Politics Unusual: Hip Hop's Hopes for Obama

First off, for the HuffPost readers who don't know me; I'm the manager behind 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Puffy, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot. I help them put together their deals with major brands from Vitamin Water to Henkel, Procter & Gamble and many more. I've been privileged enough to see first hand how hip hop has crossed over into the mainstream and become a major voice of politics and culture in this country. I guess you could say that gives me a certain perspective on recent headlines concerning a particular rapper and a presidential hopeful.

For those of you who do know me, it's been a long time since I hit the blog zone so I decided to come back with a bang. This time around, I'm tackling the big stuff: Barack Obama's campaign. I can't sit back and be silent on this subject anymore. As much as I personally support the Senator from Illinois, he needs to do a better job of handling his business in the hip hop community. Specifically, I'm talking about that new Ludacris song, "Politics as Usual," and the Obama campaign's reaction to it, which was way off base.

Don't get me wrong. I'm hoping Obama will be the next president as much as anybody in our community. But Obama needs the youth of America just as much as we perceive we need Obama, if only to avoid a third Bush term via John McCain. (That dude isn't equipped to run a computer, let alone the country.) Obama and his people need to do a better job of understanding this market, where we are coming from, and what we expect from him.

Now Obama camp, please listen carefully to my next few statements, because I'm offering you some free advice:

We the people who are feeling the pinch need your help, but why are you lowering your stature to answer rap records?! Why take offense? No disrespect to Ludacris, but if he wanted to address you, he would have sent you a letter, email, phone call or smoke signal. Let Luda speak to his fans and galvanize them to join the cause in his OWN way. He's not a member of your campaign and he's not even trying to be. He is an artist. Period. Across social, political and philanthropic causes, today's global youth see themselves as possessing the potential to effect enormous change, and impact the world through pop culture. Nothing wrong with that! But it is what it is. Luda is no politician, and even his fans know better than to take him as seriously as you just did.

Meanwhile, don't make the mistake of assuming you've got a lock on our market. Don't rest easy thinking these kids are going to be motivated enough to get out and rock the vote if you don't speak to them directly. The campaign for change has to spread the money around and make sure that message reaches all four corners.

Yeah, it's great you bought airtime during the Olympics. But on 8/8/08 no one was watching, because the ad for Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, drowned you out. From a marketing perspective, that was money misspent. You need to cut through the noise and target your audience. Don't forget to get up and speak to hip hop. Spend your advertising dollars on BET and MTV's TRL and other urban media outlets that can spread your message to the youth. Continue to inspire change.

But this is key: Don't lower yourself to speak to rappers! Just because you are African-American, don't allow the press to make you step down from the plate of being one of the most powerful men in the world to address a comment from a rapper, no matter how great he or she is. If the Dixie Chicks stand up and attack McCain, the press already knows it's almost worthless to ask him about it. He wouldn't have a clue who they are and, in the end, and he wouldn't care about what they said because he is applying for the job of the most powerful man in the world. He knows it's politics as usual.

Senator Obama, this applies to you too. Don't let the press lower your stature because of your color. We know that we in the world of hip hop music can be a liability, but we still expect you to act accordingly when you are empowered. Make a change. Don't tell us how we should watch our lyrics every time the press tries to attack rap music. You already stated your position.

Instead, address how we are going to get the troops out of Iraq, the gas prices down, and how people with sub prime mortgages can keep a roof over their heads. Don't waste time on lyrics from a rapper! There's plenty more where that came from. Artists in their enthusiasm for your campaign are gonna come up with more songs, and the lyrics might just be even more offensive to people than Luda's were. Ignore them! We already know you're cool; we understand that you have to play the rigid figure against our rhymes. So fly above it all. Keep your eyes on the prize and work steadfastly to beat McCain.

This is probably one of the most important and active elections for people of color to date. So much is on the line it's almost insane we are allowing someone like McCain even a chance to be elected. In my business, we watch companies like Sony/BMG make great creative individuals like Clive Davis step down because of his age. But he is running a creative company, not the country! How is it that McCain is even capable of having the opportunity to be elected at 72? How can we allow this?

Maybe America should take a page out of the corporate playbook and say there comes a point when age is a factor. When Steve Jobs is rumored to be sick, Apple's stock takes a hit because he is Apple. If we expect so much from our corporate leaders, if we hold them to such high standards, why would we let McCain up to bat? America is the home of the brave because we'd have to be brave, or crazy, if we are going to put our faith in a guy who can't turn on a computer and admits it.

