Obama, You Got Me
Yeah, I know I've been quiet this summer. I've been running so hard it's been a minute since I had the time to blog in this space. But something got me fired up last week. It got me so inspired I feel like I'm 19 years old and ready to take on the world again. It was Barack Obama's convention speech.
I've read and heard all the opinions. Plenty of people have had something to say about this. So why do I feel the need to weigh in now? I've always been the guy who found politics boring, and I haven't trusted anyone in Washington to do anything for me for a long while. It had no relevance to me, and I never really got what all the hype about Obama was about. But now I get it. The guy won me over. He touched me in a way no politician ever has before. He hit all the right notes and he hit 'em hard. I was the undecided voter Obama needed to reach with his words, and now he has my full attention.
What resonated with me the most was when he said: "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."
That to me sums up what's been the problem with the old way of doing this on all fronts. The old guard ain't bad necessarily. It's just that they don't understand that there's a new reality, and a new way of doing things that's a better fit for our times. When these guys fight change they stand in the way of progress and push back the energy and drive of the young. It hurts their future, and everybody else's.
But Obama's words gave me an energy I haven't felt since I got started in the music business, when I believed anything was possible. That's a powerful thing.
So when I woke up the next day and checked out all the blogs in the black media, I was shocked. I read that Tavis Smiley thought King's legacy was being "glossed over" and that Rev. Jesse Jackson was mad that King's famous speech was "being reduced to a soundbite." A whole bunch of commentators were complaining that Martin Luther King wasn't getting enough respect, and that referring to him as "a young preacher from Georgia" was somehow a dis. It felt like they didn't even hear the same words I heard. But what hurt me the most was when Dr. Cornel West, a man I really admire and respect, said Obama was "running from history."
For real?! Exactly why was Obama supposed to be giving everyone a history lesson in his speech when the whole point was to talk about the future? What he said was exactly what he needed to say to introduce himself to apolitical folks like me and get us fired up and ready to make a change. It was his job to lay out the plan that will bring America into the 21st century, and that's what he did.
I want to know where we're going and how we're going to get there, not where we've already been. It's his actions that carry the torch for MLK, not some boring tribute to the past that other people expect him to make. That's the kind of bullshit that old people who've been here forever get stuck on. They're missing the point. They're forgetting that when they followed Martin Luther King they were young themselves. They were looking ahead, not backwards.
You name me one single politician or president in living memory who could get a standing ovation from 84,000 people before he even spoke. More than 40 million people were watching -- more than anyone paying attention to the Olympics. If anything, even a leader of Clinton's caliber might get a few boos. I've been in the music business my whole life and I've never seen anything close to that kind of excitement in a crowd.
It was intriguing to me to see how the dude caught these people. Obama came out with a power that no world leader has. He commands that kind of crowd because he brings something that goes beyond politics. What I was watching from my home in Los Angeles, Obama had me through the whole 45 minute speech. No one can grab my attention like that! Anyone who knows me can tell you I can't even sit still for five minutes, but I watched that speech from begin to end. His words and mindset spoke to me in a way that's relevant to my life.
Obama's movement is about us, and what we can do to shake things up. He delivers the drive in people to want to do things that make change. That's why older people who've held their spot forever -- the John McCains and Jesse Jacksons of this world -- find him a threat. They have to fuss about the small stuff that has no relevance to the big picture of our future because they got nothin'!
It reminds me of the beef between Ice T and Soulja Boy. Ice T said Soulja Boy was "single-handedly killing hip hop." But whose hip hop? Soulja Boy speaks to his own generation. He makes songs that sound great on a ringtone and get millions of hits on YouTube -- something Ice T could never do today.
No disrespect to these older dudes, but it's not about you, it's about the destiny of our kids. Just because it's new and different doesn't mean it's bad. I run into the same kind of mentality with older executives in the music industry. The business is failing because they're stuck in the old ways of doing things, but they resist the ideas of younger people like me. I've been battling this way of thinking my whole life. When I first started making music in Atlanta, people said I was too country, and that the music of the South would never have the flava of what was going on in New York or LA. Now everyone's coming to Atlanta. It's the mecca of music. Times change.
Things don't need to stay stuck in one gear. If we keep trying to fight progress, it's gonna march right past us. We need to be inspiring young people instead of always telling them what they're doing wrong. That's why I wrote my book, "Young, Rich and Dangerous." There aren't enough people with credentials who can speak to the younger generation and influence them the right way. A few months ago I blogged about the fact that young black people fall off because they don't have a bridge generation that can listen to them without judging them and set them on a path to a better future. Black or white, Obama is a good bridge. We have a long way to go, but he's a start.
