Post by Adam B on Oct 17, 2007 6:56:29 GMT -5
Russell Simmons Endorses Dennis Kucinich, Calls Obama a "Mouse"
Submitted by Julie on May 8, 2007 - 9:37am.
Original article at: www.clevelandleader.com/node/1781
For hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, it's not choice between Hillary or Obama. A long-time Democratic supporter, Simmons is endorsing Cleveland's own Dennis Kucinich in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In an interview with journalist Adam Bernard, Simmons explained why he likes Kucinich:
"I like Dennis Kucinich, how bout that? If you were black you’d have to like him and if you were interested in preserving mother earth you would like him, and if you were interested in fighting poverty you would like him. If you were interested in practicing a different relationship with not only mother earth but all of the species on it, as a vegan, like him, you’d like him. If you’re interested in lifting the planet up and having a higher consciousness you’d like him. No one else knows about him, but I’m just making a point."
Simmons has expressed his disinterest in both of the Democratic party front-runners, even going so far as to calling Obama a "mouse" in an interview with the New York Times.
Deborah Solomon:What do you make of Barack Obama, who recently said that rap musicians should reform their lyrics?
Russell Simmons:What we need to reform is the conditions that create these lyrics. Obama needs to reform the conditions of poverty. I wish he really did raise his money on the Internet, like he said. I wish he really did raise his money independently.
Deborah Solomon: What are you saying? I think about one-fourth of his campaign contributions came from small donations made over the Internet, even though he collected more than any other Democratic candidate from Wall Street people.
Russell Simmons: So at the end of the day, he’s controlled, too. That’s my point. He’s a mouse, too, like everybody else.
By backing Kucinich, Simmons is not only expressing his desire for a change and a focus on making this country a better place to live, but he's also displaying the tension between Barack Obama and the hip-hop community.
Obama famously criticized the hip-hop community and suggests a change in lyrics. But as Simmons expressed, it's the conditions that give rise to the creation of the situations and lifestyles that inspire the lyrics that need to change.
He also added that President Bush is not “promoting a good relationship with the world” in any “meaningful way.”
Submitted by Julie on May 8, 2007 - 9:37am.
Original article at: www.clevelandleader.com/node/1781
For hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, it's not choice between Hillary or Obama. A long-time Democratic supporter, Simmons is endorsing Cleveland's own Dennis Kucinich in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In an interview with journalist Adam Bernard, Simmons explained why he likes Kucinich:
"I like Dennis Kucinich, how bout that? If you were black you’d have to like him and if you were interested in preserving mother earth you would like him, and if you were interested in fighting poverty you would like him. If you were interested in practicing a different relationship with not only mother earth but all of the species on it, as a vegan, like him, you’d like him. If you’re interested in lifting the planet up and having a higher consciousness you’d like him. No one else knows about him, but I’m just making a point."
Simmons has expressed his disinterest in both of the Democratic party front-runners, even going so far as to calling Obama a "mouse" in an interview with the New York Times.
Deborah Solomon:What do you make of Barack Obama, who recently said that rap musicians should reform their lyrics?
Russell Simmons:What we need to reform is the conditions that create these lyrics. Obama needs to reform the conditions of poverty. I wish he really did raise his money on the Internet, like he said. I wish he really did raise his money independently.
Deborah Solomon: What are you saying? I think about one-fourth of his campaign contributions came from small donations made over the Internet, even though he collected more than any other Democratic candidate from Wall Street people.
Russell Simmons: So at the end of the day, he’s controlled, too. That’s my point. He’s a mouse, too, like everybody else.
By backing Kucinich, Simmons is not only expressing his desire for a change and a focus on making this country a better place to live, but he's also displaying the tension between Barack Obama and the hip-hop community.
Obama famously criticized the hip-hop community and suggests a change in lyrics. But as Simmons expressed, it's the conditions that give rise to the creation of the situations and lifestyles that inspire the lyrics that need to change.
He also added that President Bush is not “promoting a good relationship with the world” in any “meaningful way.”