This weekend, Louis Farrakhan visited Detroit and held a NOI convention, delivering at Ford Field what could be his farewell address. There’s no question why Detroit was chosen for this historical address. The NOI’s founder laid its roots in Detroit and perhaps its most influential (but former) member Malcolm X also had childhood ties to the area. The area has always been a strong support-base for the NOI and black movements in general.
Detroit to this day represents an important political destination because of its demographics. The massive “white flight” spanning a few decades has resulted in Detroit being one of the largest majority-black voting centers in the nation. Its no surprise that Detroit is a must visit for both black and other leaders wanting their social and political views heard. Even Diddy saw Detroit as a vital area for him to spread his “Vote or Die” campaign.
So the question is, where is Detroit Hip Hop making its mark in politics? Sure, several local hip hop artists were in attendence for Farrakhan’s speach, but where is the influence? Do artists from Detroit have that type of power?
Eminem surprised many during the last presidential election with a popular single and video called “Mosh” that many felt would have an impact on youth and encourage them to vote. It is to date probably the most prominent example of a figure in Detroit Hip Hop making an attempt to make people think or bring about a change. Other attempts exist but they seem to be few and far in between.
Apart from maybe some mixtape joints from Royce Da 5′9″ name dropping Barack Obama (see below), we haven’t seen Detroit’s artists and hip hop community make a significant effort to be politically vocal or active. Undoubtedly the upcoming national political campaigns will seek to (ab)use hip hop temporarily to gain votes. The hip hop community has a responsibilty, as the voice of the streets, to make sure the voice of the general public is heard.
Detroit Hip Hop’s power is definitely not in numbers, but in the influence wielded by a handful of highly respected artists. This influence is underutilized as of now, but can go a long way in empowering those plagued with the “American condition” - Detroit as well as the rest of the country. The politicians will no doubt be active in Detroit with their agendas in the coming months. Will Detroit Hip Hop stand up?
Relevant Media:
Royce Da 5′9″ - Go Get ‘Em
Eminem’s “Mosh”
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