Agitprop! Records
Encyclopedia
Agitprop! Records is a 'revolutionary hardcore and hip hop
' independent record label
based in Boston, USA, founded by Angela Tavares.
One of the label's notable releases is the compilation Stand Up & Fucking Fight For It, its first full-length CD, released in 2002. The recording features queercore
bands such as Fagatron, Best Revenge
, The Rotten Fruits, Kids like Us and others, and is one of a handful of queercore compilations to be released. Tavares said in the Fanorama
zine, "I was 17 or 18 when I came out, and very much into hardcore and punk. It was weird being involved in these two different 'communities' - one that, at times, could be over-run with homophobia and heterosexism
, and the other which I could find very little in common with other than that we fucked the same." She said that the compilation was inspired largely by the Outpunk
label and its early-90's Outpunk Dance Party, though she added that despite its reputation, Agitprop! is not specifically a "queer" label.
Other early releases included albums and vinyl singles by Ninja Death Squad and Fagatron, and Agitprop! also began issuing records by hip hop artists like Juha and Deep Dickollective
.
Agitprop! was initially established as a distro, and continued to distribute other labels' recordings after it began releasing its own. The label is referenced in Homocore, a somewhat definitive guidebook to queercore history.
Tavares eventually put Agitprop! on hiatus to focus on fiction writing (which has included "Fast Ones" from the Dennis Cooper
anthology, Userlands). In 2007, Agitprop! returned, first by making much of its back-catalogue available through CDBaby. In December 2007, Juha's album The Grooms of God became the first new Agitprop! release since the label was revived.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
' independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
based in Boston, USA, founded by Angela Tavares.
One of the label's notable releases is the compilation Stand Up & Fucking Fight For It, its first full-length CD, released in 2002. The recording features queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
bands such as Fagatron, Best Revenge
Best Revenge
Best Revenge is a queercore punk band from Los Angeles, CA. They were active as a studio and live act from the beginning of 1998 until December 2002.-History and Founding:...
, The Rotten Fruits, Kids like Us and others, and is one of a handful of queercore compilations to be released. Tavares said in the Fanorama
Fanorama
Fanorama is a Rhode Island-based zine and zine-distro produced by journalist/activist REB . According the their website it is the "grand-daddy of the queer zine scene"....
zine, "I was 17 or 18 when I came out, and very much into hardcore and punk. It was weird being involved in these two different 'communities' - one that, at times, could be over-run with homophobia and heterosexism
Heterosexism
Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that everyone is heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior...
, and the other which I could find very little in common with other than that we fucked the same." She said that the compilation was inspired largely by the Outpunk
Outpunk
Outpunk enjoys the distinction of being the first record label entirely devoted to queer punk bands.The label was run out of San Francisco and began as an extension of Matt Wobensmith's fanzine, Outpunk. Outpunk ran for seven issues, from 1992 till 1997, with contributions from queer punks such as...
label and its early-90's Outpunk Dance Party, though she added that despite its reputation, Agitprop! is not specifically a "queer" label.
Other early releases included albums and vinyl singles by Ninja Death Squad and Fagatron, and Agitprop! also began issuing records by hip hop artists like Juha and Deep Dickollective
Deep Dickollective
Deep Dickollective was a black and queer hiphop group based in Oakland, California that helped launch the homohop genre of openly queer/LGBT artists including the PeaceOUT World Homo Hop Festival.-History:...
.
Agitprop! was initially established as a distro, and continued to distribute other labels' recordings after it began releasing its own. The label is referenced in Homocore, a somewhat definitive guidebook to queercore history.
Tavares eventually put Agitprop! on hiatus to focus on fiction writing (which has included "Fast Ones" from the Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist.-Career:Cooper grew up the son of a wealthy businessman in Arcadia, California. His first forays into literature came early, focusing on imitations of Rimbaud, Verlaine, de Sade, and Baudelaire...
anthology, Userlands). In 2007, Agitprop! returned, first by making much of its back-catalogue available through CDBaby. In December 2007, Juha's album The Grooms of God became the first new Agitprop! release since the label was revived.
Artists on Agitprop! Records
- And I Can't Wait
- Best Revenge
- Deep DickollectiveDeep DickollectiveDeep Dickollective was a black and queer hiphop group based in Oakland, California that helped launch the homohop genre of openly queer/LGBT artists including the PeaceOUT World Homo Hop Festival.-History:...
- Fagatron
- Fakefight
- Free Verse
- Juha
- Kids Like Us
- Ninja Death Squad
- Skinjobs
- To See You Broken
- iamloved
External links
- Agitprop! Records web site
- Agitprop! Myspace page
- Old Agitprop Records Webpage by way of the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
Wayback Machine - Link to Userlands: New Fiction from the Blogging Underground, featuring a story by Tavares
- Tavares' blog spot
- Homocore book