Does Hip Hop influence politics?

Crossroads

New member
Hi! To put it shortly do you consider that hip hop has any relevant effect on politics or political and social events?
I'm currently doing a project on this and would really appreciate to discuss the topic here and also complete this poll https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GVtY1cvFG3UR2JxNSqvSOW5uIFhApxamlMo-nBPlSjU/viewform

This is a college project and me and my team have chosen the influence of hip hop as project theme.
I'm really curious what you guys have to say about this.
 
Hi! To put it shortly do you consider that hip hop has any relevant effect on politics or political and social events?
I'm currently doing a project on this and would really appreciate to discuss the topic here and also complete this poll https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GVtY1cvFG3UR2JxNSqvSOW5uIFhApxamlMo-nBPlSjU/viewform

This is a college project and me and my team have chosen the influence of hip hop as project theme.
I'm really curious what you guys have to say about this.


Yeah and no. I think Hip Hop influences opinion, but I think it has a minimum effect on actual activism or power. So to simplify people now a days are better at separating politics from music.
 
Jays open letter would be one recent example but I would agree with Kelevra that that's about as far as it gets. There are no ongoing political movements or riots that can be directly traced to hip-hop. People react to real life situations, such as police abuses but we haven't seen artists spark or even influence something of that magnitude.
I'm interested in the question of are we missing artists with the charisma and intelligence that is necessary to do something like that or is the music industry itself playing a part in maintaining civil order and blocking artistic expression which could influence outcomes which are against their interests and those of related power structures.
 
Jays open letter would be one recent example but I would agree with Kelevra that that's about as far as it gets. There are no ongoing political movements or riots that can be directly traced to hip-hop. People react to real life situations, such as police abuses but we haven't seen artists spark or even influence something of that magnitude.
I'm interested in the question of are we missing artists with the charisma and intelligence that is necessary to do something like that or is the music industry itself playing a part in maintaining civil order and blocking artistic expression which could influence outcomes which are against their interests and those of related power structures.

I say a lack of political and social power for artists as far as relevance goes. No one really looks to rappers or artists in general for political guidance. The long list of artists being disconnected with the everyday lives of people and stupid statements by artists has solidified that. Add to that when the recession hit music took on a more escapist concept as opposed to the reporting concept of the 60's.
 
rapping isn't enough....

Killer Mike to Georgia voters: Pick me! ... Oh wait - CNN.com

CNN)A local election in Georgia got a jolt of excitement Monday when the rapper Killer Mike threw his hat in the ring.

But it turned out to be the shortest campaign in history -- or the longest, depending on how you look at it.


With the slogan "If I win, We Win," Killer Mike made his campaign announcement on Instagram to his 110,000 followers.


"In Atlanta Georgia there will be special election tomorrow for District 55," he wrote, referring to a state house district. "I would like as many people as possible to go to the polls and write in Michael Render."


Local politicos quickly took to social media to point out that he couldn't run as a write-in candidate without filing the necessary paperwork.


But the announcement also got a lot of love, both from the media and from fellow Atlanta rap luminary Big Boi, who shared the news on his Facebook page.


Five hours after he posted his initial plea for votes, Killer Mike posted a video on Instagram saying he didn't have the paperwork and he couldn't stand as a write-in. Like any good candidate, he thanked his supporters and urged people to cast a vote "for a qualified candidate."


The shortest campaign ever? Not necessarily. The rapper left the door open: "I will run in the future and we will win!"


Regardless of whether the rapper ever shows up on a ballot, or in the marble halls of the Georgia General Assembly, this isn't his first foray into politics.


The Grammy Award-winning Atlanta native uses his platform to talk about criminal justice reform and civic engagement. He's been interviewed by CNN several times, made memorable comments about the unrest in Baltimore on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" and, Tuesday night, he was on Comedy Central's "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore."


So while Killer Mike won't be the next state representative from Georgia's 55th House district, he succeeded in drawing national attention to what is perhaps the most overlooked type of contest in American democracy: a special election.


For comparison's sake, in Georgia's most recent special election, only 13% of eligible voters went to the polls. It's not uncommon for voter turnout to dip into the single digits.


Killer Mike seemed to be taking the interest in his candidacy as just that kind of win.


"The fact that ya'll are willing to support me shows change is possible," he wrote.

 
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