New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, entertainment icon, entrepreneur, and social activist
Snoop Dogg has teamed up with two voting advocacy groups, Rock The Vote and 1 VoteCloser, as well as social justice initiative OneOpp to launch an online voter registration drive called #VoteWithSnoop that will run from now through the election on November 3. Legendary artist Shepard Fairey (Obama "Hope," Obey the Giant) created a series of
Snoop Dogg posters that will be displayed in cities around the country.
"This is gonna be the first election I am voting in. How the system is set up, I honestly didn't know that I was allowed to vote based on my past history. My record has been expunged so I'm gonna be out there this election. I have to get involved," said Snoop Dogg. "As I'm looking around at what is happening in the world right now, I know that we need to make an immediate change and we can't sit back idle, which is why, along with OneOpp, I've partnered with Rock The Vote and 1VoteCloser. I'm gonna use my voice and Influence to let people know that the only option is to get out and vote."
Says Rock The Vote founder Jeff Ayeroff, "30 years ago when we started Rock the Vote, no one spoke of the youth vote, except to say that young people did not vote. What began as a response to the censorship of hip hop artists grew into a radical mobilization of young people as a political force. Today, we are thrilled to have
Snoop Dogg -- himself a subject of artistic censorship early in his career -- join the list of iconic artists with whom we've worked to turn engagement into action and get the youth to the polls. Snoop is an artist whose work has pushed boundaries; an entrepreneur whose imagination knows no limits; and a social activist who, along with OneOpp, is focused on getting out the vote.
#VoteWithSnoop is being launched in tandem with Rock The Vote's 30th Anniversary. In 1990, Jeff Ayeroff founded Rock the Vote in response to the censorship of hip-hop and rap artists. Their first partnership, with MTV, promoted the message that "Censorship is Un- American" and activated millions of young people across the country to exercise their rights and represent their interests.
"Snoop Dogg is correcting the record on voting by spreading the message that voting is a powerful tool to create the change we want to see, despite the negative messages and lies we've been told," said Rock the Vote President Carolyn DeWitt. "It's inspiring to be a witness to Snoop Dogg's leadership to use his platform to help others learn about their rights, empower them to vote and create change in our communities."
#VoteWithSnoop is also partnering with 1 VoteCloser. Founded by
Frances Berman, 1 VoteCloser is a non-biased, non-partisan organization who provide information on issues shaping our election, allowing voters to make intelligent, informed decisions about voting in local, state, and national elections. Click HERE to learn more.
Says 1VoteCloser founder
Frances Berman, "1VoteCloser is honored to partner with Snoop Dogg, a founding father of hip hop, to further our mission of educating voters about the issues and encouraging every eligible voter to VOTE. Thank you, Snoop and OneOpp, for shining a spotlight on VOTING RIGHTS."
