Hip-hop has become the protest music of the 21st century. Even
striking workers in Serbia are now marching to the beat of local
rappers Belgrade Syndicate, writes Aleksandar Mitic in the
Prague-based cultural Webzine Central Europe Review. In
late 2002, an independent labor syndicate blared the tune ?Here
Comes the Syndicate? over loudspeakers as workers rallied outside
the Serbian parliament building. And a new single released last
fall called ?Govedina? (?Beef?) caused a political uproar with its
blistering verbal assault on the new political elites of Serbia and
Montenegro. The main state TV station refused to air the song?s
video, and band members even appeared side-by-side on a TV
talk-show with Yugoslav president Vojislav Kostunica.
–Leif Utne