Even the U.S. president claims to have hip-hop on his iPod. And as hip-hop has moved into the cultural mainstream, Hip Hop Congress has moved into the political mainstream, too. One of the largest hip-hop organizations in the country, this collective of artists, educators and community leaders is now stepping into a new role as a respected political force in their communities. Cincinnati’s chapter of the Hip Hop Congress is a particularly good example of what Hip Hop Congress is doing. Operations are located in a neighborhood that became the epicenter of racially charged riots following the police shooting of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed black man. But with the help of Hip Hop Congress, it is becoming an important part of the revitalization process. URB checked in with chapter leader Hakiym Sha’ir to see what’s up a year after Obama’s inauguration.