Jay-Z Campaigns Again, But Without Obama

Jay-Z Campaigns Again, But Without Obama

Jay-Z Campaigns Again, But Without Obama

One of Obama’s most famous fans reemerges for the midterms, but at a careful distance.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

 In a new public service announcement released on Tuesday, the popular rapper Jay-Z urges young Americans to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

"Our generation changed the world," proclaims Jay-Z, and he calls on young people to "fight for what’s right." The footage is from a June 2010 concert at Bonnaroo. Headcount, a nonpartisan organization that registers voters at concerts, produced the spot, which will run on CBS and cable channels. 

The ad does not mention Obama or the Democrats. Jay-Z’s politics are closely associated with Obama, however, since he did major campaign events and videos for Obama’s 2008 campaign. In addition, during inauguration weekend, Obama introduced Jay-Z when he performed at the campaign’s official staff party, while Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce, sang for the Obamas’ first inaugural dance.  

Obama has also been reaching out to generation hip hop recently. He did a concert rally last weekend with the rap group The Roots, recorded a youth town hall with MTV, and sat down with that famous interview for Rolling Stone. So far, however, Jay-Z is only helping from a distance.

Below is the new public service announcement, followed by a "Know Your Rights" video created by the 2008 Obama campaign starring Jay-Z.

Support independent journalism that does not fall in line

Even before February 28, the reasons for Donald Trump’s imploding approval rating were abundantly clear: untrammeled corruption and personal enrichment to the tune of billions of dollars during an affordability crisis, a foreign policy guided only by his own derelict sense of morality, and the deployment of a murderous campaign of occupation, detention, and deportation on American streets. 

Now an undeclared, unauthorized, unpopular, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran has spread like wildfire through the region and into Europe. A new “forever war”—with an ever-increasing likelihood of American troops on the ground—may very well be upon us.  

As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war. 

In these dark times, independent journalism is uniquely able to uncover the falsehoods that threaten our republic—and civilians around the world—and shine a bright light on the truth. 

The Nation’s experienced team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers understands the scale of what we’re up against and the urgency with which we have to act. That’s why we’re publishing critical reporting and analysis of the war on Iran, ICE violence at home, new forms of voter suppression emerging in the courts, and much more. 

But this journalism is possible only with your support.

This March, The Nation needs to raise $50,000 to ensure that we have the resources for reporting and analysis that sets the record straight and empowers people of conscience to organize. Will you donate today?

Ad Policy
x