Ellington

The hip-hop generation has been much maligned—partially because apathy runs rampant in our demographic. "Why should I vote?"or "My one vote won't make a difference" or even better, "I'm too busy" are all these familiar excuses? The scary thing is ... every vote counts. This is probably one of the most important elections in the history of politics. The very welfare of this country and the lives of thousands of servicemen overseas hinges upon the decisions we make this November.

Music for me is a vehicle in which to stimulate change. Sure, I hope to entertain, but more importantly, I hope to inspire. Inspire not just the future hip-hop artists of the world, but the future writers, teachers, and politicians as well. Through my non-profit organization, The M.I.R.R.O.R. program (Mentors In Rap Recognizing Our Responsibilities), I speak to students often and have found an undeniable truth. Kids these days aren't listening to their teachers, their pastors, or even their parents for that matter. T.V. is their classroom and we, the hip-hop entertainers are their teachers. In my younger days, I shunned the term "role model." But, now as I've matured in the business, I welcome the burden. I've learned that with great power comes great responsibility. The ability to perform ... to put words together ... to move people with beats and rhymes, is a gift from God. A gift that can just as easily be taken away if taken for granted.

Now with that being said, my call goes out to every hip-hop fan, whether you enjoy my music or not, to go out and vote this year. If you've ever recited a lyric to any of my songs and took them to heart, go out and VOTE!

Now, I am not here to try and influence your choice—although I think an ice cube could do a better job of running the country than George W., but telling you how to voice is not my job. And even though in the dirty game of politics it really boils down to picking the lesser of two evils, that's my opinion.

No, I'm here to influence you to just MAKE A CHOICE...ANY CHOICE. There's a reason why political ads don't target us. There's a reason why neither George W. nor John Kerry have really reached out to the hip-hop world. Why? Because the perception is that we don't care. We're just a bunch of disrespectful hooligans who like to listen to loud music and sag our jeans. Surely these rap fans can have no redeeming qualities about themselves. And that thinking will prevail if we continue to stay home on Election Day watching "TRL" or "106 and Park" instead of showing up at the polls.

So, if you're a fan of hip-hop, 18 or older, and tired of your commander-in-chief, make a date on November 2 to cast your vote. Pretend it's the release date of your favorite artist's new CD. It's that important!

Kamikaze is a rapper in Jackson and a former reporter for the Associated Press.