This past Sunday, I bit the bullet and tagged along with an amiga to a Jersey
Shore-themed family party in Walnut. It didn't really work out, but at least I got the scoop for a bad-ass underground rap song.
My then-unofficial cuñado (“brother-in-law,” for you non-español forkers) Kenny Segal let me know about it while schmoozing it up and drinking Corona Light. He's a composer for Elias Arts, a music studio in Santa Monica, and he told me some of the lyrics on the unreleased song called “I Used to Be a
Vegan” by the underground rap group Zion I & the Grouch.
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Of course, I immediately looked it up since it has to do with
food and, well . . . promise you won't laugh? I myself used to be a poseur vegan
back in my prepubescent Glutster days.
I expected a parody viral video on YouTube to waste a minute
of my life on or something; instead, I came upon this link to download the song!
It's actually quite legit, with some deep-ass, catchy
lyrics. Quoth the MC:
“Blueberry, Pom, Goji, acai drinks
“Do they give you energy? Or just make your pee stink, boy?
“You could be unhealthy off of soy
“If it's GMO'd or fried to enjoy”
This song isn't even out yet, so feel free to be the first
on your block to bump it while driving your leased Prius. They just started a
countrywide tour called “Heroes In the Healing of the
Nation” to celebrate the release of the album, on which you can find “I Used to Be a Vegan.” Google them to see when you can catch them in a hood near you!
And they're no mere novelty act: They donate 100 percent of all ticketing fees sold through ZioniAndTheGrouch.com to local
community organizations (just like Bay Area progressive hip-hop legends the Coup), so you can feel good knowing they are actually
down for the cause, not just singing it.
Here's another of their jams:
