It’s been 5 months since Space Monkey Mafia released what I considered 2025’s Album of the Year, and they’re already back with more new music. Of course, it’s just a single and not a full album, but I guess that can be forgiven. In the most recent months, the United States government has overrun the cities of its home state, Minnesota, with a violent paramilitary police force that is roaming the streets in large numbers, kidnapping, arresting, and deporting anyone suspected of any sort of immigration violation. Civil rights are seemingly being suspended as agents pick people off the streets without warrants, demanding to see papers, and raid houses. Businesses and schools are closing to keep employees and students safe. People line the streets in protest, following agents to document their actions. This has played out in city after city across America over the last year, but nowhere to the extent it’s happening in Minnesota right now.
In support of the resistance to the continued rise of fascism in the streets of America, Space Monkey Mafia dropped the song “Fuck ICE” on Bandcamp on Monday, January 19th- the day that the United States honors Martin Luther King Jr- a civil rights hero that was assassinated, who was the long time victim of government misinformation and plots, and who may have been assassinated by the same government that is now waging a war against immigrants. They released the song for free download, and if you scroll down the Bandcamp page, you’ll see a link to a document for local resources. These are resources that have food, clothing, and free legal services. In addition to providing necessary aid to those in need, who may not be able to work, or those who need it in Minnesota, this also provides a great list of places to donate to if you have the means and are outside of Minnesota, but would like to help.
The song begins with a little upstroke guitar riff and a few punchy horn lines before dropping into a great Johnny B Goode-esque guitar riff. One of the lyrical themes of the song is to say from here to Mexico- Fuck ICE. From Minneapolis to Laredo, Fuck ICE. From Brooklyn to LA, Fuck ICE. The song seamlessly blends English and Spanish lyrics, but its gist is straightforward. The Gestapo, slave catching, fascist fucks patrolling our streets are not welcome and never will be. Meanwhile, halfway through the song, we get a second Johnny B Goode-esque musical reference, this time in the form of the guitar solo that eventually transitions into a saxophone solo before the tempo simmers down into a slower Spanish-language verse about hope, the coming thaw, and the eventual defeat of fascism.
Space Monkey Mafia will be performing this song live for the first time, along with many other songs, on January 24th at their Winter Sol show at Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All proceeds that the band receives from that show are being donated directly to families impacted by ICE in Minneapolis. So, from Bratislava, Slovakia, to Indianapolis, Indiana, Fuck ICE. Go help your neighbors if you can. Join and be active in your community. We’re all in this together.
Written by Gimp Leg