Senator Obama, don't slip up now. Be true to yourself and stick to the high road. Don't let our country's fate, and the future of kids black or white, who feel empowered for the first time in their lives, fall into the hands of a clueless old man. Forget about Luda and stay on the path to the White House. Don't allow this year's election to become politics as usual.

Chris Lighty is the 36-year-old CEO of Violator Records/Management

Comments

[qvisions]

for the record this is what Hip Hop is

True Hip Hop is a term that describes the independent collective consciousness of a specific group of inner-city people. Ever growing, it is commonly expressed through such elements as: Breakin’, Emceein’, Grafiti art, Dee Jayin’ Beatboxin’, Street Fashion, Street Language, Street Knowledge and Street Entrepreneurialism. Hiphop is not just music and dance, nor is Hip Hop a product to be bought and sold. Discovered by Kool DJ Herc in the Bronx, New York around 1972, and established as a community of peace, love, unity and having fun by Afrika Bambaataa through the Zulu Nation in 1974, Hip Hop is an independent and unique community, an empowering behavior, and an international culture.”

KRS-ONE, Rumminations (2003)

So instead of warning Obama about whether he can keep his base I think you should warn Ludacris that calling a woman an irrelevant b*tch is not conducive to peace love unity and having fun and therefore is not aligned with TRUE Hip Hop.

Obama fits very well with TRUE hip hop and most people in Hip Hop are overwhelmingly for Obama and Obama has way more fans in Hip Hop than Ludacris will ever have. So its Ludacris that needs to listen to Obama, not the other way around. Ludacris needs to check his email, apparently he is the only rapper that didint get the memo

[qvisions]

Wow, nuff respect to you but i completely disagree with you and i disagree with the unspokem premise that you speak for Hip Hop.

Ludacris fuked up, what he did was stupid. The reason why Obama couldn't ignore what Ludacris did was because his enemies where making it an issue and Obama had talked about Ludacris favorable and had taken a picture with him. If you think its a smart move to ignore his enemies saying Obama supports a rapper that called Hillary an irrelvant b*itch, you need to keep your political advise to yourself because you are not really understanding whats going on.

The other thing wrong about your column is that you did exactly what the enemies try to do which is take the most negative, filthiest parts of the culture and label it the definition of the culture. Ludacris is just one rapper. He represents himself and some people in Hip Hop. But the large majority of Hip Hop artists that have made songs supporting Obama have done in a polite manner without insulting other people.

Outkast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVhwJqG5UZk

Will.i.am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

Jin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSAvRb7AHU

Kidz in the Hall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjtT1FAlkd0

and a bunch of other ones. Ludacris doesnt represent Hip Hop anymore than will.i.am, Outkast, Jin or Kidz in the all

[Jamchinadian]

Chris - and Americanboi as well,

This could be a duplicate. I posted another comment quite some time ago and as there are still pending comments as I write this, I have no idea if it will show up or whether it got purged by the Huffpo monitors.

So the gist of what I was saying in the missing post is: it is quite permissible to push back against statements, attitudes or positions which are wrong. To me if the behaviour, attitude, etc. is negative, pushing back is not intrinsically negative as long as certain "rules of engagement" are followed. I think enough has been said on this post about what constitutes those.

Humour and music are powerful tools for pushing back. Here's a fine example of how the two may be effectively combined. This clip has had almost two million hits. Check it out, if you haven't seen it before you may like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs

It effectively exposes and mocks certain McCain positions, but it's not offensive - that's the key - so there was nothing to retract. As an artist you can figure out creative ways to do the same.

[kimmoses]

I would agree with eveything in this article if Senator Obama was the average candidate, but he is not. And no matter how much everyone tries to act like he has transcended race (whatever that means), the fact that he is an African American and is being held to a higher standard. Nothing new for those of us who have had to matriculate through predominantly white educational institutions and exceed in corporate America. Light's failure to understand that tightrope walk is the genesis of this article. Obama needs a drama-free, scandal-free campaign for the next 3 months. He has enough on his plate dealing with the Republicans and disgruntled Clinton supporters without having to deal with defending/­denouncing hip hop lyrics. Although truth be told, it wouldn't make a difference because he's having to account for everything that anybody he's ever uttered a word to says and does. Its the tactic of guilt by association.

Ludacris can make whatever songs he wants, and quite frankly, whether Obama wins or loses, Ludacris is going to be alright financially. Those who run out and buy his music, however, may not. That is the importance of the Obama campaign, a chance for the have-nots.

