Best Anti-war Song

When the United States invaded Iraq, most musical acts cowered from public debate. It's hard to blame them -- vocal dissenters were met with declining record sales, bans by backward radio stations and red-faced critiques from right-wing cable gadflies. But outspoken KC rapper Mac Lethal tackled the topic in typically candid fashion on "Pass the Ammo," a prescient anti-war screed issued on the Internet just before the bombs started dropping on Baghdad. In a voice that's more arresting than dinner with Bobby Brown, Mac takes Dubya to task: Look Bush, there's a difference between changing a regime and blowing half the world off the face of the map/But if the Muslims got it right, I promise you Allah's gonna be pretty upset at you for that. He also pokes fun at the hyped-up fear that was used to justify the killing spree: Iraq is strong/They got two-headed soldiers and secret magic bombs/And flying dragons that'll eat the stomachs out their victims/And magic wands that'll cripple cable television. It's no surprise that "Ammo" gained immediate notoriety online, but it was refreshing to see that Mac's future only seemed brighter as a result.