Popular Music and Political Power: U.S. Elections $$2008-2016$$ Study Guide

Barack Obama’s $2008$ Presidential Campaign: Enthusiasm and Support

• Support from the Music Industry: The campaign saw significant endorsements and support from a wide array of prominent artists, particularly in the hip hop and urban music sectors. Notable supporters included:     * $50$ Cent     * Common     * P. Diddy     * Jay-Z     * Snoop Dogg     * Kanye West
• Generational Symbolism: Barack Obama was viewed as a symbol for the next generation. This enthusiasm manifested in various artistic cultural forms:     * Obama as a subject in graffiti art.     * Murals replicating campaign posters in urban spaces.     * A particularly loyal following among under-$30$ voters who identified with the movement.

Challenges and Strategies of the Obama Campaign

• Racial and Political Hurdles:     * Obama was the first Black presidential candidate to be a major frontrunner.     * Jesse Jackson was identified as the primary trailblazer for this path.     * The campaign faced the strategic necessity of convincing white Americans of Obama's fitness for office.     * Discussions arose regarding cultural expressions, such as whether the use of hip hop slang would appear in the office and whether hip hop should be viewed as legitimate artistic expression.
• Skepticism from the Hip Hop Community: Some within the community remained skeptical of the state and the government, questioning:     * Whether the candidate was truly progressive enough.     * Whether the entire political system was fundamentally broken.
• Campaign Strategic Responses:     * Obama took a moderate stance on highly polarizing issues.     * Focus was placed on personal responsibility rather than emphasizing systemic problems such as police brutality or Black unemployment.     * Code Switching: The candidate utilized code-switching as a tool to engage with different demographics and political rivals.     * Engagement with Hip Hop: The campaign carefully navigated whether celebrating hip hop was for actual artistic interest or merely a political tool. This included a balance of praising and occasionally critiquing the genre.

Nas and the Analysis of “Black President” ($2008$)

• Context and Album: The song was included on Nas’s untitled $9^{th}$ studio album.
• Thematic Question: The song explores the central question: “Is it possible to hope?”
• Media Samples: The track includes a clip of Obama speaking after the Iowa primary and a $1997$ quote from Tupac Shakur: “And though it seems heaven-sent / We ain’t ready, to have a black president.”
• Addressing Controversies:     * Jeremiah Wright: The song references the controversy surrounding Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, specifically his $2003$ sermon “Confusing God and Government.”     * Jesse Jackson: Referenced Jackson’s criticism regarding Obama’s Father’s Day speech.
• Lyric Breakdown:     * Highlights the reality of the block, solitary confinement, and violence from the police (“How violent are these cops? They need an early retirement”).     * Contrasts the struggle of the projects (“cookin' up in the Pyrex”) with the pride of a Black man guiding America.     * Questioning the President’s safety (“Is it, 'How can I protect my life? Protect my wife? Protect my rights?'”).     * Historical reference to past presidents, noting that all were white except for claims about Thomas Jefferson having mixed Indian blood and Calvin Coolidge (“Except Thomas Jefferson and mixed Indian blood / And Calvin coolers [sic], KKK is like, 'What the fuck?'”).     * Hopeful conclusion: “New improved JFK on the way / It ain't the $60’s$ again… People need honesty.”

Ludacris and “Politics as Usual” ($2008$)

• Artist Background: Ludacris was born in Champaign and grew up in Atlanta.
• Function of the Song: Served as a musical endorsement intended to drive voter turnout and counterattack criticisms of Obama.
• Key Highlights from Lyrics:     * Validation of Obama’s taste: “With a slot in the president's iPod, Obama shouted him [said] I'm one of his favorite rappers.”     * Political attacks: Slams Hillary Clinton as “irellevant,” critiques Jesse Jackson for “talking slick,” and insults John McCain and George W. Bush (“McCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed… Bush is mentally handicapped… worst of all $43$ presidents”).     * Call to action: “Get off your ass, black people, it's time to get out and vote.”
• Critical Inquiry: The lecture poses the question of whether this aggressive approach was actually useful for the official Obama campaign.

Young Jeezy’s “My President” and the Informal Economy

• Artist Context: Young Jeezy, born in $1977$, released this track on the album Recession ($2008$).
• Intertextual References: The lyrics reference other rappers to establish authenticity, including Tupac (“truest shit I ever spoke”) and Ice Cube (“it was a good day”).
• Political Commentary:     * Critiques George W. Bush and the government's treatment of Black people.     * Wealth and Survival: The song features a flaunting of wealth, such as a “blue Lambo.” This is linked to the “informal economy,” described as the only one available for many in the community.
• Reception: The song was received as positive and celebratory by the fanbases of Young Jeezy, Nas, and Jay-Z. It was not interpreted as racist but as a step toward equality, suggesting that the rise of one group to leadership represents access to the “American Dream” for everyone.

The $2016$ Election: Candidates and Musical Identities

• Major Candidates:     * Bernie Sanders (Democratic Socialist, running as a Democrat).     * Hillary Clinton (Democrat).     * Donald Trump (Republican).

Bernie Sanders: Democratic Socialism and Folk Tradition

• Political Background:     * Born in $1941$.     * Served in the House of Representatives ($1991–2007$) and as a Senator since $2007$.     * Strongly connected to left-wing politics and the labor movement.
• Musical Affiliation: Included Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” ($1956$) on a folk music album he released in $1987$.
• Lyrics Analysis: The song emphasizes public ownership and critiques private property (“There was a big, high wall there that tried to stop me / A sign was painted said 'Private Property' / But on the backside, it didn't say nothing / This land was made for you and me”).

Hillary Clinton: Popular Music and the Theme of Perseverance

• Political Identity: First female nominee of a major U.S. political party; former Senator and Secretary of State.
• Musical Strategy: Her Spotify playlist featured top popular hits from the recent few years, focusing on themes of female empowerment and fitness for office.     * Criticism: The playlist included nothing from her youth or early life.
• Support of Los Tigres del Norte: Supported by the group, specifically through the song “Mis dos patrias” ($2008$).     * Song Lyrics: Addresses the struggle of being a new citizen (“Don’t call me a traitor / Because I love my two homelands”), defending immigrant rights, and the emotional weight of dual loyalty (“green, white, and red with the eagle” vs. “blue full of stars”).
• Democratic National Convention: Clinton walked out to ‐Fight Song” ($2014$) by Rachel Platten.     * Refrain: “This is my fight song / Take back my life song / Prove I'm alright song / My power's turned on… I've still got a lot of fight left in me.”

Donald Trump: The Outsider Persona and Recontextualized Rock

• Candidate Profile:     * Born in $1946$.     * Characterized by having no prior political experience.     * Famous for starring in the television show The Apprentice.
• Musical Strategy: Unlike opponents, his Spotify playlist was described as haphazard and unrestrained.     * Content: Included rock from the $1960s$ and $70s$, Broadway tunes, and Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”     * Perception: The lack of calculation in the playlist helped create a sense of being “genuine” and reinforced his “outsider” persona.
• $2016$ Republican National Convention (RNC): Trump utilized “We Are the Champions” by Queen as entrance music, an example of musical recontextualization for political messaging.