As the United States’ election inches closer, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris are pulling out all the stops. Biden and the Ultimate Rap League unveiled the first-ever battle rap campaign ad in an effort to encourage people to vote, specifically African American men.
In a statement, Director of Strategic Communications for Biden for President Kamau Marshall explained their intention behind the ad. “Our collaboration with the Ultimate Rap League is an example of how our campaign is taking innovative approaches to engage the diverse communities across the United States,” Marshall said. “These artists are influencers within their respective communities, and we’re thrilled to showcase their artistry while delivering a key message to voters about how a Biden-Harris administration would advance Black America.”
The roughly four-minute spot begins with veteran battle rappers Charlie Clips and DNA standing on a basketball court in Washington D.C. debating important socio-political issues in battle rap form. DNA plays the role of a friend educating Clips on the importance of voting, while Clips plays the more skeptical potential voter with lines such as “So, when you tell me to go and vote, go and vote/Well, the reason why it’s such a hard one/’Cause how we expect our people to get jobs and the president can’t even get the job done.”
Watch the full Video Advertisement below.