I just think that if you support Obama, there's a time and a place for everything. Save the political lyrics for the hip-hop inaugural ball.

[psychmaj323]

I totally agree.

[Jamchinadian]

Chris, here's an idea. Obviously you have your own style so please don't take offence. But I think the following is a good model in the sense it's consistent with Obama's values. We want to work WITH him right? Not as we would have him but as he is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghSJsEVf0pU

Another possibility - highlight his speeches with words and imagery:

http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/1902605/6303416

International appeal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB3ZGhL-6ZE&feature=related

[mypov123]

Here's rapper Jin's record also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSAvRb7AHU

[Jamchinadian]

Nice, thanks.

[Slangdini]

I agree that Obama should not take the youth vote or hip-hop vote for granted. But Obama's olympic ad is for the families not the teenager who is watching the games online while they text on the phone and watch TV.

Also Obama didn't say "hip-hop is bad" what he inferred was: "i don't like this part of hip hop and i cant co-sign him calling out a woman i need to win the election."

In the same statement however, Obama recognized ludacris's talent; Kanye West is performing at the convention--he hasn't left his hip-hop base. As any true hip-hop fan would claim, its not "hating" if you're being truthful about what you like and Obama has been clear on that.

Should Obama respond is not a question. As the first black candidate , he cant chance it.

Lastly, Lighty assumes hip-hop community is somehow unified. Similar to the myth of a unified black community. There are some who felt Ludacris was messing up Obama's opportunity, some who feel Obama has no racial integrity, and some who felt it was just born out of proportion. And this crosses race, class and gender, the hip-hop community is volatile. You cant castigate Obama as a spokesperson and appoint yourself spokesperson of the hip-hop community.

Sidebar: On BET Obama is everywhere on BET . Paying more money to MTV and BET would be money wasted.

[lennix]

chris if you are for obama then read your history and you will see why he can't do what you are asking first he got to be for all the people if not it would be like politics as usual and ludacris if he what to help and you too sir you can write a song like wili i am not this calling people out of thier names this is wrong for us becuase we have to be better then this and if you what the real here it is we can't afford to judge each other and we sure in the hell is judge on a deffrent score card still becuase you have made it and i am very proud of what you are doing but you can not give the other side and ammo for obama i will like to give you some advace as a black 54 year old man this is what they what us to do and is counting on for us to start fighting each other on something that if you give it half of thought he can not do what we want always we are like crabs he has a load on him and if we mess up we can't blame no one but our selfs stop trying to blame him you should start making records telling our people to stop killing each other and how to be gangsters until then how can you judge some one else who is a good

[BigMike75]

Lighty, this is the problem. Obama is a historical candidate that is going to be held to a different standard, and is asked to walk a fine line no other candidate running for the presidency has had to walk. I'm a product of the Hip Hop generation, as I grew up in it's golden age, so I realize the creative power of the spoken word, and the influence it has on youth. Obama can't just "ignore" the likes of Ludacris because of all the reasons I stated before, he unfortunately doesn't have that luxury. Rappers have to realize the scope of their message, and the position if puts Obama in, if their message is perceived as an offensive one. Why not make records that emphasize the positives of this historical candidacy, and leave the negative/offensive rhetoric behind. At the same time Obama needs to do more to reach out to the hip hop generation and make them feel like their part of the process as well.

[mypov123]

Chris, I am a 20-something African American woman and I think your assessment of Obama's handling of the Ludacris record is "off base", Ludacris and other rappers need to understand that the Republicans will use anything they can against Obama in order to win this election, this is not a game. I think that the campaign's reaction to the song was more a response to ease the concerns of older voters and women voters who likely took offense to the song, I don't think it has anything to do with Obama taking offense to the song personally. Obama can't just rely on the youth vote alone, he has to bring in people young and old, rich and poor, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, etc. In the age of the internet and You Tube, records like Ludacris's "Obama Is Here" will not only reach his fans, but people all over the world will hear it.

The beat of the record was hot lol, but the lyrics, in my opinion, were terrible and inappropriate. If Ludacris wanted to make a record showing support for Sen. Obama's candidacy, he could have made a record that talked about Obama's message of unity and bringing people together, instead of "Obama's gonna paint the White House black and people are terrified". He also could have encouraged not only Black people, but young people everywhere in this country to get registered and vote on Election Day if they're "ready for change".

[mypov123]

Have you heard of the rapper Jin? He made a song showing support for Obama, and the campaign made a ringtone version of the song on their website, and played the song at one of his campaign rallies. But the song was profanity-free, and had a positive message. Why couldn't Ludacris come up with a more positive record to show his support?

