“Where they at?”
Where are the local hip-hop leaders with their potential enormous influence on the ’08 presidential primary?
That means deejays, radio stations, clubs, promoters and – especially – hip-hop artists.
There hasn’t been a real push in the STL from any of those blocs, which along with the entire hip-hop family here, have a collective voting power of tens of thousands of youngsters.
Time is running short.
The deadline for first time voters to register to vote on Feb. 5 has already expired. Those who have moved to a new address in the same county or city may transfer their registration as late as Election Day, Feb. 5.
Local hip-hop leaders can push the word to registered voters just by simply making it a part of their conversation.
You can still push your mixtapes, demos, new singles, parties and other promotions, but rap to your fans, listeners, followers and leaders about showing up to the polls in February and November.
The voters are out there.
In 2004 the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and its Hip-hop Team Vote voter registration and Get Out the Vote initiatives registered 114,000 youth voters in Missouri during the St. Louis Hip-Hop Summit.
As Dr. Ben Chavis said that year, “Hip-hop is vibrating strongly in the heartland of America” and “there is no question, the youth of Missouri and the entire Midwest are going to weigh in decisively to determine the future.”
The Hip-Hop Grapevine is endorsing U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-Il.).
Though Obama, like the other candidates, dislikes some aspects of hip-hop, he has publicly said he loves the art of hip-hop.
While on BET, he said he met with Jay-Z, Kanye and other rap artists about utilizing rappers to educate youth with hip-hop, should he make it to the White House.
He admitted being more of an “old school guy, ” but also said, “I gotta admit – lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Jay-Z.” He added, “Hip-hop is not just a mirror of what is – it should be a mirror of what can be.”
Also, like hip-hop, Obama is for bringing people together.
When he talks about change, a few other the specifics are health care, education and the economy.
While some rappers have made it, many of their family, friends and peers haven’t, and could definitely use the kind of change Obama raps about.
U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has thrown her husband, former President Bill Clinton, into the campaign. Some blacks have called him the first black president, but the changes he made can’t stand scrutiny.
He was the president who signed the regressive welfare reform program into law, which continues to adversely affect millions of poor people.
Also, during his own campaign for president, he publicly criticized Rapper Sista Souljah for her “keeping it real” comments about whites.
Bill Clinton was not the first black president, and his wife won’t be the second if she wins.
It’s not about color, it’s about the issues and real compassion for humanity, which Obama continues to preach. And the White House shouldn’t be off-limits to African Americans.
“I’m not voting for Obama because he’s black, but for the understanding that I get from him when he speaks,” said local rapper County Brown, who will be performing as the lone black rapper on a Loop Underground rock show Friday, Feb. 6 at the Pageant.
“Obama brings a swagger that our country needs to regain respect from other countries,” County Brown said, adding that, “He doesn’t seem scripted to me like the other candidates, and I don’t think he will let our country and ‘hoods down like other presidents have in the past.”
Hip-hoppers in Missouri can really show their muscle by voting on Feb. 5. According to a poll by Rasmussen Reports, Hillary is favored in Missouri 43 percent to Obama’s 24 percent, while presidential hopeful John Edwards racked up 28 percent. The poll only has a 4 percent error margin.
But if Hip-hoppers here get out and vote, the results can be different.
