Use of the Confederate Flag in Hip Hop

How rappers have addressed the South's symbol of racism.

Change Gonna Come? - In the wake of the Charleston Massacre, President Obama is standing firm in his belief that the Confederate flag belongs in a museum. The NAACP president Cornell Brooks calls it an "emblem of hate." And the shooter in South Carolina reportedly had one on the license plate of his car.Read on for a look at how hip hop has flipped and dismissed the controversial symbol.(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

1 / 14

Change Gonna Come? - In the wake of the Charleston Massacre, President Obama is standing firm in his belief that the Confederate flag belongs in a museum. The NAACP president Cornell Brooks calls it an "emblem of hate." And the shooter in South Carolina reportedly had one on the license plate of his car.Read on for a look at how hip hop has flipped and dismissed the controversial symbol.(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

/content/dam/betcom/images/2014/01/National-01-01-01-15/011014-Music-Yelawolf-Posts-Pics-Wearing-Confederate-Flag-On-Instagram.jpg

2 / 14

Yelawolf's Sunday "Best" - Looks like Yelawolf has been using the Confederate flag to help show off his southern pride, but it's wrapped him up in a world of controversy. After posting pics of himself adorned with a symbol that is often also correlated with this nation's history of slavery and systemic racism, Yela quickly deleted them.(Photo: Yelawolf via Instagram)

Kanye West's Tour Gear - Kanye West drew the ire of Al Sharpton and the side eye of fans when he began selling merchandise that features the Confederate flag at his Yeezus tour. "I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag now. Now, what you gonna do?" he said in his defense. *Kanye shrug*  (Photo: Virgil Abloh via Instagram)

3 / 14

Kanye West's Tour Gear - Kanye West drew the ire of Al Sharpton and the side eye of fans when he began selling merchandise that features the Confederate flag at his Yeezus tour. "I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag now. Now, what you gonna do?" he said in his defense. *Kanye shrug* (Photo: Virgil Abloh via Instagram)

Nas' "Testify" Lyrics - In this song off his 2008 Untitled LP, Nas uses the controversial flag to illustrate a violent reaction to racism. "Send these redneck bigots to some death in a bag," Nas rhymes. "Choke him out with his Confederate flag/I know these devils are mad." (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

4 / 14

Nas' "Testify" Lyrics - In this song off his 2008 Untitled LP, Nas uses the controversial flag to illustrate a violent reaction to racism. "Send these redneck bigots to some death in a bag," Nas rhymes. "Choke him out with his Confederate flag/I know these devils are mad." (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being 2 - Lil Wayne has sometimes seemed to be rhyming on autopilot of late, and his next project, a sequel to his 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being, is the perfect chance to right the course. He’s certainly off to a promising start: Juicy J, David Banner and Cool & Dre are among the reported producers; Kanye West appears on the album and is also designing the artwork; and the first single, “Rich as F--k,” features 2 Chainz.  (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

5 / 14

Lil Wayne's "Georgia...Bush" Lyrics - On his 2006 mixtape Dedication 2, Weezy blasted President George W. Bush for mishandling Hurricane Katrina relief. On "Georgia...Bush," specifically, Wayne mentions the symbol of the Confederacy to call out Southerners who support him. "We see them Confederate flags, you know what it is/A white cracker motherf**r that probably voted for him." (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

ADVERTISEMENT
Pastor Troy's Hometown Pride - Atlanta-bred rhymer Pastor Troy wanted to show hometown pride in the video for his 2001 hit "This Tha City," but may have taken it too far when he had Black folks in the video boldly wearing and flashing the contoverisal flag.  (Photo: Universal Records)

6 / 14

Pastor Troy's Hometown Pride - Atlanta-bred rhymer Pastor Troy wanted to show hometown pride in the video for his 2001 hit "This Tha City," but may have taken it too far when he had Black folks in the video boldly wearing and flashing the contoverisal flag.  (Photo: Universal Records)

Fat Joe - Following her mentor Big Pun’s death, fellow BX native Fat Joe gave Remy her big break signing her to his SRC label and making her a member of the Terror Squad. The two had great chemistry and even scored a Grammy nod for "Lean Back," and now that they've reconciled since a falling out in 2006, we can't wait to hear what these two will cook up.(Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

