Around the country, activists and organizers are concerting efforts to ensure that our right to vote is fully recognize, restored and respected for all of us!

This is a true account of why and how Young People For works in the daily lives of fellows. My name is Corina McCarthy-Fadel and I am a 2008 Young People For fellow representing Oglethorpe University and a proud member of the Southern Region. My background is in community organizing; specifically in the youth and hip hop communities. I am a Hip Hop Organizer for Hip Hop Media Lab, and intern for Project South and an intern with the Frontlines Tour: a national hip hop organizing tour working to united people through music. Actually, right now I am writing to you from a café in Fresno, California while on tour.

Here is my story:

Vote Hip Hop! Be the Inspiration

National youth coalition and Talib Kweli launch Hip Hop competition to promote youth activism

"It's Still Bigger Than Hip Hop"

The big question of this conference, at least out of the personal dialogue generated amongst attendees, seems to be asking if the upcoming election will actually change anything drastic in this country. Over lunch yesterday, myself and members from GenVote and Ruckus Society spoke of this. How much of a say do we actually have in this country when the only presidents who ever have a chance of winning are Republican or Democrat? We spoke of what little difference there actually is between these two parties, and we spoke of how all of us didn’t believe in nor support the corporate agenda of both parties.

This year's convention theme is "Seizing the Time for A Better Tomorrow"

The purpose of this convention is for the political hip hop community to meet, network, and build and evolve a platform of issues that are directly effecting our communitites.  We all hope to use this platform/agenda to guide our work and as a reference for engaging our community, leaders, and politicians.

Also, with the election approaching, the convention wants to strategize so that this community's voices are heard, with the hopes that their issues will be addressed.

So the Young Communist League has this awesome song on their website dedicated to the movement surrounding Barack Obama...

The song titled "Will of the People" was created by artists/members of the Philly Club of Young Communist League.

...this is a change I could get used to.

I had the pleasure of attending this year's Center for American Progress' Campus Progress national conference in DC and was struck by what was said during a particular session on Hip Hop. As the front of the room filled with other conference participants, I could hear the buzz of individual conversations about the diversity in the room. The panel included Jeff Johnson (moderator), artist M-1, Billy Wimsatt and Angela Woodson. I've admired these Progressive leaders for years and waited with anticipation for the session ahead.

Hey YP4,

For the hip-hop activists, fans, and groupies (jk): there are two major hip hop events going on this summer. I found out a few days ago so I'm just spreading the word.

1. National Hip Hop Political Convention 2008, Las Vegas, Nevada

http://www.nhhpc.org/convention.html

August 1-3

There was an abundance of conscious rap music to choose from the 1990s, so the scope had to be narrowed. To show the largest difference in the evolution of the music, I chose two songs - one from the early 1990s and another from the late 1990s. These selections reveal my bias toward music that meets three criteria. First, the songs must have dope beats - if the music doesn't get my attention, then it doesn't deserve analysis. Next, there must be some basic lyrical creativity. Double meanings, unusual rhymes, varied verbal rhythms all meet this standard. Finally, the lyrics must construct some larger message or meanings. Several interesting metaphors, similies, and syllabic rhymes are entertaining, but only in the most basic sense. The two songs studied here raised level of hip hop music in every way. Gangstarr's "Who's Gonna Take the Weight" (1990) and BlackStar's "Thieves in the Night" (199 are two of the greatest hip hop performances ever recorded (and also served as personal inspirations for me).