One of the most talked about political issues in this busy election year continues to be all the speculating about Barack Obama’s choice for his vice-presidential candidate. Just the other day, pundits were throwing in Al Gore’s name. How is Obama going to complete his ticket? Hilary or an old white dude with pull in a swing state? One thing’s for sure, Obama got here by thinking outside of the box, be it his positive rhetoric or grassroots campaigning, and this decision will be a true measure of how committed he is to remaining a candidate unaffected by DC’s circle jerk. Naturally, URB.com figures he’d be best to place a rapper at the top of his cabinet…here’s a primer on this prime decision.
Jay-Z
upside: The former president of Def Jam, Jay-Z has the executive branch experience that many say is lacking in Obama himself. There’s also no denying Hova’s track record on the economy or ability to stand strong against his enemies. And Beyonce would be the hottest second lady in the history of second ladies.
downside: Jay-Z’s has already established himself as a “Black Republican,” the flip-flopping could hurt the Obama camp in the general election.
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Lil Wayne
upside: The New Orleans MC is riding an insane wave of popularity that carried his last record to sell one million copies in the first week of its release.
downside: Fake felons might fool themselves into thinking that they aren’t eligible to vote, his ties to the pharmaceutical corporations (especially the makers of codeine) might be called on by some consumer watch groups.
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Tupac Shakur
upside: Even 11-plus years after his assassination, Tupac Shakur is probably a more realistic candidate than Lil Wayne. In 2006, URB wondered what life would be like had he survived his fatal shooting and the only sensical route was political. His rhetoric might’ve surpassed Obama’s, in terms of passion and dedication to the downtrodden.
downside: He’s dead. Or in Cuba.
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Nas
upside: The message of Nas’s “Be A Nigger Too,” assuming the sarcasm in the chorus is accidental, is in-line with Obama’s inclusive mantra of hope (even if it’s a little, umm, racier). Nas also appeals to an older demographic than most of the other candidates on this list.
downside: Nasir, as a name, sounds kind of Muslimish.
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Murs
upside: The Los Angeles MC’s positive, curse-free lyrics are PG-13 enough to escape a good deal of outrage (until they check his video with Humpty Hump).
downside: Murs already declared himself for president (with the release of his upcoming album, Murs for President), so like HRC, speculation about his desire for the top job would run rampant.
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B.o.B
upside: When it comes to B.o.B’s music career, there’s only upside: charisma, melody, vulnerability, connections. And since politics is all about chants, there really isn’t anything more fun to chant than the chorus to B.o.B’s “Fuck You.”
downside: At this point, the Decatur MC is still a relative unknown. That and he seems to bring out the haterz (everywhere he goes).
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