I've been a huge fan of RATM since the early 90s, but I don't think that "A brand new band mixing metal and hip hop like no one had done before" is quite true. My understanding is that the music scene in LA had a lot of bands like this. I believe the band Downset pre-dates them, and they had a big hit called "Anger". I only wish they had a bigger impact in politics. For all of their incredible songs, almost nothing c…
Gushing cliches like '_____ has changed everything' often unintentionally dissipate the very energy that seeks to bring about change by reducing everything to bathos. When the language of drama is applied to soap opera plots it's ceased to have any utility. Gil Scott Heron rapped about this in his famous record 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised', which of course was quickly repurposed into a meaningless cliche and printed on t-shirts that could be sold at Hot Topic.
Edit: this is a hyperbolic dig at marketing and commodification. I don't think GSH himself ever tried to make money from merchandise, but the original language is unclear.