The Day Jay-Z Makes Laws

A republican who goes by Alan B. Wiliams decided to use lines from Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” recently. Something of a rapture has happened in Hip-Hop: no one can deny that any reference to an emcee’s lyrics (to inform policy) means that the realities of disadvantaged America are being represented. More importantly, the decision to include Hip-Hop lyrics in the discussion symbolizes the relevance and responsibility of the emcee.

Despite the tragic misrepresentation of such an important lyric, by Rep. Williams, the point is that Hip-Hop speaks in a political space. Even paying no mind the aimless playfulness of Williams’ opponent, Speaker Dean Cannon, Hip-Hop’s scope extends beyond racial and economic limitations. Any aspiring emcees should be challenged to make music that is relevant to the discussions of capital hill. It is important to infiltrate the space of policy, as it is another way to expend power.