Love and Passion
The rapper Kilez More sings about the preconditions for a successful “peace movement”.
World peace cannot be regained. Because it has never once existed in all of history. That assessment is a sad one, yet the Austrian rapper Kilez More also uses it to motivate people to finally make peace come true at last. For that, peace-loving people have to get moving: accordingly, his song is called “Friedensbewegung” (“Peace Movement”).
More earned his merits long ago: despite manifold hostility he performed at countless demonstrations and, alongside his song videos, as an influencer in cabaret-style pieces he mocked warmongering and the “Corona madness” in an intelligent way. His rap song does not merely criticise; it stirs people to protest – peacefully, of course.
“If you’re for peace these days / you have to wear a bulletproof vest, because they’re taking aim at you”, raps Kilez More. The very first lines make clear that the Austrian spoken-word artist stands in the tradition of political protest rap, which points to social ills. Listen on, however, and you quickly realise that this is more of a homage to the peace movement. That, too, is the title of his 2019 song, which is not only critical but also packs strong punchlines.
With witty imagery, Kilez More describes what defines the peace movement: steadfastness, passion and a sense of belonging. This shows in the very fact that, unlike the usual rapper attitude, he does not put himself in the foreground but constantly invokes the collective. There is talk only of “we” and “us”, of an activist movement that stands up for peace despite fierce headwind.
The hook demonstrates this strength of will in rousing lines:
The rap feels like a euphoric rush in which elation, hope and inner strength all blend together. Anyone who hears it is immediately seized by the desire to stand up for peace as well.
So that this impulse does not fade, Kilez More follows it up with a cleverly worded punchline: “You want a sentence to quote”, he asks rhetorically – and then actually delivers it: “The first world peace ever is the goal of a peace movement.”
May this sentence spread around the world. It may, and indeed should, be quoted freely, especially now that war is once again raging in Europe.
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