Hip-Hop and politics are two things that are needed in the community and it was only a matter of time before both would intersect with each other. We have always known that there would be politicians who claim hip-hop but to actually see someone actually INVOLVED in the culture to enter into the arena of politics was eventual. Enter Dupre Kelly, who we know as DoItAll of Lords of The Underground. He is the first rapper, well, let's be more specific. The first hip-hop recording artist to be elected to a political office in the United States.
The Newark, NJ native has always represented his city on vinyl, on the microphone, and definitely on stage. DoItAll, ahem, Councilman Kelly is now repping the West Ward in his hometown. We must give a shout to Shyne who has also become a politician in his home country of Belize. The former Bad Boy rapper is the Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party.
But back to Councilman Kelly, amidst the battles he has had to endure in the rap arena, he has gone on to battle for his community. Initially, when Kelly decided to run for political office, he ran for a seat back in 2018 but lost to Councilman Eddie Osborne. Undeterred and still with eyes on the prize, Councilman Kelly beat Chigozie Onyema for the West Ward seat on the Newark city council. Hip-hop always wins and Kelly made sure he did that time! In winning his seat, Kelly became the first platinum-selling artist to hold a political office in the United States.
I can go on and on about what he has done but whatever he has been involved with in the past, we just have to be prepared to see where he goes in the future.
I got the chance to speak to the talented and educated man and he dropped some gems that anyone listening to can learn from. A year into office, he is still involved in making his community better.
You can check out his website at duprekelly.com, his Instagram, or his Facebook page.
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