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Separating Rap from Truth
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Detroit hip-hop heads look back on the ‘Hip-Hop Mayor’
The relationship between hip hop and politics can be just as polarizing as the music sometimes is. For artists like Public Enemy — with songs such as “Fight the Power,” which helped shed light on largely ignored problems in the black community — hip-hop and politics mixed like water and Kool-Aid. But when artists like Ludacris record controversial songs like “Politics as Usual” (which shows support for Obama by using profane language to sip on the senator’s opponents), those perfect bedfellows can suddenly repel each other like water and oil.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick saw both sides. When the Michigan Democratic House leader was elected mayor of Detroit in 2002, he was readily identified as, for all intents and purposes, a member of the hip-hop community. He was an African-American, a ripe 31 years old. He wore a stunning diamond stud earring and readily admitted to being a rap fan. He even used lyrics from rap songs when he was campaigning. Comedian Chris Rock was the one who originally dubbed Kilpatrick the “Hip Hop Mayor,” and many hip-hop heads were ecstatic about Kilpatrick’s impending term at that point in time.
“It was so nice to see someone younger in office,” says Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier, a Detroit DJ. “So I was hoping his term would offer a fresh perspective on things in this city.”
Detroit rapper Tasherre D’Enajetic was working as a parking valet at a local hotel when Kilpatrick came by one day while working the campaign trail. D’Enajetic remembers waiting behind the car when the driver suddenly exited the car, leaving it in the middle of the driveway. The tall, stocky and always charismatic Kilpatrick then exited the car, got in the driver’s seat and parked the car himself. Kilpatrick handed Tasherre some cash, and the two pounded fists.
“You wouldn’t think a cat that was pretty much locked in to be mayor of Detroit would do a task of someone who’s on his payroll,” Tasherre reflects. “I’ve seen people in way lesser positions be arrogant about that kind of stuff. For me, though, that showed he was still one of us.”
But Kilpatrick unfortunately dropped the political torch that was handed to him and its flames soon engulfed the entire city. What started as allegedly using city funds for a new car, spa massages and extravagant dining evolved into rumored stripper parties at the city-owned Manoogian Mansion, whistle-blower lawsuits from police officers, and then perjury regarding his denial of an extramarital affair with chief of staff Christine Beaty. Kilpatrick was also accused of thuggish behavior earlier this year for allegedly assaulting a law officer.
Now, a jail-bound Kilpatrick has resigned from his seat as mayor — a condition of his guilty plea for obstruction of justice. He also surrendered his law license, agreed to five years of probation, and has sworn to not run for public office during that time. All told, Kilpatrick’s cases have cost the city of Detroit millions of dollars.
Kwame Kilpatrick’s demise sounds more like a superstar rap artist’s fall from grace than that of a mayor.
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