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The Hip-Hop Nerd Speaks!

Barack Obama

Before we go into it. This is a feature that ran on HipHopDX in 2007. Back then, there was only hope for progress. There really was doubt. Read it. You'll see. Wordsworth, Naledge and everybody weighed in and most felt an extreme amount of doubt that America would elect a black President. It happened. But, it's always good to see the past. In this case, it's a look back at what Naledge, Phonte, Wordsworth, Punchline, and Champ felt when I spoke to them before the Democratic Primaries. Enjoy. 

http://cdn.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.856/title.underground-report-barack-obama-edition/p.all

“My raps ignite the people like Obama.” - Common

Whether you love him or hate him, there is something about Barack Obama that has the world speaking. Some say, there is something about him that has the world listening. Either way, everyone and their favorite rappers have been voicing their views on the man.

This month, we sat down with various emcees to discuss Barack Obama. Phonte (of Little Brother), Naledge (of Kidz in the Hall), Wordsworth and Punchline (of EMC) and Champ (of Move.meant) got down with HipHopDX to speak on Obama, his chances of winning, his best and worst traits and what it could mean for the country if he is elected.

NALEDGE ON OBAMA

HHDX: What is your view on Obama?
NALEDGE: I have a different take on Obama being that I am from Chicago and was well aware of him long before his rise to national recognition. He is a man that truly wants to be all things to all people. He is representative of a new America. He is young enough to know the lyrics to an Ice Cube record yet old enough to remember the black power movement. He thrived in the melting pot that is Chicago and eventually the state of Illinois as a whole because he is able to streamline his ideas and make them appealing to all groups and classes of people. Ironically, it is this lack of a true bias that earns him criticism.

HHDX: Do you think he has a shot at winning?
NALEDGDE: I think he has a much better shot at winning in 4-8 years but he is a legitimate candidate right now. He will win the votes of young people and people who want to take a chance on something new and someone unlike most politicians. I see him as a shoe in to be the democratic vice presidential candidate. Obama has a great shot at winning.

HHDX:What do you feel is his best or worst trait?
NALEDGE: As I said, most of his positives can be framed as negatives. Many applaud his ethnic background as unique and others say he isn't Black enough. Some like his energy but say he is too young and inexperienced to be president. I personally feel he is too politically correct at times. Sometimes by offending none, you can lose the support of everyone because if everyone likes you, no one loves you.

HHDX: If he wins, what does it mean for the country?
NALEDGE: It means we'd rather have a black man in office than a woman. I mean other than his color; Obama fits the mold of every other politician. And many would say Obama plays the race card a lot less than he plays the class card.

HHDX: In your opinion, will we see a woman before we see a black man take office?
NALEDGE: Let me rephrase that. America would rather have a bi-racial Black man in office than a white woman. In that case…yes, that is a correct statement.

HHDX: Feel free to add anything you'd like about Obama here.
NALEDGE: He is a very classy man but whether class and flash translates to him being a great leader, I am unsure. Still, I do believe he is the best candidate out there simply because of his refreshing approach to moral issues. He has my vote by far. I would love to do some work with his campaign.

WORDSWORTH ON OBAMA

HHDX: What is your view on Obama?
WORDSWORTH: A possible solution to various things war-nation relations but they all are possible. It's like spades - you can have a definite ad not make your books and then have a possible that makes your books.

HHDX: Do you think he has a shot at winning?
WORDSWORTH: Yeah, I think he can definitely win. You can't think otherwise, when the unexpected pretty much has been happening in the world today.

HHDX: What do you feel is his best or worst trait?
WORDSWORTH: To be honest I don't know those but I do see that he's accepted across all racial boundaries. His intelligence represents him as the proper candidate. I say that from the manner in which I've seen him talk, but I don't know all of his stands on every view.

HHDX: If he wins, what does it mean for the country?
WORDSWORTH: It's going to have the country hoping that an answer without lies and diversions will be said. When it comes to poverty, war, hunger, and disease, I think people will believe the country can have some integrity.

HHDX: In your opinion, will we see a woman before we see a black man take office?
WORDSWORTH: Not sure, but sometimes I believe so because people know that Hillary has a history of running The White House alongside Bill. The comfort level of the people may be aroused by that than even the actual interest in the proper perspectives on the issues.

HHDX: Have you voted every year?
WORDSWORTH: Nah, I only voted [in the] last presidential election. [That was the] first time I did.

