July 30, 2004 @ 4:12 pm

Online Exclusive: Hip Hop Gets Political

by: Patrick Taliaferro

It's been said that "Game recognizes Game." Hip hop’s inherent street nature is to rebel against the establishment, but with popularity comes influence - which equates with power. The power of hip hop's influence on American and global culture is undeniable. So it’s no surprise that hip hop and politics became strange bedfellows at the National Hip Hop Political conference.

The conference, held in Newark, NJ on June 16 through June 19, 2004, was a mixture of seminars and concerts where discussions loomed about the political prowess of the hip hop generation. The pro-actively themed seminars where accented with spectacular performances from the likes of Busta Ryhmes, Rah Digga, Mc Lyte, and Floetry, as well as local Newark acts. Other legendary hip hop artists like Treach of Naughty by Nature and Kurtis Blow mingled with the crowds and worked as a catalyst to inspire dialogue about hip hop and politics. "It's about time, rappers touch the masses, anything we touch the public grabs onto it" says Treach between photos sessions with female fans. "If we put some positive energy in there somewhere, and work the system, we can get our people in office." While the convention was guised as a weekend to appreciate hip hop, in all actuality it was just a savvy ploy to register voters from the under represented hip hop generation. Although registering voters with the lure of free concerts isn't a bad thing, it does make a statement about the power rap artists and their international influence on the masses. Artist like Flipmode's Rah Digga also recognizes that power. "Once I found out it was going down in Newark, I had to be a part of it", says the Newark Raptress. "Hip hop in general is the biggest influence on the younger generation. I think it's important that more artists participate in things like this." Although the number of new voters registered is unknown, the power of hip hop in the new millennium has been realized. It's a medium that has permeated fashion, film, and pop culture with unprecedented fervor. With that type of notoriety it's only a matter of time before hip hoppers become what they have railed against the most - The Establishment. When that day comes hip hoppers won't be "Fighting the Power" like Public Enemy many moons ago, it will be evident that they possessed that power all along.

Article tags: Online, Exclusive, Hip, Hop, Gets, Political