“Hip-hop” and “Republican” might seem a mismatched pair.
But a Harlem-based Web site, “Hip-Hop Republican,” is dedicated to dispelling that assumption. In the vein of Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele’s “off the hook” party re-branding “to urban-surburban hip-hop settings,” the site aims to give New Yorkers a fresh perspective.
Hip-Hop Republican is an independent, conservative-leaning blog founded in 2004 by Richard Ivory. At first, with the motto “better government, not bigger government,” it focused on the foreign policy issues surrounding the war in Iraq.
Since then, it has expanded into an initiative targeted at the politically conscious “urban conservative,” though Ivory noted, “Conservatism and republicanism is not necessarily the same thing.”
“The problem is that the Democrats have moved to urban areas to campaign,” said Brandon Brice, a member of Community Board 9 and an administrator on the board, adding that the Republican Party “needs to show up in these areas in order to progress.”
In addition to political news and editorials, Hip-Hop Republican features music, movies, television, and food sections. It is also affiliated with the John Langston Forum, HHR Radio, HHR TV, and a number of social networking sites.
“We’re not trying to convert,” Brice said. “We’re trying to inform and educate on the issues on the platform of the GOP, be it in Harlem or in any urban city in America.”
“We have people all across the United States—Democrats, independents, and Republicans—contributing to our Web site,” he added, saying that the point of the blog “is to really get a voice out there, an independent voice, that accepts all forms of political affiliations. We try to cut through the politics and get directly to the issues, and present that to urban communities … in a way many folks can understand.”
An urban perspective is often associated with minority issues, which many articles focus on.
“There’s a belief that has not been challenged … that says that we [Republicans] shouldn’t focus on minorities because that would be ‘pandering,’” Ivory said. “I believe that this ideology is damaging to the party and, in fact, anti-Republican. Credible outreach [to minorities] is necessary, and it’s proven to be a viable model to win elections.”
When asked about the impact President Barack Obama has had on African-Americans and the traditional allegiance of African-Americans to the Democratic Party, Ivory said, “We’re trying to bridge the gap between the Republican Party [and African-Americans], but don’t like to attend Republican events and don’t like the imagery of the Republican Party. I’ve been to Republican party gatherings, and it oftentimes feels like a country club. Some people don’t feel too comfortable in an environment like that.”
Both he and Brice noted that a new generation of GOP leaders will make the party more relevant to urbanites.
“The new generation of Republicans will understand urban America,” Brice said.
“Republicans in the past tended to use a rural campaign in an urban environment, and that hasn’t necessarily been the best way of doing things,” Ivory added.
In particular, Brice emphasized the need for GOP candidates to address pressing issues like unemployment, which affect urban and rural areas.
“The GOP can’t begin to talk about values when people are losing their homes, don’t have access to affordable and quality health care, and unemployment is at a rapid high,” he said. “The party’s new message should not be just values, but priorities.”
And despite the devastating effects of the economic crisis, Brice saw a silver lining: “The recession made people more conscious. People are learning about policies that affect their lives every day, and the great thing is that it [Hip-Hop Republican] gives those who may not have a voice, a voice, and refreshes the GOP.”
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