[Sapphdia]

Exactly.

[psychmaj323]

Yep, totally agree.

[urbanliterati]

Here is the problem with your article. You are giving Luda way too much leniency on this issue. If you are going to make a political song that supports a candidate you have to do your homework. If the main principal of the Obama campaign has been change and positivity why would you make a song with divisive lyrics. (I think what the Clintons did was out of line) He forced Obama's hand and should have known better.

Your point about the youth is funny coming from someone in the music industry. You guys can't figure out or rely on the youth anymore than Obama. The last time I checked the youth(myself included) ruined copyright in the music world. Hence the reason it is a big deal to sell 1 million records.

[americanboi]

So in other words, the many Obama supporters who troll these sites blasting Clinton and any republican in the most negative, divisive way, should know better?

Obama supporters should act just like him.

Doesn't make a lot of sense but...

[Jamchinadian]

Americanboi. First let me say that I think it's good that you are holding strong to your opinions. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I suspect you are young and that most of the commenters are older than you.

Don't be intimidated by that - as if I had to tell you :-) But, cut your elders some slack. People here are trying to work with you. We are all after the same thing. I am repeating below something I responded to an earlier comment by you in case you missed it. Here's what I said - it's not word for word:

Give Obama credit for coming this far against extraordinary odds. Trust his judgment and that he will do what he needs to prevail without compromising his basic qualities - he may need to bend sometimes, better to bend that break.

He is flexible like bamboo. McCane may think he's the mighty oak but he will break in the wind.

As Bob Marley said: If you are a big tree we are a small axe.

He has enough to deal with in McCain's dirty low-road tactics; McCain's base - the media; "frenemies" within the party - he doesn't need real friends causing him heartburn as well.

If you want to speak truths that are not positive but are true anyway - go ahead. Nothing wrong with calling a KNOWN thief a thief - just don't call him a murderer - worse an effing murderer.

Don't be a frenemy!!!

[urbanliterati]

Let me see, you are comparing an artists that have the ear of millions of people to people that read Huffington Post...do you really want to go down that foolish road????

Making a public stance in support of a candidate should not harm the candidate. Is that simple enough for you to understand? If you are going to draw negative press and divert attention away from the issues than you should not "help".

Besides that the rhyme wasn't that great.

[simonesdad2008]

There is a saying in Hip Hop music: "You can't turn a hooker into a housewife." Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Hip Hop music. I love it but it is what it is. No one should expect Hip Hop artists to pull back now. C. Lightly is right in saying that Barack should not have to answer for every rapper. It is that old dynamic of every black person having to answer (or pay) for every other black person's deeds or misdeeds. You can love the genre without having to be responsible for every artist.

[BurtR]

Obama was a community organizer. I am white andlive in a mostly Black neighborhood. The hip hop clothing store 2 blocks away is selling Obama t shirts and they are on the rack next to "Thug Life" and "Scarface" and others which promote violence, misogyny, and exploitation. What would happen if young Blacks started to register and vote and took control of their lives and the neighborhoods where they live and began to feel like they were truly a part of this country. This concept is a great threat to the power structure as well, in my opinion, to the people like Lighty who depend on the community's sense of alienation and hopelessness to continue to exploit. But this movement is looking to someone who gives real HOPE for real CHANGE and it is free and comes from self-empowerment.

[MyNameIsJames]

For all of you who are attacking Hip Hop as the harbinger of the decline of our civilization. YOU HYPOCRITES! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that Hip Hop gets criticism for is done 100 times over by mainstream business and industry.

Violence - Handgun manufacturers are the biggest merchants of death in our nation. Furthermore, the United States of America sells more military equipment and hardware than any nation on earth.

Violent Images - ABC, NBC, CBS, Warner Bros, HBO, . - These outlets and dozens of other media outlets pump out thousands of hours of unmitigated violence often to critical acclaim -example The Sopranos.
Oh - yeah the video game industry - where violence is a mainstay feature of most games aimed at males.

Sex- The porn industry both online and offline- Big business from hotels to cable television carriers all cashing in on pornography. While major TV networks are becoming more sexually risque by the year.

"BITCH" - This word so often connected with HIP HOP music - Yet it is a word that TV networks are using with greater and greater frequency while the FCC stands DOWN!

The HIP HOP community has at least the same moral standing as all of these merchants of "vice". So Hip Hop nation -- look the USA IN THE EYES, and don't let the mainstream media, nor the "MAINSTREAM" in general, place all of THEIR sins on your head.

