Winner Declared In Fuse TV Hip Hop President Contest

Contributed Anonymously:

A winner has been declared in the FUSE TV and the Manhattan Neighborhood
Network’s (MNN) HIP HOP PRESIDENT contest promoted on both stations. 12 MCs
competed from July to October during Fuse’s Daily Download show. Every week,
different hip-hop “candidates” performed for one minute on FUSE TV and MNN
channels on vital political issues while viewers voted to choose their
candidate.

During the live “election night” broadcast last Sunday, the two top candidates,
Jersey bred artist, Hasan Salaam and Pete Hype, of Brooklyn, competed in four
rounds and freestyled on issues dealing with U.S. Immigration, Healthcare, and
Gay Marriage.

Hasan Salaam was declared winner of the final battle.

However, in a stunning turn of events Salaam accepted the victory but refuses to
accept the title stating, “hip hop is not to be led by one individual since hip
hop is for the people.” During the taping of the program the producers of the
show asked Salaam if he wanted to drop out of the competition since his views
did not “fit with their program”. Throughout the competition Salaam made clear
in his lyrics that he did not plan to vote for either Bush or Kerry because he
believed “neither one has the people nor the world’s best interest in mind or
heart”.

Despite the win, Salaam turned down MNN producers requests and refused to record
Pro-Kerry public service announcements for the station encouraging young people
to vote. When asked why he entered the contest Salaam stated, “For the exposure,
I want my music heard, but I will not be accepting the title because no exposure
is worth sacrificing what I believe in. I am grateful to all the people who
supported and voted for me but I will not allow myself or hip hop to be
exploited for someone else’s agenda.”

His management contends the artist is looking ahead toward his independent debut
release “Paradise Lost” in late January 2005 and plans to go on a 12 city
college tour titled “Drop Beats not Bombs Tour”, with Movement in Motion, an
organization promoting artistic and individual freedom over politics.