That's why it's time for people like myself, who have real influence with kids, to inspire them to get out there and vote. Obama's not going to be able to bring America into the future if the younger generation doesn't get behind him in a way that counts at the polls. He's got my vote, but he needs yours. Now I'm gonna go out there and do everything I can. Because it is time for a change.
Jermaine Dupri, who was named the most successful R&B producer of all time by the Guinness World Records 2007, is a Grammy-award winning music producer, president of Island Urban Records and author of Young, Rich and Dangerous: The Making of a Music Mogul (Atria, October 2007). For more information about this blogger, click here.
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JD, I'm the same way. I never really used to get into politics until now. I'll admit, before the '04 Dem convention, I had never heard of Barack Obama, that is, until I happened to hear him speak. The man is brilliant, and he is just what this country needs. Michelle's not the only one who "for the first time in her adult life is "Really" proud of her country"..
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hopefully many more like yourself, Nas, and Will.i.am. can help this movement of change. Lord knows with the games these repubs are playing, we need all the help we can get! =)
So you were just torn between Obama and McCain and didn't know what to do? The Obama acceptance speech put him over the top for you. Are you seriously expecting people to believe this?
Where in the article does Jermaine say he was torn between McCain and Obama. He said he was apathetic towards politics.
No, he probably wasn't paying attention and might not have bothered to vote. Because when you feel like it doesn't make a difference who's in there. One old man in a suit is just as good as the next, like me you vote when you remember and you don't when you don't. I've never missed a presidential, but plenty of local elections -- BUT NOT IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS.
Hey, if it worked for Wolfson...
Jermaine..
THANK YOU!!!!!!!
That is EXACTLY what our message is about... and I am a 52 year old Asian/American halfer woman who has been on board the Obama Express from day one (and before)...
You have epitomized what his message is.... I hope that you can energize your fans and friends to take up the cause and get out the VOTE!!!! We can't afford complacency in this year's election..
Thank you again
Interesting point. Eventually the new guard becomes the old farts, and often it happens before they can come to terms with it (maybe this explains Nader too?).
Yes, the big speech almost overshadowed the King story, Dems will have to be careful about scheduling for the 50th annivesary. But the "young preacher from Georgia" line was putting into context how that speech caught everyone by surprise, and put into context what a feat of oratory skill it was for Dr. King to now be known as one of the great speakers of our nation's history, far above most Presidents.
Obama's not perfect and we still hae important things to learn from the previous generation of civil rights leaders, but they may have to get over themselves to teach us.
This episode involving Cornel West and Jesse Jackson represents tension between the Civil Rights generation and the Hip Hop generation. In 2002, cultural critic Todd Boyd wrote a book entitled, "The New H.N.I.C.: The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop". Its a great book that argues the Civil Rights Old Guard is being eclipsed by Hip Hop.
How does this relate to Obama? Well, for one, Obama didn't come up in the Civil Right tradition, and when he announced his candidacy in February 2007, "Old Guard African-Americans" ripped him to shreads in the media. Andrew Young said Obama should not be president because he was "too young" (ignoring the fact that his friend Bill Clinton was younger when he was elected), and, Ronald Walters, deputy campaign manager for Jesse Jackson's two presidential campaigns, trashed Obama on Bill Moyers last year by saying: "He might as well start talking (just) about Black issues because he's not going to be president.
Obama, who is enormously popular with young people in general, and the hip hop community in particular, represents a shift away from The Old Guard Civil Rights Crowd, which has controlled Black Politics for over four decades. And this is going to be a bitter pill to swallow for those like Jackson and West. A new generation of young people will be emerging with Obama's ascendency, and many will be replacing a Civil Rights Old Guard that's used to the spotlight.
Tavis Smiley's commentary on Obama's speech is also not surprising.
Back in February, Tavis literally threw a temper tantrum at his annual STATE OF THE BLACK UNION because Obama wanted his wife to attend on his behalf. Obama was locked in a serious impending battle in TX, OH, RI and VT and had previous engagements. Michelle Obama was set to come but Tavis rejected Barack's offer. Subsequently, he harshly criticized Barack on "The Tom Joyner Show" - much to the consternation of the 10 million listeners of Joyner's show. So Tom let him go.
In fact, tt was not even one month ago that Tavis was quoted as saying that African-Americans need to unite around Obama and push back against vicious attacks on him. I guess he meant that if he (Tavis) harshly attacked Obama then African-Americans should simply ignore it, but that we should jump on anyone else.