HHDX: Will you vote this time around?
WORDSWORTH: Yeah, I will.

PUNCHLINE ON OBAMA

HHDX: What is your view on Obama?
PUNCHLINE: I view him as the next black leader for the younger generation. I don't have a full understanding on his movement but I feel people are running with him only because he’s black. It takes more than color to choose a leader so I feel off the little knowledge I have on him, he seems fit for the position and good model leader.

HHDX: Do you think he has a shot at winning?
PUNCHLINE: Hell no! The planet has a tough choice. Pick a female or a Blackman? What you think?

HHDX: What do you feel is his best or worst trait?
PUNCHLINE: Best trait is his personality and what he stands for. Worst trait is he is black.

HHDX: If he wins, what does it mean for the country?
PUNCHLINE: It means the world is over. It means he will get killed or impeached. Somehow white people will leave the U.S. If Obama wins then we will not have as many rappers. Black kids will have a huge role model to look up to.

HHDX: In your opinion, will we see a woman before we see a black man take office?
PUNCHLINE: I feel so. It’s funny. Nobody else is talking about the 3rd candidate. That proves a woman will win. Right now just having a black candidate is supposed to be sufficient for black folks.

HHDX: Have you voted every year?
PUNCHLINE: No I haven’t. I have a weird theory on voting. It’s like voting for the lesser evil. End result is its still a bad choice either way.

HHDX: Will you vote this time around?
PUNCHLINE: I feel presidents are picked already. Some higher being knows how it’s going down. Just know whoever it is it will be someone good enough to pick up where Bush let off.

PHONTE ON OBAMA

HHDX: What is your stance on Barack Obama?
Phonte: I really don't follow politics as much as cats would think I do. From what I can tell, he has the charisma of Bill Clinton mixed with the good looks of JFK. That alone makes him a shoe-in for the hoes.....dude is aiight with me.

HHDX: What do you feel is his best or worst trait?
Phonte: His best trait is that he's very articulate and answers his questions in a very calm, measured, and reasonable way. He just seems to be a sensible cat. His worst trait is his last name. The conservatives gon’ be trynna link that nigga to Al-Qaeda come election time.

HHDX: Do you think he has a shot at winning?
Phonte: I think he has an honest shot at winning for two reasons: 1) Bush has fucked up so royally that most people are thinking, "okay, ANYBODY but him." And 2), America is a much more sexist country than it is racist, in my opinion. I truly don't think this country is ready for a woman to be president. I mean, if the average guy just thinks about how crazy, emotional, and irrational his wife/girlfriend can be and THEN imagines having that same woman IN THE WHITE HOUSE? Sheeeeeit.....she'd be wakin up and waging war on other countries just cause a nigga forgot to wash the dishes.....

And even furthermore, I don't think women want to see a woman elected president because deep down they all hate each other. Hillary Clinton could get elected, be standing in front of the White House looking radiant during the inauguration, basically making HISTORY, and it would still be a buncha bitter ass hoes in a corner talkin bout, "that bitch think she cute."

HHDX: If he wins, what does it mean for the country?
PHONTE: Personally, I'm of the George Carlin opinion that this country was bought, sold, and paid for long, long ago, and that the people in power know every single card they deal. So I honestly don't expect much to change. Either way, it will be interesting to watch.

CHAMP OF MOVE.MEANT ON OBAMA

I have a good friend who’s from Chicago. She put me up on him initially. We grew up together in Michigan and now she lives in Chicago. I was like, ‘Let me check this dude out.’ I started downloading his podcast. He has a podcast through iTunes. He talks about his position on various votes they have in the Senate and you hear his speeches that he makes at different universities around the country and things like that. The minute I started to listen to him, I was like “Wow.”

It’s funny because you’re so used to politicians not telling you the truth and not being straight up all the time. I just got to a point where I don’t even expect them to tell the truth. But, I was listening like, ‘I could be wrong, but this dude sounds like he’s actually telling me what he thinks, as opposed to just trying to tell me what he thinks I want to hear.’ So, as soon as I started listening, I was like ‘Wow, this dude is the truth.’

I looked into it more and bought his first book to get a little more background on him to see what he’s about. Thoroughly impressed, man! He’s the first candidate in my lifetime that I thought really had an opportunity to make some serious change. I’m really excited about him and I just hope he gets the nomination and I hope he gets an opportunity to actually run for the White House. I think he’d be an amazing president.

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