As a middle class white kid from the docile college town of Gainesville, Florida, Eric Piotrowski -- the "Devil in Black" -- ideologically immigrated into the hip-hop nation at an early age.  Listening to LPs from the early giants of the field and feeling an affinity for the messages in the lyrics, Piotrowski remained an observer of the music and the culture for fifteen years.  Now he has emerged with his first rap record, "The Coming Revolt of the Guards."

Piotrowski is the computer-based creative mind behind The Indefatigable Neural System -- which has been featured on compilations in the United States and Europe -- and Gunflower, an industrial/collage project somewhat akin to Negativland and EBN.  While Piotrowski has been fascinated in recent years by industrial and electronic music, hip-hop has been a constant favorite since a very early age.

"I owe a great deal of my modern political sensibility to rap music," Piotrowski says. "From the earliest Run-DMC tracks -- like 'Wake Up' -- rap artists have skillfully combined hard-hitting music with a real-world message. I've tried to do something similar with this album."

But political activism doesn't stop in the studio, he says. Piotrowski was the coordinator for Working On Real Designs, an activist coalition in Sarasota, Florida for a year, and helped start the Florida chapter of the East Timor Action Network in 1998. He's also been involved with feminist activism (including organizing men's events during "Take Back the Night" in Sarasota), and worked for a year in the Newtown Library. He is currently in Watsonville, California, working for the International Federation for East Timor. "The cause of the Timorese people is obviously very important to me," he says. "It's a glaring example of our nation's hypocrisy and disregard for human rights. I consider it my responsibility as an American citizen to try to ameliorate the evil deeds of our foreign policy planners." In 1997, Gunflower released an album called "Viva Timor," featuring tracks explaining the situation in East Timor.

"Music -- especially rap music -- has the power to rock the boat in a way that really gets noticed," Piotrowski says. "On 'The Coming Revolt of the Guards,' I've tried to pay my respects to groups like Public Enemy and The Coup, who have made an incredible impression on me."

But what business does a white boy have making rap music? "I think 3rd Bass and House of Pain proved that white guys don't have to sell out rap music's ideals to get into the mix," Piotrowski says. "But we have to acknowledge the realities of white supremacy and fight against them." He lays it out on the track "Psychological Discomfort": "I call white people devils 'cuz they always have the choice / not to fight against a system that kills black boys / and girls and men and women and so / the question is: Which direction do you choose to go?"

"It's not enough to say you're against racism," he says. "We have to take action against the evils of the current power structures. Like PE said, 'we've got to fight the powers that be.' The same holds true for male dominance. And the rights of gays and lesbians. And issues of class. The status quo means suffering and oppression for lots of people."

DIB will certainly return in the coming years, Piotrowski says. "Like Channel Live said, 'hip hop's been running through my veins ever since.' For a while I was unsure of how to sculpt rap tracks and not make it look like I was trying to be something other than who I am. But I think on this album I'm being true to myself while dropping some good beats and lyrics."

As the samples throughout his music show, Piotrowski draws from a long tradition of hip-hop artistry. "I could never list everyone who merits my thanks and appreciation, but some of the major influences on my music are Public Enemy, The Coup, Paris, The Goats, KRS-One, Run-DMC, The Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Eric B & Rakim, and Ice Cube. Plus of course the female acts like Queen Latifah, Salt n Pepa, and The Conscious Daughters."

"And I definitely have to show respect for those white folks who have made rap music without selling out: 3rd Bass, House of Pain, Consolidated, P.O.W.E.R., and MC 900 Ft. Jesus."