Jeezy, Common, Chika, and more discuss the entwined histories of rap and politics in the new trailer for Hip-Hop and the White House, an upcoming documentary premiering April 22 on Hulu.
Directed by Jesse Washington, the film will examine the fascinating, frequently contentious relationship between hip-hop and the presidency. The trailer hits several major beats of this story, starting with the rise of crack cocaine and over-policing during the Reagan era and the responses of artists like N.W.A. and Tupac. “Reagan’s the father of crack cocaine as far as we’re concern,” quips KRS-One, before Rep. Maxine Waters notes the significance of N.W.A. having “the courage to say ‘F the police,’” because it was was “new, different.”
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Elsewhere in the clip, there are discussions about Barack Obama’s embrace of hip-hop, and the understated significance of seeing the president brush a little dirt off his shoulders. And, of course, there are nods to Kanye West’s various collisions with the presidency, from his famous “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people comment” after Hurricane Katrina, to his infamous appearance in the Oval Office alongside Donald Trump just over a decade later.
Hip-Hop and the White House will feature interviews with an array of rap luminaries, including the aforementioned artists, as well as Roxanne Shante, Bun B, Curren$y, Grandmaster Caz, and Waka Flocka Flame. It’ll also feature contributions from authors and academics like Farai Chideya, Dave “Davey D” Cook, and Bakari Kitwana, as well as politicians such as Waters and Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka.
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