Many members of New York’s Hip Hop community are tired of waiting on the bipartisan members in office to take action on the growing list of urban crises and interests. These activists have decided to take matters into their own hands by forming their own their own political party for future state elections.
The new movement is called the New American Party, according to the NY Daily News. It’s being spearheaded by Jineea Butler, founder of the Hip Hop Union and Republican candidate in New York City’s 13th Congressional District for the state’s election this fall.
Butler has been in talks with New York rap icons Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J to represent the New American Party and run for the state’s governor’s office. However, neither rapper has committed for the campaign run, nor have commented at press time about doing so.
Embed from Getty ImagesShe explained her initiative to establish the new party on the ballot, and why she wants either rapper to run for office. “We’re looking for somebody that can energize the vote so we can clear the 50,000 votes (needed to secure a guaranteed ballot line the next four years) and someone who resonates with millennials and young folks,” Butler said. The impetus for the new party is similar to Hip Hop’s creation four decades ago. “We’re juggling a bunch of candidates we can look at from the Hip Hop community,” Butler said. “Hip Hop changed the world 40, 45 years ago when it started. It just gave people an absolute freedom of speech. We want to use that same principle with a strong agenda that addresses economic disparity and prosperity-driven initiatives.” Butler also detailed why this party is necessary for the political and racial divide as a whole in the country. “This would work right now in America,” Butler said. “America needs something else. We’re fighting against each other. We’ve come too far in this country to go back to racism. Hip Hop brought people together.” Embed from Getty Images
Eric Barrier, better known to the masses as one-half of the legendary Hip Hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, is also teaming up with Butler to create the new party.
Butler further discussed why blacks need to exercise their right to vote more than ever in the current political climate. “The African-American community, we want to leverage our vote. Right now, we’re just being abused.”
As for Butler’s Republican political affiliation, she echoed Chance The Rapper’s statement in April regarding the African-American vote traditionally leaning towards the Democratic party during elections. Butler believes that Republicans largely do not appeal to minority voters, leaving them without a reason to reach out to minorities during campaigns. As a result, Butler feels that Democrats typically don’t have to make an effort to persuade the minority community’s vote. O’Brien Murray, an African-American corporate lawyer, and the campaign consultant doubles down on Butler’s claims.
“For our campaign to have the opportunity to participate in a line that reaches out to the African-American community would be welcome,” Murray said. “The added benefit of the ability to deliver a message from leaders in the hip-hop community to voters who have been taken for granted by the Democratic party would only add to their strength and importance.”
Will The Real Eric B. Please Stand Up?
Supporters of the New American party need to accumulate 15,000 signatures throughout New York on nominating petitions by Tuesday, August 21, to establish the line for the state election ballot.
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Trump open that lane for Queens ! Haha but real talk Politics is Hip Hop lane just in a different fashion .
Hip Hop did unite us, and then dickheads like Lord Jamar, Talib Kweli, and Q-tip divided us again with their prejudicial toxic bullshit ass mentalities while the rest of Hip Hop stayed silent because they’re a bunch of fucking cowards too afraid to call out toxic fucks who are “black” for fear of being called Uncle Toms like Kanye has recently experienced.
At least Kanye has the balls to speak up regardless of what lesser minds will call him.
Bwahahha thanks for the laugh
Laugh all you want it’s a fact Hip Hop is the most bigoted, prejudicial, misogynistic, homophobic culture of the last 20 years in the western world.
Agreed, it’s hilarious that an entire demographic thinks that your skin color should dictate your ideology and point of view on the world around us.
I mean, who the hell does Kanye think he is with his own opinions? Someone needs to literally whip his ass back in line to the Democrat voting booth. Uncle Tom ass mofo! Vote democrat if your black! It’s your only choice.
Kanye couldn’t back up his own stated opinions live on TV. That’s the only reason he’s getting heat. He’s famous, he gets to say stupid things for all the world to hear. There’s nothing monolithic about that. The sky is blue and water is wet.
Word it’s like “don’t judge us by our skin but sit back while we judge you based on the colour of yours” FOH with that shit.
Hip Hops hilarious MCs bitch that white people should speak out against prejudice which they do but when someone in the culture is being racist and bigoted towards white people all of a sudden every MC has become a fucking mute.
Why should “white” folk stand up against prejudice towards “black” folk if “black” folk are to fucking cowardice to simply do the exact same thing in return?
Why exactly are you here? You’re obsessed with us. no one is bothering you. no one cares what you think. Live you life for you and stop worrying about us. We don’t care.
LL Cool J has at least a snowballs chance in hell…Busta rhymes has no shot
KRS-One or bust
Wait though, this lady is a republican? This really gonna end well.
cool j and busted rhyme… they are black so they obviously are felons and not eligible.
They can run on the platform “I can say the N word, but none of Y’all can because Y’all is privileged (my millionaire status don’t count) . Give me equality!”.
They’d surely win in a state like NY with that message!
Disgruntled white people are still funny. you’re still complaining about NOT being able to call black people derogative names. The cognitive dissonance is palpable. You and you’re friends love Hip Hop but somehow resent the people that brought it to you. Just chill and stop obsessing over us. no one cares.
“We was political and shit”
You’re obsessed with us. That’s why you came here to comment.
Talib Kweli should run in NY