Tavis is not from The Civil Rights Old Guard like Jesse Jackson Sr. and Cornel West but like them, he's looking at Obama with the greenest of eyes. Yes, Tavis is so jealous of Barack he might as well change his name to Jesse Jackson Sr....Tavi
CHANGE is coming.
Beautifully written! I have been an Obama supporter for a while now but he never ceases to mesmerize during his speeches. I guess we are so used to a President that can't string two sentences together and one that has made a mockery of our reputation on the world stage. Obama is a breath of fresh air and invigorating at the same time. I hope kids realize that it's their privilege to vote. They can make history!
Thanks for being an inspiration to our youth.
First week in October is the last days to register to vote.
Do all you can to get people registered; Then we have a month to get them to vote.
We have to shift the dynamic of the "likely voter." Those demographics must change this election cycle if we are to be successful.
Thanks you all for all you do.
Jermaine, you're right on point - Barack Obama's successful campaign represents a new challenge to Black America, in particular. We are so used to the old shop-worn political dynamics as portrayed by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Dr. King sparked the Civil Rights movement decades ago, but the practitioners of it have been co-opted - the original message of looking to the future has been mutated. I find it ironic that Obama catches flak from the Black Nationalist along with the Black Conservative mindsets. Jesse and Al know they are on the brink of political extinction. They have made plenty of money as arbitrators of all things regarding black racial conflict - that is they have profited from our divisions. Obama's multicultural approach is something that we need to get on board with. If he becomes president, the cries of racism will not ring as loud as they once did, for it will be simple for some to say "We elected a Black president, we don't have a race problem." Of course, racism is not erased with the election of a Black president, however the ability to get political traction under that cause will be markedly diminished. The multicultural approach is something we all need to embrace. However I fear that a good number of us will have a hard time breaking from what we are used to. MLK talked about the future and now the future is here, I just hope we are not stuck in the past.
That was a great read Jermaine and I feel the same as you.
I'm at full attention when Obama speaks. Heck I watched C-Span for 5 hours straight on the last nite of the convention. Al Gore, the retired Generals, the US citizens coming to stage stating their plight and Senator Durbin. Great speeches by all.
We all have to vote Obama into office and just not blog about it. Republicans are avid voters so those of us who want change MUST out vote the repubs. We all know what happened last time with Kerry.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who was taken aback by comments made by Tavis Smiley and his panel of guest after Obama’s acceptance speech. I truly believe that Tavis and his panel missed the point of both Dr. King speech and Obama’s speech.
Dr. King’s dream was plain “…not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character…”. The fact that Barack Obama could stand in front of 84,000 people from all walks of life and accept his party’s nomination for President is proof that Dr.King’s dream can be realized. I was disappointed that Tavis, Dr. West & Dr. Malveaux accepted him to stand up there and rehash years of racial tension and strife. The problems facing the African-American community and American as a whole are so much larger than that one slice of time in our county’s history.
Like you, after Obama’s speech, I was energized about the political process in a way that I have never been in all my 31 years. I believe that there is a new hope for the future of politics in this country. And I truly believe we won’t have anyone to blame but ourselves if we let the old way of thinking stop us from forward progress. Those of Dr. King’s era played an important roll in this countries history. But now is the time for forward thinking, progressive solutions and a new generation of leaders to ensure that the dream is fully realized.
I'm glad he fired you up! Now spread the word.
I know exactly what you mean, Mr. Dupri!
"Say it loud" as the Godfather of Soul used to say!
When people fight change it it pushes back the energy and drive of us older folk as well. Yes, it is a new reality and this has the potential to be a very exciting time for all of us no matter what our age. I was 10 years old when Kennedy became President and although I was very young, he made me open my eyes to the world and all its possibilities. Obama can do that for this young generation who so much wants to contribute to the world in a positive way as do I still.
Well said. I am a 31 year-old African American and I was also frustrated by the comments made by Cornel West and Rev. Jesse Jackson. They don't understand how irrelevant they are making themselves to my generation. They simply don't get it either.
I feel that they are threatened by Obama because he has struck a nerve not only with young blacks but with all of America. Something they are incapable of doing. This is because the Rev. Jacksons and the Dr. Wests of the world operate from the old playbook with an America completely divided. Obama understands that while differences exists, we have more in common than we do apart. This is something Dr. King understood all too well.
I also find it ironic that Jesse Jackson, the man who constantly encouraged us to "keep hope alive" now wants to emasculate it.
GREAT post J-deezy... you captured the essence of what Obama has been trying to convey for 19 months now...
We must be the change we wish to see in the world.... - Ghandi
Obama/Biden '08
YES WE CAN!!!
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