The political campaign of Sen. Barack Obama has inspired young people to become involved in the American political process and many artists are using their voices, dollars and influence as effective instruments for political change, said hip hop experts, political activists and policy analysts at the Democratic National Convention.

The forum titled “Hip Hop: Be the Change,” sponsored by the College Democrats of America and moderated by author Bakari Kitwana, dealt with the increasingly visible role of hip hop, its place in the 2008 election news and beyond. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, of Georgetown University, said increased activism is a transformation of hip hop culture’s “radical political potential.” (more…)

Rap Sessions: Community Dialogues on Hip-Hop announces a national tour focused on hip-hop, youth civic participation and the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

Rap Sessions presents its third annual national discussion tour, which unites a diverse panel of leading hip-hop activists, artists and youth politics experts to engage youth and community leaders in candid, compelling conversations about ways hip-hop generation voters can organize to have an impact on this year’s election. (more…)

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  Publish Date: May 31, 2005
  Author Website: Bakari Kitwana
  Publisher: Basic Civitas Books

Bakari Kitwana “Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wankstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the New Reality of Race in America” Book Review
The problem with reviewing hiphop books is that I also have to review the people reviewing them. See, a lot of those big-time-for-whatever-reason book critics try to jump into the hip-hop scene every once in a while to give their uninformed opinions and poke fun at hip-hop culture. It’s like they’re hiding behind a tree whispering about you at the country club or something. (more…)