Russell Simmons
On January 19, Russell Simmons’s Hip-Hop Summit Action Network
(HSAN) and syndicated morning radio show host Doug Banks
officially kicked off their “One Mind. One Vote” political-
empowerment campaign, an effort that seeks to register 2 million
voters in the next six to nine months and 20 million in the next
five years. In the process they plan to create a national voter-
information database.
As onlookers crammed the windows of ABC’s Good Morning America
studios to gawk at recording artists that included L.L. Cool J,
Rev. Run, Loon, Da Band, and Jadakiss and Styles P. of the Lox,
Banks and Simmons stressed the importance of voting and
encouraging others to vote, especially in light of the
complications arising from the 2000 election. They tied the
drive’s kick-off to the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King’s
birthday. “Everybody that was [a part of the conference] talked
about coming together, mobilizing and doing exactly what Dr. King
did 40, 50 years ago,” said Banks. “Here we are in 2004, doing the
same thing, except this time it’s to make sure that you get out
and your voices are heard.”
The press conference took on the air of a revival meeting when
rapper Freddrick of Da Band stood up to speak and then announced
his intent to register. Rapper Jadakiss and Israeli-born “Hiphop
Violinist” Miri Ben-Ari also signed up during the course of the
proceedings. “I just became a citizen a few months ago,” said Ben-
Ari. “This is going to be my first time [fulfilling] my right as a
U.S. citizen to vote. I’m very excited.”
“One Mind. One Vote” has already come under fire because some of
the rap artists involved with the initiative are not registered to
vote or have not voted with any consistency. Referring to January
14’s am New York cover story, Minister Benjamin Chavis-Muhammad,
HSAN’s CEO, said: “I guarantee that every artist that [am New
York] had listed in that article will be registered and they will
be encouraging young people to vote. I think it’s disingenuous for
the press to start attacking artists when they make a commitment.”
by By Dasun Allah