Their tagline is “pop hooks with a Molotov twist,” and it fits. The group popandpropaganda isn’t interested in fame or showing their faces; they’re all about pure sonic sabotage. Imagine if Banksy learned music production on Ableton, fueled by a diet of political manifestos, and decided the world needed a revolutionary soundtrack. They call it “edutainment,” but it hits more like agit-pop. This is a deliberately anonymous and confrontational collective that uses the familiar skin of catchy pop music to deliver a political punch. It’s part art project and part digital resistance. They use melody and mainstream formats, like short songs and videos, to get their point across.
Their own language gives the game away. They talk about “melody as sabotage” and “bars as bullets,” framing themselves as a “virus in the pop machine.” They clearly want to hijack the system from within rather than just criticizing it from the outside. Their commitment to anonymity is serious; they mention using AI and digital platforms to hide their identities while amplifying their message. This approach feels like a mix between an art collective and a protest network, a tactic that’s as much about personal safety as it is about creating a spectacle.
I dove into their public playlist, “Edutainment,” to see what this was all about. It’s a tight seven tracks, running just under nineteen minutes. The variety is impressive. In that short time, you get hip-hop, funk, pop, R&B, and a healthy dose of Latin and reggaeton.
The first track, “Real Gangsters,” pulls from the classic boombap hip-hop that started it all. It feels like a subtle jab at American hip-hop’s tendency to claim the “gangster” label. I really enjoyed the classic feel, the hard-hitting lines, the solid hooks, and the turntable scratches that give it an authentic thrill.
Next up is “Fascism, baby,” a quintessential popandpropaganda song; it’s direct, with no punches pulled. It’s a poppy, funky tune that has a bit of a Bruno Mars vibe to its energy.
“Song for Yemen” follows, bringing a traditional, cultural feel with an intriguing folk-country rhythm at its core. After that, “Teibolera” delivers some excellent Latin hip-hop, carried by a great female vocal performance that locks in perfectly with the beat’s tone and rhythm.
“The Apocalypse Bros (Fascism, Baby)” brings a smooth R&B and soul vibe layered with subtle hip-hop elements. This one is vintage popandpropaganda, aiming straight for your head with its message.
Then there’s “Blame Game,” which opens with an inviting reggae rhythm, giving it a Caribbean feel. It starts off like a breezy vacation before cleverly shifting into a futuristic beat with a gritty, urban pop-hip-hop sound.
The last track, “Invasores,” is a tribute to reggaeton. Its danceable beats are hard to resist, pulling you right into the action. It’s an infectious feeling.
The music is the vehicle, but the group’s manifesto reads like revolutionary theater. It’s full of calls for global solidarity, anti-imperialist ideas, and direct action. They are clearly trying to be confrontational and polarizing, hoping to start a debate as much as they want to build a following.
You can see them building this hybrid of low-fi music and activism online through their YouTube channel and recent releases on DistroKid. They aren’t aiming for a major label deal. People who love protest art will probably find them necessary and bold. Others might see their rhetoric as reckless, especially any talk that seems to endorse illegal acts. In the end, it feels like sparking conversation, and even outrage, is exactly the point.
Now you know what they’re about. It seems like a good time to enter popandpropaganda’s defiantly revolutionary world. Let’s start you off with some of that “Edutainment.”