Stop being the sacrificial lamb for a lying and racist society that

[larmarch5]

Step up and take responsibility; stop blaming others. You make the choices.

[MyNameIsJames]

If that is the case then HIP HOP should continue doing what it is doing right?. Making money and presenting the music and images that Americans love to enjoy. Its the American way.

[JohnShank]

Hear. Hear larmarch5

[psychmaj323]

Here's the point, it was the wrong kind of message to send. No one is "blaming."

[4real]

People in the hip hop community need to realize that this is a different kind of election. Obama is going to be held to standards that no other President in history has been held to. Every little thing he does, every person he is in the same room with, every person he is associated with and their associates, even every song on his ipod is going to be looked at under a microscope.

The hip hop community should understand that people are trying to put anything and everything out there about Obama in an attempt to discredit him. So putting out songs like the one Ludacris did is not helpful. Obama deserves positive support from the hip hop community and calling the former first lady a b-- in a song while the media and her supporters keep trying to imply that Obama in some way is a sexist only undermines him.

If you want to support Obama donate, help register people to vote. Play a more positive role in this historic election.

[americanboi]

In other words, Obama supporters shouldn't make negative statements about others.

We should just show up at the polls.

[outsidein]

yes and no. don't make negative statements, expose the truth, it's far worse than making spurious connections and reducing ourselves to low right wing tactics.

and show up at the polls, but do more than just that, bring your friends, family, and become active and informed so that once Obama is President you can hold his promises to his neck to ensure they're fulfilled!

[Jamchinadian]

It doesn't mean that. It means not to be negative if the negatives are lies or insults like calling people bitch. But if you are describing negative traits then, as long as it's done in straight language - no cuss words or personal insults - then it's not you being negative.

To me, calling a thief a thief is not negative. Calling them a murderer is beyond negative.

Bear in mind what others have said, any little thing that anyone says about anybody that is negative - even if that person is not connected to Obama - will be used against him. That's the thin line he has to walk.

But don't cry about it. Realize it's reality and work to put him in the WH. He has made it this far against overwhelming odds; with a little restraint from his friends he will make it all the way.

He has enough "frenemies" even within the party - he doesn't need to be blind-sided by well-meaning True friends.

[4real]

No but calling Hillary a b-- after all the crys of sexism in this campaign is not smart and is counterproductive.

What's wrong with doing positive things to help elect Obama?

[larmarch5]

If you don't vote, nothing else really matters does it?

[psychmaj323]

No, but it needs to be done tastefully. Calling Hillary a Bitch isn't the right kind of criticism Barack needs. If Luda, wanted to make a song dedicated to this election, it should have been along the lines of a WILL I AM type of song.

Calling someone a name, isn't what's needed. He could've effectively stated his stance in a more tasteful manner than the way he chose.

Now, I will say that a lot of Obama supporters do the same thing, but here's the difference, Luda is a public figure, they aren't. So, what many Obama supporters say on here or on other sites isn't parsed and twisted in MSM or mainstream media, that's the difference here.

[sand252]

I know who you are. I am a fairly young person from this hip hop generation you speak of -- mid 20s, black, etc. I also watch (because of Barack Obama's improbable journey) MSNBC and CNN daily, and I have to say that Ludacris's song required a response from him. Pundits made that a story. In fact, today, I saw a dontvoteobama website that included an article on Obama & Luda. Something that we may consider a nonissue, is an issue to people that are unfamiliar with rap, rappers and presidential candidates that are familiar with things that they are unfamiliar w/ (follow me?). I don't think S. Obama presumes to have anyone in the bag; however, the hip hop generation is not likely to vote as one block. To many, voting doesn't matter, so they don't vote, they are not registered, and it is no longer a generation of young black kids. And there are many young black kids that have never been registered to vote, don't have gov't id, and aren't involved b/c they are on their grinds. So, in sum, the real question is why did Ludacris write those lyrics, they weren't even good. Did he not follow the primary season? Does he not know that the summer is silly season in politics? Why are people looking for this one man to appeal to everyone in every way? And why don't we -- if we believe in his politics and not in John McCain's -- support him?

[larmarch5]

It's the same for white "kids" in their 20's. My 26-yr-old daughter and her bf are clueless. They are suburban college drop-outs who don't even think one hour ahead much less four years. They aren't registered, won't be voting. They listen to a lot of hip hop as well as what I call "white boy no rhythm rock and roll." They think the world is really like "Big Brother" and they are waiting for someone to give them a house.