Lupe Fiasco, DMC visit Penn for The People Speak tour

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Lupe Fiasco, DMC visit Penn for The People Speak tour

POSTED: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:10 PM

Filed Under: Movies | Music

Lauren Seibert

Darryl "DMC" Daniels and Lupe Fiasco

Students poured into Penn's Irvine Auditorium last night to see hip-hop star Lupe Fiasco, who'along with rapper Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels of Run-DMC and producer Chris Moore (think American Pie and Good Will Hunting)'hosted a live performance and screening for upcoming doc The People Speak. Penn is the third stop on this college tour, which brings the film's producers and cast members to eight universities across the country.

Lauren Seibert

Chris Moore and Fiasco

Directed by Tony Sacco and co-produced by Moore, Matt Damon, Anthony Arnove and historian Howard Zinn, The People Speak reveals an American history from the perspective of the people ' the words of dissent and civil disobedience, focusing on the themes of class, women, race and war. Celebs, such as Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington and David Strathairn, read documents and speeches written by activists including Susan B. Anthony and Muhammad Ali. Interspersed between the spoken parts are musical performances by the likes of Bob Dylan and John Legend, hence Fiasco and DMC's involvement.

Before the show I took part in a brief group interview with Fiasco and Moore, and the two talked a little about their reasons for getting involved. Fiasco said he had been invited to participate, and after reviewing the project and meeting Zinn, he was hooked. 'You get to a point where it's just like, oh, there was regular people in history,' said Fiasco. 'It's not all generals and politicians.'

The film is inspired by Howard Zinn's two books, A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History (co-edited with Anthony Arnove). Moore said that when he first read Zinn's book, he was amazed that it could be considered a textbook. In the film, Fiasco performs his original song 'American Terrorist' and reads from a 1965 petition by the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party against the Vietnam War. Fiasco said he was given a selection of pieces to choose from, and he chose the subject of war for its particular relevance. 'I think it was something that spoke to right now,' said Fiasco. 'The war is now and it's prevalent, and there's something not right about it.' He later added, 'War is the most dramatic side of questioning authority. And questioning authority is something that is so quintessentially American.'

The event itself included a live reading by Fiasco of 'Muhammad Ali on the Vietnam War,' DMC's rendition of Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power' (he had the audience shouting 'Fight the power!' right back), several clips from the film, and a Q & A, moderated by Penn Professor Tukufu Zuberi.

Lauren Seibert

'As an MC, I listen to the world.'

'We were trying to turn [the books] into something visual, because research says you guys don't read anymore,' Moore said with a grin. Fiasco elicited rousing cheers from the get-go, along with the
proffered number of a tiny but bold sophomore. He gladly accepted.

Lauren Seibert

Hey ladies! Who wouldn't want
to give this kid their digits

Fiasco told the audience, 'I see it as an extension of what I'm trying to do anyway, which is upset the system any way I can. I come from a family of dissenters.' DMC echoed Moore's sentiments about bringing history alive. For him, it made the emotions of the past seem real. 'I think that the most powerful, transforming words come from the people,' he said. 'As an MC, I listen to the world.'

In response to student questions, the three emphasized that no one should just sit back and watch history go by, and nothing will change unless we all take action. They dipped into politics briefly, with Fiasco noting that Obama still has to prove himself on the ground, and Moore adding that even Obama needs people to tell him what they care about. DMC threw in, 'I'm not of the Republican party, I'm not of the Democratic Party ' I'm of the hip-hop party, and there ain't nothin' better than that!' Cheers to that.

As is Fiasco, for the time being. He announced he's not quitting the music scene just yet, despite all the hype about the upcoming Lasers being his last CD. 'My record label won't let me quit,' he said with a sheepish grin.

The People Speak airs December 13 on the History Channel.

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