If we don’t remember the presidential election of 2008 for anything else, I think we will at least remember that campaign season as the year hip-hop entered the white house. And no, it is not President Obama’s literal occupation of the oval office to which I refer. While our current president has happily admitted that he bops to Jay-Z, hip-hop culture served as a catalyst for a new generation of political thinkers and shakers, myself included. There was a political enthusiasm amongst the hip-hop community like never before. The panel discussions, first-time voter stories, and even the YouTube music videos supplied by producer will. i. am were refreshing additions to the American political landscape as it pertains to agency and participation.
Unfortunately, it seemed as though much of hip-hop’s fire for the electoral process ended after inauguration day forcing many of us to wonder why the fervor had died. It was a good moment for hip-hop, the election season of 2008. For it revealed to critics and those on the periphery of the culture that there was more, is more, to hip-hop than cars, video vixens, and rappers. Hip-Hop has heart. Hip-Hop has voice. There was the call and hip-hop responded.
I tend to refer to call and response often but it is the perfect metaphor to describe many actions of the hip-hop community ( I stand firm on this) and the glitz of politics ( scandal, controversy aside) is on heck of a call.It was really only a matter of time until hip-hop responded to the good people on Capitol Hill. I should note however, that hip-hop as a tool for political agency is not necessarily a new phenomena particularly when one thinks about countries like Sengal, France, or Brazil. Yet, hip-hop in the U.S. has never truly taken an active role in politics. Kanye West’s Bush-don’t-care-about-black-people does not count. Sorry.
So, while I am a firm supporter of arts activism, I too, like millions of newsmongers, was startled when I got word that famed hip-hop legend Wyclef Jean had placed his bid to run in the Haitian presidential election. I was unsure of how to react to his announcement. Surely, this could be a good thing for Haiti. Wyclef has the clout, the money, and the necessary passion to lead his people. This could possibly work, couldn’t it?
I listened to much debate surrounding the former Fugees decision because as a non-Haitian, I felt it best to refrain from giving my two cents. This was not intended to be a divisive decision as much as I wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about Haitian politics and history. To be frank, I didn’t feel it was my conversation. I merely listened.
As the media frenzy continued into the early part of August, I began to examine closely the implications of a Wyclef led Haiti. It is true that no one can ever “prepare” to assume the presidency of a nation but just how did Wyclef expect to rebuild and restore? How would he revive a failing education system? With what tools would he ameliorate unemployment? Pras, one-third of the Fugees, explained why he would not endorse his former band mate. Haiti, he said, needed a transformative leader, someone who can galvanize Haitians down on the field, Haitian Americans as well as the international community. Pras, he said, wasn’t convinced that Wyclef was the person for the job. Like Pras, many Wyclef fans, Haitian or not, love and support the musician yet equally worried about the magnitude of responsibility Wyclef would face should he actually get elected to office.
Not to mention the fact that Haiti’s constitution requires a candidate to have lived five consecutive years in the country in order to be eligible for office. Haitian born Wyclef does not meet the requirement.
Still, he pressed forward with his presidential bid until it was formally declared that Wyclef would not be allowed to run for election. According to a New York Times article ran August 20th, no explanation of the rejection was given and in a twinkling of an eye, Wyclef’s month long bid was over.
I applaud Wyclef for, if nothing else, having the courage to seek solutions to the problems that face his country even if he was ultimately unsuccessful. In a open letter to Wyclef, writer Anedie Azael pressed Wyclef to continue to serve his country in his sincere role as a poet. I do not doubt that Wyclef will always advocate for Haiti and it’s people through his art but the boundary that he dared to cross speaks volumes of his commitment to the edification and preservation of Haiti and it’s legacy.
Hip-Hop is maturing and with that comes the pressure of greater responsibilities. Haiti called and Wyclef wanted to respond.
