by Otep is one of the most controversial acts out there, with Otep Shamaya leading the charge. On a whole, Otep’s songs are incredibly powerful, heavy, catchy, and intoxicating — it’s really surprising that they haven’t caught on the way that Rage Against the Machine did in the ‘90s.
I can’t say that Otep’s new track, “Equal Rights Equal Lefts,” is typical of their sound, and I certainly can’t say that I like it, but there’s value in it if you appreciate what’s going on there musically. Lyrically, the song speaks to equal rights, but mostly for the LGBTQ. The video for “Equal Rights Equal Lefts,” which Otep premiered at Colours Couture’s SXSW fashion showcase, features a preponderance of lipstick lesbians and hunky, chiseled gay men. I might be wrong, but I think this kind of portrayal isn’t exactly the message that should be given.
What do you think?
Regardless, the “Equal Rights Equal Lefts” video and track further solidify Otep’s diligent quest for equality:
I wrote this song to celebrate and empower all people to live their authentic selves, to live their truth, and to fight for their right to exist. Every day the LGBTQ community faces bigotry, bullying, ridicule, and legislative attacks. We are not ‘the other.’ We are your friends, your family, your neighbors, your coworkers, your doctors, nurses, soldiers, and fellow Americans. Simply put, this song and this video are about love and equality.
“Equal Rights Equal Lefts” appears on Otep’s latest album, Generation Doom.
Rock Hard \m/
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