'Barack Obama can change hip-hop' claims rapper

Pic: PA Photos

Common says the next US president will influence artists

Dec 15, 2008
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Barack Obama is set to change hip-hop and encourage acts to find new sound, rapper Common has claimed.

The Chicago artist said that hip-hop music was already changing and reflecting the influence of the next US president.

Common told CNN: "I really do believe we as hip-hop artists pick up what's going on in the world."

The star suggested the genre would have to reflect the positive message the president-elect adopted during his campaign.

"I think hip-hop artists will have no choice but to talk about different things and more positive things," he said. "Try to bring a brighter side to that because, even before Barack, I think people had been tired of hearing the same thing."

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Comments (2)

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ed2005

Dec 15, 2008

Be interesting to see what happens. BTW, which rapper would make the best president? My vote would be for Chuck D or Michael Franti (Disposable heroes of Hiphoprisy/Spearhead).

MIllaDumpsPaul

Dec 15, 2008

For how connected rappers claim to be it sure took them a long time to catch on that people don't wanna listen to a rapper in prison rap about the women he killed Or someone from the suburbs raping about growing up in south chicago and the eternal struggle for "Bling Bling" in the gang banging thug life. I went form listening to Digital Underground, The Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Public Enemy and Diggable PLanets in the 1990s to ..... DMX... Lil Kim. Puff Daddy, and every lil man with a microphone and the ability to regurgitate what's going on in a remote part of southern alabama . Stop Spending all the money on hub caps and get real.. we got a country to fix.