Today In Music: 2004 Outkast visits the Republican Nat’l Convention to get young people to vote
Six years ago, while preparing for the VMAs Outkast decided to pay the Republican National Convention a visit to help spark the young people to vote. They had arrived in New York to start recording their documentary when radio DJs in their hometown of Atlanta had hyped the visit up. Suddenly rumors were spreading that they were going to perform and would be supporting George Bush. Before you know it fans were calling the radio vowing to never buy another Outkast album because they were supporting Bush. They denied the claims of being Republican stating that it was a non-partisan documentary where daughters of both presidents were interviewed.
It appears that Andre 3000 had a major change of heart. In the 90s his lyrics were completely against voting:
Back in 1994, on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’s “Git Up, Git Out,” Dre rapped, “Y’all tellin’ me that I need to get out and vote, huh?/ Why? Ain’t nobody black runnin’ but crackers, so why I got to register?/ I’m thinkin’ of better sh– to do with my time.”
Even just a year prior Andre 3000 said he wasn’t into voting. So how does one suddenly change their mind and expect people to actually believe them? Well we all saw the Hey Ya video with the screaming girls in it. I’m pretty sure they would do anything he asked them to do from voting to… well you can imagine the rest. The producer of Good Times, Norman Lear called him asking if he would host the documentary, At the time Andre was 28 and had never voted. Though he felt he would do it no justice he was told he was exactly the person they were looking for. After interviewing people who had been sprayed and shot at fighting for the right to vote he had a few words for other entertainers on the subject:
“I challenge anybody that’s a hip-hop artist who’s on the record talking about what’s going on in the street and the community: If you haven’t voted, you have no right to complain at all. It’s crazy ’cause I’ve [talked] in some of my rhymes about not voting and the importance of not voting. I have to retract those statements. I’m man enough to do it. I was younger, going through my rebel stage — I still have some of that in my blood — but you gotta be smart about it.”
His name may be Andre 3000 but he may have to be called Andre 180 for a moment as MTV News put it. He has always been the airheaded one in the Outkast group but he certainly woke up and decided to make a change for the better, using his influence to help our youth. So remember when 2012 comes around to get out there, vote and make a change!
Check out his interview with MTV here.
P.S. It looks like Andre has a sizeable weapon in both pics to help convince his lady fans to go out and vote. 
Wyclef Jean Was Not Listed As A Presidential Candidate
The list of presidential candidates fot Haiti were released yesterday.
While many people were listed,somehow Wyclef’s name was nowhere to be found.
Wyclef has been running for President of Haiti for the past few weeks now, i’ts only fair that they could have at least put his name on the paper.
Glam Shots: Michelle & Sasha Obama Visit Spain !
Michelle and Sasha Obama are on vacation in Spain.
Here they are photoed with the King (Juan Carlos), the Queen (Sofia), and Princess (Letizia). Take a look below:
all pics via: theybf.com
Aretha Franklin & Condi Rice Collabo
Yes, you read that right, the Queen of Soul & former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice performed together for a great cause.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Aretha Franklin called on Condoleezza to play piano alongside her during her performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra-in Philadelphia of course. The concert was a gala benefit to raise money for the Mann Center (summer home for the Philadelphia Orchestra) & arts education.
Matt Rourke-AP
Many people may not know this, but Condi has always had a passion for music, and has been a pianist since a young child. She has played with the Denver Symphony, as well as, with the Chamber Music Group [Washington]. She has played for the likes of; Yo-Yo Ma, Queen Elizabeth II, and even embassy events! According to Wiki, her favorite band is Led Zepplin–WOW!!!
Matt Rourke-AP
Aretha Franklin needs no background information, we know she is the QUEEN, and we also know she tore down the house at that benefit gala-which may I add was able to raise over $500,000!!! R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Also featured on stage with Ms. Franklin was another R&B/Soul legend, Ron Isley.
Jeff Fusco-Getty Images
For the audience of about 8,000, the “classics” of the evening were Franklin’s own, from “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” and “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman,” through a foray into what Franklin calls “chu’ch.” Isley and Franklin also did a duet of “The Way We Were,” including asides about their shared musical past in the 1960s.-The Washington Post
Cover Page Photo Credit: Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post Read More
LAURYN HILL IS BACK WITH A NEW KILLER TRACK! “REPERCUSSIONS”
Wow picture getting beat down by cops for rapping!
Ms. Patti…What Are You Wearing???
I love me some Patti LaBelle, but I really hate when she over does it with the drag queen makeup & accessories (like the giant flower & fan). She is still a DIVA & I have much respect for her. In the above photo, she is seen attending Saturday’s 2010 Life Ball Gala in Vienna, Austria.
Patti, along with other notable celebs (Dita Von Teese & Whoopi Goldberg) and even politicians (Bill Clinton) showed up to support the Life Ball-which is one of the largest AIDs charity events worldwide!
Take a Look at Patti at the 2010 BET Awards with her drag makeup (once again) & then another photo of her with a much more fierce makeup application.
Check out this video of what we missed at the 2010 Life Ball-What Patti had on was NOTHING compared to some of these other characters your about to see! Warning, some clips of the video may not be suitable for work!
For More information on Life Ball Click Here
How Does Teonny Feel About the NoH8 Campaign?
So iReceived this question asking how do iFeel about the No H8 campaign. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it’s a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with “NOH8″ painted on one cheek in protest. While there are many normal people who represent and don’t represent the LGBT community, there are also celebrities who are doing the same. iAm proud that people are taking a stand against this. Gay people have been discriminated against for so long, and it saddens me that the Constitution says that every man is created equal. It’s not true because if it was the protest wouldn’t be going on today in the 1st place. I’m glad that many celebrities (who are mostly straight) are defending this and are among the biggest supporters. Together we can take a stand. iJust wish that every1 could have an open mind and see things from the LGBT communities point of view. We didn’t choose this, it was simply the card we were dealt. At first iWas iDidn’t except myself and iWanted there to be a cure so bad. But iLearned that this is who iAm and iLove me. Yes it’s a hard road to travel, and yes people will never completely understand but hopefully they will try to. Check out the new PSA, a few pics below the website at www.noh8campaign.com.
dawn of dirty money
the kardashian sisters
steve-o
