Hip-hop entrepreneur urges students to get politically involved

Russell Simmons

4:02 p.m., Nov. 17, 2003--Russell Simmons spoke to approximately 600 people at Mitchell Hall on Nov. 12 about “Empowerment through Hip-Hop, Academia and Economics.”

Simmons, 45, a native New Yorker, is best known for cofounding rap’s premier label, Def Jam Records, which generated $780 million in revenue in 2002. Simmons also produced the HBO television show “Def Comedy Jam” and founded Phat Fashions, a multi-million-dollar clothing company.

Simmons took to the stage after Baseline, a student run hip-hop group, preformed two songs accompanied by an on-stage DJ and RoboScan lights.

Instead of giving a lecture, Simmons decided to have a question-and-answer session with members of the UD community and audience. Tony Anderson, CHEP graduate student, Guillermo Febres, BE ’06, and Joy Oliver, CHEP graduate student, led a panel of students on stage with Shuaib Meacham, assistant professor of education, moderating.

Simmons was asked repeatedly about the violence and negativity that has become attached to hip-hop music. He said he wants to hear more positive lyrics but the most important aspect of music is the truth.

“When disenfranchised, poor people have the mike,” Simmons said. “Some of what they say might not be what we want to hear, but it’s their truth. If they’re not honest, then they won’t last.”

When the questions began shifting toward politics, Simmons took the opportunity to talk about the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), which he chairs. According to its mission statement, HSAN is a “national coalition of hip-hop artists, entertainment industry leaders, education advocates, civil rights proponents and youth leaders united in the belief that hip-hop is an enormously influential agent for social change.” As chairperson, Simmons said his goal is to register at least 2 million voters before the next presidential election.

While HSAN is nonpartisan, Simmons made it clear that he isn’t. Simmons told the audience that he has given money to every Democratic presidential candidate except for Joe Lieberman.

“We [America] had a real opportunity to lead and set a peaceful example to the rest of the world after 9/11,” Simmons said. “Our opportunity to lead is gone until we get a new face in the White House.”

Simmons said that some of the billions of dollars the U.S. is spending in wars against other countries should be spent at home fighting the war against poverty and ignorance.

After the question-and-answer session, Robert Arthur, AS ’06, performed a poem as a thank you to Simmons. The audience erupted when Arthur finished, and Simmons was clearly impressed.

Article by Dean Geddes, AS ’05
Photo by Duane Perry

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