Hip hop proved the impact it could have when used the right way four years ago. Partially due to the candidacy of Barack Obama, rappers were more politically involved than ever. Many rappers who never previously mentioned politics were campaigning for Obama. Young Jeezy famously ended his minor feud with Nas on his single, “My President is Black.”
However, there was no rapper more involved than Jay-Z, who was registering fans to vote at his concerts. Jay-Z was with Barack Obama from the beginning, helping to gain the future president new voters. In the end, Obama won by a comfortable margin, something political pundits feel will not happen this year.
Currently neck-in-neck with Mitt Romney, President Obama is making his rounds in several swing states. The ultimate deciding factor in 2004 was Ohio, which many felt would eventually go to the Democratic challenger, John Kerry. Instead, the state narrowly went to President Bush and the state is in the same position in 2012, but Jay-Z will be attending and performing at President Obama’s Ohio rally.
