Voter Registration Drive-"One Mind. One Vote"
 

Hip-Hop Artists Work on Voting Drive
1 hour, 34 minutes ago

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Some of the biggest names in hip-hop are stepping up their drive to register young people to vote with a radio campaign that could reach more than 2 million listeners a day.


The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, founded by mogul Russell Simmons, announced its "One Mind. One Vote." partnership with syndicated radio personality Doug Banks at a news conference Wednesday. The new radio campaign will launch Jan. 19 in Times Square.


"Radio is the drumbeat of our community," said Dr. Benjamin Chavis, the hip-hop group's president and chief executive.


The nonpartisan network hopes to register 2 million voters in 2004 and 20 million over the next five years by reaching out to young hip-hop fans and holding registration drives at concerts and other events.


Simmons' brother Joseph, better known as the Rev. Run of Run DMC, is lending his celebrity to the cause.


"I believe that Russell Simmons' job in life is to pull people together," he said Wednesday. "I believe that we'll get 2 million more in 2004."


Banks will air public service announcements featuring Simmons and other celebrities, and will register voters at a series of live concerts aired on his morning show, which reaches more than 2 million listeners a day on the ABC Radio Network.


Chavis said the group is not endorsing any specific candidate or platform.


"The more inclusive the political process, the better," he said. "We believe if young people are engaged, you'll see positive results."


The campaign also will create a trackable database of people who register. "We're going to stay in touch with them and make sure they go to the polls," Chavis said.


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It is about time!!! I have been watching the hip hop community, from the sidelines, and waiting for them to organize the efforts of a community. It is about time that people stop seeing the community as just baggy clothes wearing, gun slinging thugs. Start showing that there is some intelligence and DOLLARS behind the movement and people will start to get the picture. I hope it goes well. I registered when I was 17...I couldn't wait!:D

Simmons, Others Kick Off Vote Initiative
Tue Jan 20, 3:07 AM ET


NEW YORK - Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons and artists including LL Cool J, Rev. Run and Jadakiss kicked off an initiative to register millions of young people to vote.



The "One Mind. One Vote" campaign aims to register 2 million voters between the ages of 18 and 34 by the November presidential election and a total of 20 million voters over the next five years.


"We have a powerful, powerful initiative," said Simmons, chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, an organization that educates young people about politics. "Politicians are starting to recognize that."


The nonpartisan campaign plans to reach out to hip-hop fans through the syndicated radio show hosted by Doug Banks and through voter registration booths set up on the 2004 Doug Banks Jam Session concert tour.


Speaking Monday at the kickoff event in Times Square, Banks said he would air public service announcements featuring Simmons and other celebrities and register voters during live concerts aired on his morning show, which reaches more than 2 million listeners a day on the ABC Radio Network.


Banks said there are some 47 million people between the ages of 18 and 34 who are not registered to vote.


"This is not a movement based on anything that can separate us," said LL Cool J, who made news in 2002 when he publicly registered to vote. "It's based on the average Joe voting."

Hip-Hop Summit Action Network: http://www.hsan.org

The hip-hop generation must educate itself and head to the polls in this fall's election, according to speakers at the Hip-Hop Summit, which drew artists and others from the music industry.


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