We’re back with another monthly edition of The Rebel Beat, a Firebrand Records podcast, and your purveyors of class war on the dance floor, each and every moon cycle.

Our special guest on the podcast this time around is Maddie Ruthless, the front woman of the band The Far East. The Far East hail from Brooklyn, NY, and play a blend of unapologetic reggae that is as sultry as it is hard-edged.

We spoke with Maddie about the radical, anti-imperialist and anti-racist message of reggae, being a woman in the music scene, anti-fascist music in the age of Trump, AND touring with 2-tone ska legends The Specials.

Do you enjoy The Rebel Beat? Then support us! Consider throwing us even as little as $1/month. It helps a lot!
www.patreon.com/rebelbeatradio

photo by Miki Marcinkiewicz

In our Turn It Up segment, we big up the Black activists, scholars, and musicians such as Talib Kweli, Tom Morello, and Vic Mensa who signed an open letter from the Dream Defenders calling for the freedom of Palestinian youth activist Ahed Tamimi. Here is their letter.

*Playlist*

Hortense Ellis – People make the world go round
Mos Dub – Johnny too beef
Maddie Ruthless and the Forthrights – They didn’t build this world for you
The Far East – Youthman
Lady Ann – Doctor doctor
The Far East – Can we make it up
The Specials – Racist friend
The Far East – Betrayer
Vic Mensa – We could be free