DESCRIBED BY Vernon Reid of Living Colour as *the first progressive rap group of the Nineties to enter into an ongoing critique of American society*, these Disposable Heroes are, as far as William Burroughs (who they are working on a soundtrack for), is concerned anything but disposable.
Developing out of The Beatnigs, The Disposable's are seen by many as *rap's great leap forward* (a pun on the fact that while they are peace-loving, they also happen to be handy at Karate). U2 credited their track *Television, Drug Of The Nation', from the excellent 'Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury', as a major influence on their 'Zoo TV' tour (The Disposable's supported U2 on several legs of their American tour.) They have had their pictures taken with Jesse Jackson, and have also been pictured pissing on the lawn of the White House.
You see, The Disposable's have quickly become the embodiment of political activism with a deep, intoxicating groove. For many, they are a great flash of hip hopping light in a world shitting its way to extinction. Unfortunately, they are also used by the so-right-on-they-bore-the-arse-off-you right-on liberals, as a type of politically-correct-whip to beat down all other rappers who veer away from the perfect liberal viewpoint. However, rapper Michael Franti is aware of the 'lets make the rap world politically clean, even if the rap ghettos stink' typically middle-class (and usually white) crap: *There's enough people dissing Hip Hop. We don't need to have fights amongst ourselves. Hip Hop is a growing art form and so are the artists involved.*
Michael Franti, as he says on 'Socio-Genetic Experiment' is *African, Native American/Irish and German... I am not solely race, nor environment, nor destiny/I am the human scientific process/Over and over and over and over again.* His raps range from topics such as violence against gays, discrimination against immigrants and all minorities and pollution, to his honest admissions of his own inability of dealing with personal relationships because of his obsession with the political. His early influences include artists such as Gil Scott Heron, Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys (they do a great adaptation of *California Über Alles*) and Linton Kwesi Johnson: *I've never seen someone get up and say what was going on so clearly in his part of the world but still relate it to my own situation.*
Rono Tse, the other Disposable, using arc welders and the like, helps create a highly original industrial flavoured sound (there's some jazzy leanings in it too). Consolidated comes to mind by way of comparison (Mark Pistel helped programme and arrange *Hiphoprisy Is The Greatest Luxury*).
In case you've an allergy to hearing politics in the Park and coming at ya, relax. The Disposable's give a great, arc-welding, visually explosive and sweat-pumping show. They'll be there to educate, sure, but like all great artists, they kick arse and entertain.