Hip-Hop Is Not Feeling The Government Shutdown
Although hip-hop was portrayed in a comical light a fews day ago on Saturday Night Live, now that many of hip-hop's leaders have spoke out on the matter, it does not appear that the rap game is finding the situation funny at all. Diddy, Nelly, Papoose and other hip-hop heads have all spoken out on the shutdown deeming it unfair, selfish, and a target against Obama.
However, now in day 10, it seems as though both government parties are starting to feel the effects of their irrational disagreement and its looking like the shutdown may soon come to a close. Many republicans are starting to also voice their opinions on the matter, surprisingly in support of Obama Care.
Check out hip-hop's response to the government's shutdown.
Nelly who has had the most favorable reaction to the shutdown, believes that US citizens should get a break on taxes. With reasoning that taxes are collected in order for the government to run cohesively, and at the moment the government is not running, the rapper has a pretty solid point as to why taxes should get a temporary axe also.
“I’m trying to campaign that since the government is not working, we shouldn’t have to pay taxes,” said Nelly in an interview with vh1. “Paying taxes is supposed to pay for the government, which in turn is not working. So if they’re not working, I shouldn’t have to pay taxes.”
Watch the clip above.
Diddy who has long been vocal about his stance in the happenings of the government, also spoke out on the now 10 day long cessation, calling it a personal attack against our country's president.
“I think that it’s a shame, because it’s really a personal thing,” Combs told theGrio. It’s clearly a personal attack on the president,” he continued. “I think that we live in a place where everybody should get health care. Those guys are still getting paid. It’s not affecting them. I think that it’s unfair,” the mogul continued regarding the members of Congress causing the government halt.
“Everybody deserves health care,” Diddy told theGrio. “You may not feel that way until you get affected by it. I’ve had two family members have cancer. I’ve had to be there to help them, and they’ve had to ask me for help. They’ve had to ask me for help, and tell me they had cancer at the same time. It’s just a little bit too much, you know? If you’re sick, you want to be taken care of. We live in America. I think that the Republicans and Democrats should get along and put the people before themselves.”
Jim Jones who took a more comical approach to the matter, mocked the government in return for recently targeting him. Just freed from an arrest for allegedly driving drunk, TMZ cameras caught up with Jim Jones as he exited the Bronx Criminal Court where he taunted officials in regards to the shutdown.
"You gotta ask the government. Oh, they shut down? [Laughs]“, responded Jim when asked why he declined a breathalyzer test after he was arrested on October 2.
Immortal Technique who had a more aggressive response to the government's current situation, spoke of how the shutdown is unfair because free health care is a necessity. Also voicing that citizens should have more of a say in the matter, the rapper appeared somewhat upset about the back and forth between politicians.
“When I think about what the issue is with ObamaCare, I’ve always been upset at the fact that we never got a public option,” said Immortal Technique in a recent interview. “That we never got the ability to say, ‘You know what? We need to have free healthcare in this country for everybody. If we’re the best country in the world then shouldn’t everybody be able to get the exact same or better treatment?' I remember I sprained my ankle in Denmark of all places. And I walked into the hospital there. And they didn’t ask me for 12 million pieces of ID. They saw my ankle, they x-rayed it. Then I saw a second doctor…This is the Communist medicine we’re talking about? No, insurance companies are bribing people in Congress to sit here and talk about what a bad idea it would be for everyone to have the same sort of medical coverage that they have.”
Russell Simmons penned a personal letter about the shutdown, like many others, pretty bothered by the situation. Proclaiming that many US families will be hurt by "the inaction of a few politicians", the hip-hop mogul was too in favor of Obama Care.
"For the first time in seventeen years, the United States government has shut down. Hundreds of thousands of families across this nation will be hurt by the inaction of a few politicians who have successfully hijacked their own party. The Tea Party Republicans, led by Senator Ted Cruz, were able to close the doors of Congress, over their disagreement with the Affordable Care Act; a law that will provide healthcare for millions of Americans who have been living their lives in fear of getting sick. When the history books are written, this law will prove to be a turning point that pointed our nation towards a more compassionate America, a country that no longer only took care of the privileged, but rather took care of all of its people. Republican or Democrat, if you’re American, you should want to take care of your brother and your sister.
It has been painstakingly obvious that there are some members of Congress that are severely threatened by President Obama’s success. No matter what he does, they don’t like it. They are not working for the betterment of the people, they are working for the betterment of themselves, and often times, the betterment of their puppet master’s wallet."
Papoose was also seemingly pissed about the matter, saying that the republicans were simply hating on Obama. Also adding that he believes the shutdown is all about money, the NY spitter continued that free health insurance will gravely effect our economy in a positive way.
“It’s just a small group of Republicans that’s hating on Obamacare,” Papoose said to HipHop DX. “There’s a lot of people who are upset, but they don’t take the time to analyze the basics of the problem. It’s all about money. It’s some ridiculous amount of people with no insurance—45 to 50 million people with no insurance. I just feel like Obamacare is providing affordable insurance for poor people. They don’t like that because these insurance companies are all about making money. They’re not thinking about the health of people and longevity and preserving life. It’s just a small group of people that’s hating on Obamacare. That’s the situation. That’s the basics of this whole situation and they’re just being selfish and they want to shutdown. That’s definitely what it is.”
When I say effective,” he continues, “I mean that the people that are going to suffer, it’s not going to be them. Congress is still going to get paid. Unemployment is going to be effected. Social Security is going to be effected. There’s things of that nature that’s definitely going to see the downside of the situation. I just think that people don’t really know what we say is imminent. They think it’s a game. But in two weeks, it’s going to be an effective shutdown if something don’t drastically change. I just think it’s fucked up that they’re making a decision that’s only going to affect certain people.”
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