Fight the power: Hip hop in a time of monsters

This editorial contextualizes the political and cultural environment in which this open call issue emerges, noting the rise of global fascisms and dangers to free speech. To situate this point in hip hop history, the introduction nods to Chuck D of Public Enemy, who rapped on the classic track, ‘Fight the Power’: ‘Our freedom of speech is freedom or death/ We got to fight the powers that be’. From this background, the short essay introduces the contents of the issue, concluding that we need to build solidarity to protect our freedom of speech and protect each other from being disappeared – as has started happening to outspoken critics of fascist regimes with worrying regularity. Using the concept of hegemony, we argue that subordinate groups have agency to challenge the rising tide of fascism.