Cultural Artifact: Rage Against the Machine

I decided to talk a little bit about Rage Against the Machine’s self titled debut album for my cultural artifact. This album debuted in 1992 and when you think of what was going on in America at this time the album is very appropriate. The country was emerging from the Gulf War and was seeing itself on the way out of a major economic recession. The music seems to almost be the definition of apocalyptic. Rage cries out against the ills in American society that lead to militarism and materialistic economic woes but the country did not listen. When we think of what is happening in America today we are yet again in the midst of a war in the Middle East and in the middle of an economic recession. Some of these Rage lyrics resonate so clearly today despite the fact that this album is 18 years old.

-Take the Power Back
The present curriculum

I put my fist in 'em

Eurocentric every last one of 'em

See right through the red, white and blue disguise

With lecture I puncture the structure of lies

Installed in our minds and attempting

To hold us back
We've got to take it back

Holes in our spirit causin' tears and fears

One-sided stories for years and years and years

I'm inferior? Who's inferior?

Yeah, we need to check the interior

Of the system that cares about only one culture

And that is why
We gotta take the power back


Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!

We gotta take the power back

-Know Your Enemy
What? The land of the free?

Whoever told you that is your enemy?


Now something must be done

About vengeance, a badge and a gun
'
Cause I'll rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system

I was born to rage against 'em

-Township Rebellion
Rebel, rebel and yell

'Cause our people still dwell in hell

Locked in a cell

Yes, the structure's a cell

Mad is the story I tell

How long can we wait?

Come on, seein' what's at stake

Action for reaction

If your mind's in a somewhat complacent state

Get a check up
This is a stick up

Our freedom or your life

Lord, I wish I could be peacful

But there can be no sequel

Now freedom must be fundamental

In Johannesburg or South Central

On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em

To kick in the township rebellion


Yeah, what about that, sucker?


Yeah, so you thought you could get with the hardlines

That fill your mind

Thoughts, battles fought

And lessons taught

Yes I'll display the fitness

And flip like a gymnast

Raise my fist and resist

Asleep, though we stand in the midst

Of a war

Gotta get mine

Gotta get more

Keepin' the mic warm against the norm
'
Cause what does it offer me?

I think often it's nothin' but a coffin


Gotta get wreck

Till our necks never swing on a rope

From here to the cape of no hope


Now freedom must be fundamental

In Johannesburg or South Central

On the mic, 'cause someone should tell 'em

To kick in the township rebellion


Why stand on a silent platform?
Fight the War, F**k the norm

All of these lyrics are very apocalyptic in the sense that they cry out against the empire. They encourage people to break out of the systems that hold us captive and limit our imaginations. While Rage might be more angry and violent then we are supposed to be as Christians I think this is art that most Christians have dismissed as completely evil instead of listening to the prophetic message that this music carries. This album carries a message that transcends time and speaks to us today with the same vigor that it did in ’92. It is only appropriate that the final scene of The Matrix would include “Wake Up” by Rage.

1) Did what you read about Rage Against the Machine surprise you based on what you had heard about them from Christian people and organizations?
2) Why do you think the church is so scared of this kind of music?
3) Why do we have to go to anarchist violent radicals to hear this kind of message instead of the church?