Flobots

Flobots are an American hip-hop and rock band from Denver, Colorado, founded by emcees Jonny 5 (Jamie Laurie) and Brer Rabbit (Stephen Brackett) with violinist Mackenzie Roberts, guitarist Andy Guerrero, bassist Jesse Walker, and drummer Kenny Ortiz. Distinctive for pairing rap vocals with live rock instrumentation and a prominent classical violin, the band drew comparisons to politically charged rap-rock forebears while carving out a sound centered on socially conscious, activist lyricism rather than aggression.

The group's 2007 album Fight With Tools produced the breakout single «Handlebars», a genre-defying track whose escalating verses about ambition curdling into danger and violin-driven instrumental hook made it an unlikely mainstream hit and brought the band's message-driven approach to a wide audience. The success gave Flobots a platform to address subjects like war, climate change, and socio-economic inequality without softening their political stance.

Follow-up albums Survival Story (2010), The Circle in the Square (2012), and NOENEMIES (2017) continued to develop the band's fusion of hip-hop, rock, and orchestral elements while deepening their commitment to activism, both through lyrics and through the Flobots' associated community and youth-empowerment initiatives in Denver. Their catalog reflects a rare case of a mainstream rap-rock hit act built entirely around explicit social and political engagement.