The event at the vice president's residence was attended by Common, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante, Lil' Wayne, Fat Joe, and Jeezy, among other musicians.
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As Q-Tip's "Vivrant Thing" took guests back to the 1990s at an event at the Naval Observatory, Vice President Kamala Harris was right there with them, dancing to the classic song.
The lyrics flowed: "Imprinted on my mind every minute / Make my plans and you always in it / It's such a vivrant thing / Vivrant thing, a vivrant thing / And even though we both fly / Give each other space and not the evil eye."
Harris on Saturday hosted an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop on the grounds of the vice president's residence in Washington, DC, which was attended by Common, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante, Lil' Wayne, Fat Joe, and Jeezy, among others.
In honoring the unique and ever-evolving genre, Harris paid homage to its outsized influence on American culture.
—Pop Base (@PopBase) September 9, 2023
"Hip-hop is the ultimate American art form," Harris said in her remarks, per a pool report. "It tells the stories that don't make the news. But as the great Chuck D once said, rap is Black America's CNN. And by telling the truth, hip-hop calls us to action."
High-profile politicians at the event included Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, and Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri.
Harris partnered with the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective and Live Nation Urban for the event.
The vice president, by far the most prominent anchor in the Biden administration's political outreach to Black voters ahead of the 2024 presidential campaign, is also a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
"Every day, Vice President Harris is fighting for the people," Harvey Mason, Jr., chief executive of The Recording Academy, said at the event. "She's fighting for our people. Our vice president was rooted in hip-hop, and it's essential to who she is."
