VIA [DetNews]
DETROIT — It didn’t take long for Jay-Z to bring his own brand of politics to his free, Obama for America-sponsored “Operation Registration” concert at Cobo Arena Saturday night.
“This is the most important election in your lifetime,” the superstar rapper told the crowd of around 10,000, two songs into his kinetic 75-minute set. “Now, I’m really not a politician, I’m not running for president. What I say tonight cannot be held against Barack Obama. I’m just a free citizen exercising his free speech. I’m not here to tell you who to vote for. I’m voting for Barack Obama, but that’s just me.”
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He did variations on the speech throughout the night, but never shied away from his endorsement of Obama. During “Blue Magic,” a large video screen froze on an image of George W. Bush, which was met with a chorus of boos by the audience.
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Later, the crowd cheered when Obama’s likeness appeared on the screen, and Jay-Z said, “Are we ready? We ready for change, right?”
Jay-Z performed the same bit at his last Metro Detroit concert stop, in April at the Palace of Auburn Hills on his “Heart of the City” tour with Mary J. Blige.
The context, however, was much different this time around. In April — which was before Obama had won the Democratic nomination for President — Jay-Z left it at that and got back to playing his hits. But on Saturday he laid it on much thicker, encouraging people to register to vote and to then go home and get friends and neighbors to register as well.
Saturday’s concert was pegged to Monday’s Michigan voter registration deadline. Those who don’t register to vote by Monday will not be eligible to vote in November’s presidential election.
Jay-Z is one of several Obama-supporting artists performing shows tied to voter registration deadlines. Bruce Springsteen will perform several songs Monday during an Obama rally at Eastern Michigan University, and Jay-Z will play free shows in Florida today and Monday.
Brent Colburn, a spokesman with Obama’s Michigan campaign, said Saturday’s event was successful in registering thousands of voters, though he said specific figures were not available. He said around one in three people who received tickets to the concert registered to vote, as volunteers were armed with voter registration forms both at the ticket giveaways and in line at Saturday’s concert.
One of those who registered to vote at the event was Jorel Barham, 23, of Detroit. “It was the concert. I was inspired,” he said.
When asked if he would have showed up to see Jay-Z if the concert was sponsored by John McCain, he said he would have gone, “but it wouldn’t have swayed me to vote for McCain.”
McCain was not mentioned on stage at all during the Jay-Z concert.
Fans began lining up as early as 3:30 p.m. for Saturday’s show, and scalpers were selling tickets outside the venue for up to $50.
Upon entry, concertgoers were asked to sign their name, address, phone number and e-mail address on a sheet of paper and were also asked if they would consider volunteering for the Obama campaign. Similar efforts to register volunteers were made when tickets were handed out earlier in the week.
Enisha Brooks, 25, of Detroit, called the concert “a really good tool” to raise voter awareness. “Jay-Z and Barack Obama are two really big names in the African American community, and with them teaming up, it doesn’t get any bigger than that,” she said.
Eboni McClary, 31, of Canton, said she hoped people weren’t just coming out to see Jay-Z, but would show up at the polls in November, too. “I hope it’s enough incentive to get people to vote,” she said, “because otherwise, it would defeat the purpose.”
Jay-Z took the stage at 9:30 p.m., opening with “Say Hello” from his 2007 “American Gangster” CD, and quickly rolling into “U Don’t Know,” from 2001’s “The Blueprint.”
He bounced around his rich catalog during the 20-plus song set, including favorites such as “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” “Excuse Me Miss,” “Public Service Announcement” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulders.” With his New York Yankees cap resting firmly on his head and with oversized sunglasses covering his eyes, he was fired up but laid back, telling a fan who had thrown a CD on stage, “We’re not working tonight. I’m off tonight.”
Joined on stage by a nine-piece band who seemed mostly there for show, Jay-Z performed his verse from the recent posse cut “S.L.U. (Swagga Like Us),” “A Billi” — his take on Lil Wayne’s “A Milli,” on which he refers to himself as “the hood’s Barack” — and his new single “Jockin’ Jay-Z (Dope Boy Fresh),” from his soon-to-be-released “Blueprint 3″ album. He closed with “Encore.”
“I’m so proud to be an American tonight,” Jay said near the close of the show, telling the crowd this election was the first time he’d felt like a part of the political process, and that he now believes the cliche that people can grow up to be whatever they want. “It’s hard to say it’s much bigger than the presidency, but it is… the promise and the hope are bigger than anything, so everyone please go out and vote.”
Chants of “O-bam-a! O-bam-a!” broke out during the show, and Jay shouted out “O!” several times during lyrics where he normally says “Hov,” one of his nicknames.
“Remember, Oct. 6 is the deadline, Nov. 4 is the day we make history,” he said before exiting the stage at 10:45 p.m. “I’m not telling you what to do, I’m just telling you what I’m gonna do.”
The concert, which had been planned for about two weeks, wasn’t announced until Wednesday. Tickets were handed out at several Obama campaign offices throughout Metro Detroit, and were snapped up by fans within hours, with the final 500 tickets given out Saturday at voter registration rallies in Pontiac and Detroit.
You can reach Adam Graham at (313) 222-2284, or at agraham@detnews.com.
