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Boston: Hip-hop has always been political. It was founded as a genre that detailed the socioeconomic problems New York City youths encountered in the 1970s. But four years ago hip-hop stepped into the arena of electoral politics.
Sean "Diddy" Combs launched the Vote or Die campaign to encourage people to vote. Russell Simmons's Hip-hop Summit Action Network took an active role in registering voters. A Hip-hop Convention in New Jersey sought to create an agenda of issues important to the community.
The political engagement was at least a numerical success. In 2004, 49 per cent of 18- to 29-year-olds voted in the presidential election, a nine per cent increase over turnout among that age group in the 2000 race.
Hip-hop is taking another stab at politics this year. Mariah Carey, Russell Simmons, and Jay-Z have endorsed Barack Obama. Simmons launched Hip-hop Team Vote just before the Pennsylvania Democratic primary to register voters. Another Hip-hop Convention is scheduled for Las Vegas beginning July 28.
But this time, the grass-roots organisations that previously provided support to the national programmes are exploring ways to effect political change locally. These groups introduce people to issues affecting their communities.
During a recent panel discussion at Northeastern University about hip-hop and politics, Jeff Johnson, 37, a former vice president of the Hip-hop Summit Action Network, attributed the disconnect felt by some participating in the hip-hop political movement in 2004 to the organisers' focus on the presidential campaign.
"The problem with it," Johnson said, "was there was very little substance underneath that movement. Vote or Die, but I'm not going to tell you how. Vote or Die, but I'm not going to help you organise."
Developing leadership
Roxbury's National Black College Alliance now plans to give community activists, corporate leaders, educators, and students guidance on developing leadership skills and becoming politically active with its conference "Greatest Minds: A Gathering of Black Bostonians." Some 200 people have already signed up for the event on June 6-7 at Roxbury's Hibernian Hall.
"Because there are many people in Generation X and Y that are aspiring for leadership, they're trying to figure out what leverage to pull here in town," said George "Chip" Greenidge Jr, founder of the National Black College Alliance, who came up with the idea for the conference.
"I said, 'Come on. Let's get everybody in a room together. Let's organise'."
Greenidge started the National Black College Alliance in 2000 to bring students and college alumni together as mentors and mentees. The goal is to help the older participants become better mentors and volunteers and prompt younger students to interact with living examples of success whether they're college students or people working in the corporate world. Greenidge created the organisation, he said, to serve as an alternative to negative media images that seem to imply that black culture is defined by violence, poverty, or drugs.
Four years ago Greenidge put together a get-out-the-vote rally of 1,200 people for Vote or Die at Hynes Convention Centre.
"We built a lot of new relationships, engaged a lot of young people to look at voting," Greenidge said.
For the June conference he expects attendees from age 16 to 85. Participants will divide into groups to discuss how their particular generation defines leadership and organises in their communities; this will lead to an intergenerational discussion about methods of leadership. "I think people want to have that conversation," said Greenidge.
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| This article on the national political campaigns in the United States is from The New York Times. It was specially selected and prepared by the editors of The New York Times News Service. |
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