Rap star Nas greeted some 900 people at Hampton University's Convocation Center on Sunday as part of a rally and registration event hosted by the Barack Obama campaign. The rapper is a sometimes controversial figure but is nonetheless considered one of hip-hop's most respected and politically minded figures.
Not that that means he's always been interested in politics, mind you.
"I have never voted before," the rapper said before addressing the crowd. He is 35 years old. The son of a jazz musician, Nas grew up in the housing projects of Queens, N.Y., and his opinions reflect the approach that rappers have historically taken toward voting and politics, which is to say none.
"I've never seen a reason to vote. I would speak out against voting. If you'd seen what happened in my community, it's a shame. People in jail, guns, drugs ... I always felt like there were thing happenings in my community that would have never been allowed to happen in other communities. There was no help. But now, it's a new day."
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/hiphop-icon-nas-stumps-obama-hampton-university
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