The Prophets of Rage Will Host The Anti-Inaugural Ball As We Prepare To Fight Back

On Friday, January 20, Donald J. Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as President of the United States. His swearing in will signal far more than a new executive branch of our government, however. It will also affect policies relating to healthcare, the environment, civil rights, the economy, and every facet of life as we know it. With that in mind, a handful of music’s most outspoken artists have joined forces to perform what’s being billed as the “Anti-Inaugural Ball” and leading the lineup are the posterboys for Anti-Trump rally music, Prophets of Rage.

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Heads will likely recall that the supergroup (comprised of Public Enemy’s Chuck D and DJ Lord, Cypress Hill’s B-Real and all of Rage Against the Machine except Zack de la Rocha) first formed last Spring, just days ahead of California’s primary election. As the campaign season slogged on, Rhe Prophets of Rage fused together the political slant of its members and used their music to inspire political action at every opportunity. In fact, the band took their message on a cross-country tour, all while releasing original music. Along the way, band members made their disdain for Trump no secret, so it’s no surprise they’ve thrown their hats in the ring for an epic protest concert for the ages.

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Joining the Prophets is Vic Mensa, a beacon of the political and socially active youth movement running through Hip-Hop’s veins in light of police brutality and racist politicians. Over the last few months, not only has Vic released his most important work to date in the form of his There’s a Lot Going On EP, but he also took an active role in registering young people to vote, and he has penned some powerful open letters, including this one about the truth behind racism and how Trump’s rise to power happened.

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In announcing the Anti-Inaugural Ball, RATM’s Tom Morello released the following statement:

“The Anti-Inaugural Ball is a celebration of resistance. Resistance to racism. Resistance to sexism. Resistance to homophobia. Resistance to bullying. Resistance to environmental devastation. Resistance to fascism. Resistance to Donald Trump. We are staring down the barrel of a dystopian nightmare unless we act now, unless we fight back now. We intend to create ‘No Trump Zones’ across the country; in our homes, our schools, our places of work, and our concert stages. Bad Presidents make for great music. Join us as we get loud and stand together to defend our rights, our country, and our planet.”

The event, which is already sold out and will take place January 20th at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, will be livestreamed on Prophets of Rage’s Facebook page. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). Also on the bill are Audioslave (performing together as a band for the first time in 11 years), Jackson Browne, Jack Black and the Los Angeles Freedom Choir.