Hip-Hop Political Convention:: Atlanta LOC

The National Hip Hop Political Convention (NHHPC) is a developing national organization operating in 20 states throughout the country working on issues facing the hiphop generation. Our keystone event is the bi annual National Hip Hop Political Convention, where delegates and local organizing committees from the Hip Hop Generation vote on, adopt and endorse a political agenda for the Hip Hop Generation. The purpose of the National Hip Hop Political Convention is to support the movement towards increased civic and political participation within the Hip Hop Generation by

1) Developing and promoting a community agenda for the Hip Hop Generation,

2) Supporting a national organizational infrastructure for the Hip Hop Generation

3) Supporting potential Hip Hop Generation civic leaders and candidates through education and training.

A brief history:

In the spring of 2003, a group of activists, artists, educators, entrepreneurs, journalists and civic leaders from the Hip Hop Generation began gathering to develop a plan to funnel the political and cultural power of the hip hop generation into mainstream political activities. Out of those meetings came the idea for the National Hip Hop Political Convention, a bi-annual event that would bring together delegates from all over the country to develop, endorse and vote on a political agenda for the Hip Hop Generation, and act as training ground to identify and support local, state and national leadership to implement that agenda.

The work of the NHHPC is grounded in the following: Grassroots Activism, Civic Education, Economic Self Determination, Voter Participation and Cultural Inspiration.

The founding members of the National Hip Hop Political Convention identified eight social issues that would serve as the foundation around which we would organize. Those social issues were;

1) Criminal Justice

2) Economic Justice

3) Educational Empowerment

4) Equality

5) Global Issues

6) Health, Environment and Welfare

7) Media Regulation and

8) Organizing the Organizers

In June of 2004, 6,000 people, including 600 delegates from 20 states, attended the first ever National Hip Hop Political Convention in Newark, New Jersey. The four day event was held from June 16 – 19 and consisted of trainings, workshops, concerts, town hall meetings, a film festival and the convening of a national assembly that put forth a 5 point agenda that listed the concerns, desires and political demands of the Hip Hop Generation.

The convention highlighted the important historical, cultural and political elements of hip hop culture while also generating an estimated $4 million dollars for the New Jersey/New York economy during over the 4 day convention period Many of the young leaders associated with the planning and hosting of the convention took on integral roles with national organizations in facilitating the tremendous upsurge in youth and young adult participation in the 2004 presidential elections, and they continue to drive the Hip Hop Generation’s steady evolution into engaged citizens with an active interest in addressing the issues affecting their communities.