes in his work.

For inquiries, please email me at xy@xiangyu.tw.
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