SlamBush: Hip Hop Artists Take on the President in Mock Debate

[donsu]

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/29/1412206


A Day before John Kerry and George W Bush square off in Thursday's debate in Miami, fifteen rappers from across the country will be competing in a mock debate against President Bush. The event is called SlamBush and is aimed at getting the Hip Hop generation to vote in the November election. We speak with Wordsworth, a hip hop artist and one of the event's organizers. Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry and President George W Bush are in the midst of their final preparations ahead of Thursday's debate in Miami. Though, with the rules agreed to for the debate, it is turning out to be more like a bipartisan press conference. Tonight in Miami, President Bush will be taking place in another debate in Miami.

Well, not exactly. Fifteen rappers from across the country will be competing in a mock debate against President Bush. The event is called SlamBush and is aimed at getting the Hip Hop generation to vote in the November election. Regional competitions were held in dozens of cities and on the internet. Tonight, the 15 winners will duke it out at a concert of the Grammy-Award winning hip hop group The Roots. In a moment, we are going to be joined on the line from Miami by Brooklyn rapper, Wordsworth-he is one of the organizers of SlamBush and will be a judge at tonight's contest. But first, here is Wordsworth's own lyrical debate with President Bush.

* Wordsworth, hip hop artist from Brooklyn, New York. He is the co-creator of MTV's Lyricist Lounge Show. He is one of the organizers of the Slam Bush competition which takes place tonight in Miami. Fifteen rappers will be mock debating President Bush.

(here starts the rush transcript of the interview by Amy Goodman. You can watch/listen/read this on this site)

bet the rappers got in some good lines!

[Catfight]

1. Makes me proud to be American when people are getting the idea of

democracy, voting is what this is all about!

[faithnotgreed]

2. righton

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SemperEadem]

9. yeah, bush is a trip doing all that, ain't he?

[shawn703]

3. I love Wordsworth's video where he's debating Bush

It's available at http://www.ifilm.com/viralvideo if anyone wants to see it. The reaction shots are the best.

[Cha]

5. Sorry, I couldn't find it..which

one? ANd Thanks!

[shawn703]

6. It's called Wordsworth Slams Bush

You have to scroll down the list a ways to find it. It's a bit more than halfway down.

[Cha]

7. That was amazing...how did they

do that?!:D

Get bush from some other speech and give his facial expressions?

That was classic! Thank you!

[shawn703]

13. I think they used a Bush-Gore debate

As a background and had Wordsworth perform in front of a blue screen.

[Cha]

4. Candidate Wordsworth!

"CANDIDATE WORDSWORTH: Yeah. You got no choice, that’s what you all been told to listen to. These criminals in the office want to control and limit you. All the political power is ours but these cowards’ goals and principles is to imprison you. Mr. President, you inherited the devilish ways of your dad, you the biggest terrorist there ever is. It’s evident you’re negative, and your father was bothered before, so you used the war as a score to settle it. World peace is said to be the planet’s plans, so you attack the Taliban in Afghanistan? Bin Laden you let escape and through the sand he ran. Now he’s taping death threats on a Handi-cam. Non-humane, Iraq, Saddam Hussein, didn’t find weapons still went and bombed with planes. Arms are aimed, children and moms are maimed, C4 killing soldiers when the car’s detained. And you still getting money from these corporations, and how you pay them back is with these altercations. Under no terms you have my vote earned, not while the sun burns, each day the globe turns. Problems evolving, partial involvement could solve it if you weren’t golfing so often. Believe me, y’all, it’s much worse than it looks, so let’s vote and stop beating around the Bush!"

This is Huge, guys!..this and Ophra's ..Voting Party, yesterday with PDiddy and Vote OR Die!

[Blackrain]

10. That was awsome

It's good to see that Hip Hop artists are using their monumental influnence in the political arena.

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

11. Bush and the war...

I find it so hard to believe how reps can't see how Bush is in a way basically a terriost. I still haven't really heard any real reason on why we're invading other countries and why Osama's name hasn't popped up lately. Has anybody heard it lately? Now it all seems to be about Saddam. Yes, he was a very bad man but what did he have to do with 9/11 and the "war on terror"? If someone here can enlighten me that'd be great. XOXO.

[EEgrad2003]

12. Proud to hear that

Wordsworth is one of those artist that can rap about anything. Glad he's showing that the hip hop generation SHOULD be taken serious as a voice to be heard. Someone should send this to Kerry. Bush is toast!!