Wake Yo Game Up-Rappers are Coming Politically Correct By Davey D

So with less then 30 days left before what many are describing as the election of a life-time a lot is riding on the high expectations for the so called Hip Hop generation. Make no mistake, in spite of his charisma, brilliance and overall tenacity, had it not been for the millions of young people who showed up at caucuses, volunteered their time and sent 10-15 dollars each month of their money Barack Obama would be at home right about now watching the 2008 presidential elections from the sidelines. So with that being said will all the folks who came out in record numbers during the primaries come out on November 4th.

From the looks of things-'yes'. Unlike in years past, this time Hip Hop artists and their fans are playing more direct and active roles in the campaign. In 2004 and 2000 you had a big media mogul like Russell Simmons or P-Diddy speaking on behalf of the Hip Hop community and Hip Hop artists. If you wanted something you talked to Russell and then he would get the artists to come through. In 2008 it's a different ballgame. Many artists have matured, taken the initiative and require no middleman in speaking up. Take someone like Will I Am from the Black Eyed Peas. He took the initiative to gather up his peers in the entertainment industry and put together that compelling song and video 'Yes We Can'. He said he was moved to action after hearing Obama speak after his loss in the New Hampshire primary back in January. Fast forward a few months to August and Will found himself performing that song along with singer John Legend at Obama's acceptance speech in Denver at Invesco Field.


The other week Questluv of the Roots did a big fundraiser/club night for Obama in New York while two weeks ago Jay-Z and Wyclef Jean did mega concerts for Obama in Miami. These were events in which the artists took the initiative.

Outspoken Atlanta rap star Killer Mike has been passionately making the case as to why he feels Obama needs to be in the White House while at the same time warning his rap peers to put on their 'Sunday suits and not do anything stupid to mess up this man's chances'. He was specifically referring to artists like Ludacris who did a song where he called Hillary Clinton a bitch in one sentenced then turned around and said he was Obama's favorite rapper. It resulted in Obama having to publicly denounce Ludcris .

While speaking at the heavily attended Ozone awards in Houston the other month, Killer Mike reminded folks that it was the Hip Hop artists and fans who came out in support of Obama long before Black politicians. He said they appreciated his candor, him owning up to past mistakes and more importantly his willingness to build and accept us. He said for 40 years people talked about 'We Shall Overcome' but there was never a blueprint or manuscript to show us where and when overcoming would happen. He suggested that the election of Obama against what started out as insurmountable odds might be the fulfillment of that dream. He also said that Obama is like Hip Hop in that he comes from a place where we routinely make something big out of nothing.

Mississippi rap star David Banner, who was recently here in the Bay Area cautioned that electing Obama won't be the end game. It will be the beginning of the hard work all of us are expected to do. He said an Obama presidency will eliminate in many people's minds the idea that racism was a cause for any of our problems. For better or for worse they will point to Obama's success and expect us to do the same hence folks have got to get ready to step up and take on a level of responsibility. Banner hooked up with fellow rap star T.I. and a host of others and participated in a voter registration drive called 'Respect My Vote', It was put together by the Hip Hop Caucus in Washington DC and resulted in over 50 thousand people being registered to vote in one day.

Repsect My Vote! T.I. On Good Day Philadelphia

Taking on responsibility is a sentiment echoed by Houston rap star Bun B who made his way up to the Democratic Convention to act as an observer so he could return home and let his fans know what's really going on. In a recent interview he pushed for his fellow rap peers to put down some money and rent buses and use their celebrity to make sure that people go to the polls.

Bun and other Houston based rappers like Slim Thug, K-Rino, Madhatter, Cory Mo, Hezeleo and Troublesome to name a few have teamed up with local activists and have been loaning their voice, celebrity, video and what have you to help flip Texas a long time stronghold for the Republicans into a Blue state. Two years ago Dallas flip from red to blue and now all eyes are on Houston which is the last stronghold of the good ole boys who have been preventing the state from changing direction. There are over one million people in the nation's 4th largest city who are not registered. Over half of them Black and Brown. If just a small percentage of those folks turn in ballots it'll be a different day in the Lone Star state. While Obama has excited folks, its actually been local issues in particular the activities of a over the top racist sheriff that folks feel need to be bounced out of office that has fired people up.

Hezeleo on the prison system and voting for change

In Compton, Lil Eazy E the son of the rap legend Eazy E along with Mack 10 and number of other celebrities like Jamie Foxx helped kick off a 'My Hood Votes' campaign. Lil Eazy noted that he and his croonies are focusing on getting ex-felons to the polls as well as those who have given up on the system. With new oppressive measures like Prop 6 which was created by the people behind 3 Strikes, folks in the hood are waking up and understanding that they are being targeted. prop 6 would lock up undocumented folks with out bail and would send 14 year olds to adult prisons.

These are just a few of the scores of efforts that I can cite that are going on nationally.

Here in the Bay Area we've seen that 'extra responsibility' show up in the form of long time rap producer and former Soul Beat TV video host Chuck Johnson. In 2006 when former Congressman Ron Dellums announced he would be running, Johnson an East Oakland resident was bothered that more folks were not engaged in the political process. While he acknowledged that Bay Area as being a hub for political organizing, he still felt there was a large demographic of people who weren't being touched. Johnson started an organization called Town Bizness Network that targeted people who live in the turfs throughout the Bay Area's flat lands.

Inspired by Obama's campaign, Johnson worked tirelessly and against all odds to educate himself on how to form a non profit, how to do voter registration and how to set up townhalls and 'meet and greets' involving his targeted audience from the turf and local politicians. Earlier this year he put together a town hall and got PBS to help sponsor it and broadcast it. Disappointed that the event was half full, Johnson repackaged the audio and made it into a podcast and radio to reach more people.

While doing all this Johnson tapped into his contacts he made over the years as a video show host and talked to damn near every Bay Area rapper asking them to step up and help wake people up and get them involved in the election. The end result is a 14 song compilation CD called Wake Yo' Game Up, which features everyone from Bay Area icons Too Short, San Quinn on down to newcomers, J-Stalin, Kev Choice and D'Labrie to Bay Area staples like Shake Da Mayor, Mista FAB and Beeda Weeda to name a few. There is already a video out for the CD first single called 'Vote (Ready or Not) by Yung Moses.

VOTE - YUNG MOSES

Johnson's tenacity and 'go get em spirit' has already landed him a feature story with CNN with them housing the video. If that's not enough Johnson has also got Bay Area artists to put together some PSA's reminding folks to go register and go out and vote. Oh yeah he even has billboard in East Oakland telling folks to Wake Yo Game Up. If that's not putting on your Sunday best and taking responsibility for an existing problem I don't know what is. We salute Chuck Johnson and all those in the Hip Hop generation for stepping up and making it happen. He personifies Hip Hop ethos of making something out of nothing.

"Wake Yo Game UP" Vote PSA Featuring San Quinn


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