7 / 14

Fat Joe's "My Conscience" Lyrics - Trying to reconcile his drug huslting past with the cut "My Conscience," Fat Joe mentions the rebel rag as he contemplates possibly running for office. "Yeah, wave the Confederate flag like some Southerners?!" he wonders. "Nah! I rather be on the block like a hustler."(Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

Ludacris's Fashion Statement - In 2005, Ludacris performed his song “Georgia” at the Vibe Music Awards wearing a Confederate flag-inspired jumpsuit. But before anyone could scream "foul," he stripped it off, stomped on it and replaced it with another jumpsuit — a Confederate flag done in African pride colors of red, black and green.  (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Usher's New Look Foundation)

8 / 14

Ludacris's Fashion Statement - In 2005, Ludacris performed his song “Georgia” at the Vibe Music Awards wearing a Confederate flag-inspired jumpsuit. But before anyone could scream "foul," he stripped it off, stomped on it and replaced it with another jumpsuit — a Confederate flag done in African pride colors of red, black and green. (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Usher's New Look Foundation)

5. Immortal Technique - A favorite among the college crowd, Immortal Technique was actually on Freestyle Friday many years ago. Since then, he has evolved into one of the most prolific and vocal artists to ever question government and first world politics in music.  (Photo: Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)

9 / 14

Immortal Technique's "Crossing the Boundary" Lyrics - The political-minded MC pointed his lyrical gun at controversial senator Trent Lott, saying he'd wrap the power player's body in the Confederate flag after he musically burns him.  (Photo: Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)

MJG's No More Glory Artwork - For his first solo LP, No More Glory, in 1997, MJG found inspiration from the flag for his cover art, showing it burning in the background.   (Photo: Draper Inc Records)

10 / 14

MJG's No More Glory Artwork - For his first solo LP, No More Glory, in 1997, MJG found inspiration from the flag for his cover art, showing it burning in the background.  (Photo: Draper Inc Records)

ADVERTISEMENT
Insane Clown Posse, @icp - Tweet: "RIP Lord Infamous"(Photo: WENN)

11 / 14

Insane Clown Posse's "Your Rebel Flag" Lyrics - This Detroit rhyme crew verbally blasted small-minded southerners and the symbol of their heritage on "Your Rebel Flag," a cut off their 1992 debut, Carnival of Carnage. (Photo: WENN)

Lil Jon's Crunk Confederate - Lil' Jon made the mistake of sporting a Confederate flag-emblazened shirt in both the video for "Bia Bia" and for the song's cover art, sparking the debate of whether or not the symbol can be "reclaimed" by the younger generation — similar to the way a certain word has.  (Photo: Universal Republic Records)

12 / 14

Lil Jon's Crunk Confederate - Lil' Jon made the mistake of sporting a Confederate flag-emblazened shirt in both the video for "Bia Bia" and for the song's cover art, sparking the debate of whether or not the symbol can be "reclaimed" by the younger generation — similar to the way a certain word has. (Photo: Universal Republic Records)

Andre 3000's Bible Belt Belt - Andre 3000 probably thought no one would notice the Confederate flag belt buckle he wore in the video for Outkast's smash "Sorry Ms. Jackson." But he was wrong.   (Photo: LaFace Records)

13 / 14

Andre 3000's Bible Belt Belt - Andre 3000 probably thought no one would notice the Confederate flag belt buckle he wore in the video for Outkast's smash "Sorry Ms. Jackson." But he was wrong.  (Photo: LaFace Records)

Photo By Photo: LaFace Records

Nas - Year of Honor: 2006It seems contradictory to award a man who proclaimed hip hop to be dead in an album title (which was released the same year he received this award) with the first I Am Hip Hop award. However, hip hop as a culture has always been at odds with itself and no artist has ever embodied that struggle better than Nas. Hailing from Queensbridge, NY, his highly-lauded debut album, Illmatic, was credited with ushering in a new era of rap music whose effect can still be heard today.(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

14 / 14

Nas' "Doo Rag" Lyrics - Nas takes on the symbol again when talking about the hypocrisy of American politics for this 2001 cut off his The Lost Tapes LP. "The murderers wearing police uniforms, Confederate flags I burn," he spit. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)