Celebrity Coverage
Hip-hop stars increase voter turnout in the 2024 elections – Essence
(Photo: Kaitlyn Morris/Getty Images)
Ahead of those crucial elections, celebrities and public figures have mobilized to have interaction in the political process by publicly supporting their chosen candidates. Was massive voter turnout in states across the countryand influential voices in the music industry, including Megan Thee Stallion and Quavo, have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who has added her voice to a youth-led movement that’s reshaping politics.
This initiative will not be an isolated endeavor; it’s a part of a broader wave of digital outreach that has made social media an important tool for mobilizing young voters during election season. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are flooded with messages from celebrities and influencers urging people to vote, and hip-hop artists are leading the way by utilizing their cultural influence to galvanize civic duty. This digital push is particularly necessary in battleground states where Black voters could make a decisive impact, including Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
However, it will not be only these stars that gather their fans. Some hip-hop artists have gone a step further, using their talents in a final push to spur voter turnout. Atlanta-based Crime Mob artist Lil Scrappy, legendary New Orleans artist Big Freedia, in addition to New Orleans rapper Mia X, civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, and musicians Cookie Nasty and Trae Crockett have collaborated with Hip Hop Club create a political cipher.
The Hip Hop Club was founded as a non-profit organization that strengthens political activism for the younger generation, using hip-hop music and culture as a tool to spread awareness. The political cipher is just certainly one of the initiatives the organization has undertaken this 12 months, following the launch of the Respect My Voice! campaign. Campaign and tour that took place earlier this 12 months.
Hip-hop’s commitment to social justice is nothing latest; the genre has long served as a platform for cultural commentary and political activism. Following in the footsteps of groups like Public Enemy and NWA, today’s artists are carrying the torch forward, proving that hip-hop stays a robust vehicle for change. As each artist in the cypher delivered bars calling on fans to make their voices heard, Mia votes and “if you don’t vote, you don’t matter.”
This effort by Black artists and activists builds on a wave of influential voices calling for motion and public support of Harris.
Scroll below to observe the full political cypher.