Looking back at the year 2008, one cannot but be proud to be a black man. The black race formally thought of as the inferior race or notoriously called ‘Nigger’ showed last year that they were the exact opposite, and were infact the rulers of the world. Unless one was shackled up in Mars, one would have noticed Jamaican Usain Bolt jogging to the new world record, Lewis Hamilton winning the Formula 1 title, Tiger Woods continuing his domination of golf, Nigerian Samuel Peter winning and losing the WBC title and actually seeing rap albums record platinum sales which in this case means Lil’Wayne The Carter III and TI’s Paper Trail. Except in actual fact, you were honeymooning in Mars would you not have noticed that a major historical feat achieved by a black man in 2008 was not included above and that is Barack Obama emerging as the 44th and the first African-American President of the United States of America.
The election itself was historical as the turnout vote was the highest in generations and maybe a century with voters defying the long queue and weather to vote for their candidate. Also, in the election, the President-Elect, Barack Obama managed to energize a new voting bloc of young people who were rather political apathetic with interests ranging from gang-banging to doing drugs. Looking critically at the Barack Obama’s presidential victory, it wouldn’t take apolitical analyst to decipher that a huge chunk of support emerged from the hip-hop family. For like the first time, hip-hop artistes whose efforts at social responsibility were pet projects varying from saving the environment to sheltering homeless kids all turned their microphones and lifestyles politically, lyrically and financially to put Obama into the White House.
This was not the first time that music has been involved with politics. In the 1950’s to 60’s, rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, language and may have helped the cause of the civil rights movement because both African American teens and white American teens enjoyed the music. The music-politics romance went on to the 70’s to 80’s when Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley through his music spread his political message worldwide. Not to be excluded, Nigerian Afro beat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti also incessantly made his views on the state and actions of the Nigerian government known all through his lifetime which ended in the mid –nineties. However, in the 90’s, there seem to be a political apathy by musicians who were rather commercially inclined. Their message bordered on the good life which included selling drugs, chasing skirts and making loads of dough. There were some exceptions like Tu Pac who tried to make his views known but got his life cut short by being involved in violent musical rivalry with Notorious Biggie who met the same fate. The romance music and politics rekindled in the early part of this decade during the Bush Administration. First off the block was Diddy, who was one of the ambassadors of the ‘Vote or Die’ maxim which proved a lot popular amongst the apathetic youthful crowd and even gingered some of them to vote. During the unpopular President Bush’s reign, some musicians did not hide their displeasure at his policies. Eminem lyrically dissected Bush’s Iraqi policy with his track titled ‘Mush’ and the ever controversial Kanye West veered off- script on a live national TV broadcast accusing Bush on hating black people during the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Like rookie superheroes that were just discovering their powers, potential and influence over their fans. With fans numbering to the millions, they had become opinion leaders and shapers. All that was remaining was an outlet to channel that power, a direction they clearly lacked until Senator Barack Obama came along.
Immediately Obama declared his intention to run for president, the whole hip-hop machinery came alive. All of a sudden, there appeared to be a very thin line between politics and entertainment. Major entertainment moguls and artistes like Oprah Winfrey, Diddy, Beyonce, Jay-Z all threw their weight behind the then Senator Obama. Alongside Obama’s campaign Chief Axelrod, the artistes vocally supported Obama in their lyrics; they even wore shirts that either carried Obama’s face or his popular catch phrase ‘Yes We Can’. Black Eyed Peas member, Will.I.Am made a video titled Yes We Can citing the reason because he was inspired by a speech Obama made in New Hampshire and implored schools to teach the speech as part of their curriculum the same way speeches by Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King have been used to inspire young people over time. The publicity and support was so much that even the average drug-peddler on the street knew that Obama was change even if he didn’t believe Obama, he believed whatever Jay-Z or Lil’Wayne would have probably said about Obama. Black Entertainment Television (BET) was so vociferous in their campaign that should have been rechristened Obama Television. During the BET awards, artiste upon artiste solicited for votes and commented on the need to make sure Obama got into the White House. The Obama mania got so intense that artistes who used to be controversial in nature all cleaned up their acts; Young Jeezy whose music subject matter ranged from selling drugs to women released an album titled The Depression that has sold above gold. Songs in it include Put On and Crazy World where the support for Obama was evident for all to see. Even as far as Nigeria if rumors are to believed, Eedris Abdulkareem is planning to release a six-track album and is said to be in conjuction with Professor Pat Utomi and a couple of very important personalities and organizations in Nigeria.
At the Game’s MAMA performance at Planet 1, hot sensational MI was seen sporting an Obama Tee shirt and even in the news a popular member of the Nigerian government was involved in a plot or scam to raise money for Obama. Back to the States, the influence of the celebrities was so much that on election day, stars like Oprah, Jay-Z, Diddy were all told to steer clear of polling booths so as to not influence voters who had not made up their minds not that it matters anyway as Obama still emerged victorious. After the elections, an incredible fact showed that just by her own, Oprah Winfrey was able to generate more than 1 million votes for Obama; a fact that ensured that she jumped from number 6 to number 1 on the U.S based newspaper, The Hollywood Reporter “Power 100 List making her the most powerful woman in entertainment”.
It would be foolhardy to think that Obama got all these support because of his skin colour. It is far from that as he actually epitomizes hip-hop. Viewing Obama from a distance, you would realize that he’s got swagger. Even though he was a book-worm as his credentials showed, he looks like he’s got street credibility in him. Call it a campaign stunt or not but Obama attends the right events, dress well, speaks well. Early on in the election race, Reverend Jesse Jackson, a formal black U.S Presidential aspirant made the mistake of disproving Obama’s presidential aspiration and got the raw end of beef in the black community. Always one to speak his mind, Game dissed Jesse Jackson in his emotional track My Life saying “F**k Jesse Jackson cos it ain’t about a race now”. That example showed that the hood is ready to protect Obama as one of its own and Obama returned the favour late last year by when he lent a kind word and commiserated with Kate Hudson on the tragedy that befell her family. The zenith of Obama’s hip-hop credibility showed just before he was announced winner. Instead of being soaked in tension, Obama took time out and went to play a game of basketball with his guys. Talk about nerve!
The implication of this feat by Obama on hip-hop is boundless. First of all, the victory has managed to demystify the corporate white America’s powers. The victory would most likely impact on the type of music that would now be made by musicians. Instead of waxing lyrics on black oppression, hating Uncle Sam, messages behind songs that would now be released might bother on nation-building, one love and overall support for the presidential office. Now the entire black race would not see themselves as second class citizens or the oppressed. Artistes who used to be overtly controversial would most likely want to clean up their acts because nobody would want to be scorned by their big brother who’s in the White House or is it now the Black House? The will and zeal to please and not disappoint would be at an all-time high as evidenced by musicians tripping all over themselves to perform at Obama’s inauguration and swearing-in ceremony. If anything is to be believed, it is that the Obama victory has definitely brought swagger and belief back into the hip-hop community.
Da Real Naija Zone 