As a seasoned political strategist and a former collaborator with Rock The Vote, I can confidently say that the Lil Jon moment at the DNC Convention was nothing short of electrifying! It was truly a full-circle experience, bringing together old friends and creating new connections that ignited a spark in people who may not have been traditionally engaged in politics.
At the Democratic National Convention, Lil Jon’s brief yet energizing performance, representing Georgia during a musical tally, might have appeared as an unexpected joy to some spectators. In reality, it was the culmination of a meme that had gone viral weeks earlier linking the rapper to vice presidential candidate Tim Walz… and also the conclusion of a decade-long push for voter registration by Lil Jon.
The idea for unexpectedly featuring a renowned hip-hop artist at the DNC was conceived by Ashley Spillane, a political operative, and Tamar Juda, Lil Jon’s longtime publicist. They proposed this concept to both the White House and the Kamala Harris campaign, aiming to leverage the ongoing meme during the convention. The campaign leaders suggested integrating Lil Jon into a state-by-state musical roll call, making him the only live performer among songs selected by DJ Cassidy. The performance turned out to be more successful than they had anticipated.
The meme in question kicked off when social media users like TikTokkers and others reworded the lyrics of Lil Jon’s “Get Low” from “to the window, to the wall” to “to the window, to the Walz,” following Harris’ choice of Walz as her VP running mate. Spillane and Juda, who had previously collaborated on a Rock the Vote campaign over a decade ago (involving a transformation of Lil Jon’s popular hit “Turn Down for What” into “Turn Out for What”), decided to develop this viral trend into something that could motivate voters… as well as the delegates themselves. They shared the story of how it all came together with EbMaster over the phone.
Where does this start, chronologically?
Ashley Spillane explained that she, Tamar, and Jon had collaborated on a Rock the Vote project back in 2014. As political and hip-hop enthusiasts, they kept an eye out for significant cultural events. Amidst the excitement over the new vice presidential candidate, people were creating humorous memes such as “from the window to the Walz.” Immediately, they began exchanging these memes with each other online. The social media buzz surrounding this topic grew rapidly, prompting them to connect and brainstorm ideas in real-time. Ashley asked Tamar if Jon would be interested in joining their project, and she agreed to contact the campaign for approval. They reached out to the team simultaneously.
Initially, I reached out to Colleen Loper at the White House, who then introduced me to Carla Frank, currently a member of the Walz team, having previously served as the campaign’s director for surrogate engagement. Upon receiving my message, she responded promptly and expressed enthusiasm, stating something along the lines of, “This sounds fantastic! Let’s make it a reality.”
Tamar Juda: Upon returning to Jon, I asked, “What if the DNC and the White House wanted to collaborate with you, considering your ‘windows to the Walz’ moment is trending now, would you be up for it?” He responded enthusiastically, “Definitely! Let’s brainstorm something impactful and enjoyable for everyone.”
Spillane: We were fully committed, and with Tamar, Carla joining the campaign, I took charge and strategized to make it a reality.
In this remarkable instant, I feel immense pride as a woman, joining forces with countless others to support Kamala’s campaign. We’re all acutely aware of the issues at stake, and coming together to make a difference is truly an honor. Ashley, the women at the DNC, and those in the White House have been incredible partners on this journey. I know Jon takes great pride in seeing women taking the lead in this defining moment.
Spillane: Colleen Loper and Carla Frank were the ones who initially proposed the idea of the roll call, both at the White House and during the campaign. We then collaborated to develop its details. During a discussion with me and Tamar, we pondered over the idea of reviving “Turn Out for What?”. Carla Frank suggested adding “Get Low” to it as well, so it was essentially a group of women brainstorming and putting together this concept.
As a devoted cinephile, I was privileged to assist Jon in crafting an impactful phrase for his rendition of “Get Low.” Together we brainstormed a blend of phrases like “VP Harris” or “Governor Walz,” and after much deliberation, he settled on the perfect combination. He also emphasized the importance of incorporating the phrase “We’re not going back,” as it resonated deeply with him and is part of Kamala’s current messaging. As you can see in his live performance, he seamlessly integrated this powerful statement between “Turned Out for What?” and “Get Low.” If you watch the video, you’ll notice how effectively he wove the chant of “VP Harris, governor Walz” within “Get Low,” preceding it with “We’re not going back.”
To prepare the music, Jon pulled up “Turned Down for What?” first. I had him pull up the file from when he did it with Rock the Vote and it became “Turned Out for What?” He put that in there. He then transitioned into “Get Low” and put that into one file. He sent me the file and then I sent that file over to DJ Cassidy.
I opted to stay out of the rehearsal since the DNC had announced that journalists and press would be present. To preserve the secrecy, I arranged for Jon’s road manager to attend in his place. He went through the motions, handling the physical aspects and blocking, all under the watchful eye of the camera – all while I remained behind the scenes.
In 2014, I served as the president of Rock the Vote, and we worked together on a midterm anthem for that year. The song “Turn Down for What” was extremely popular at the time, being the hit of the year. Inspired by this, we at Rock The Vote thought, “What if he recorded this anthem as ‘Turn Out for What’ and made it about the election?” Luckily, he was a fantastic collaborator who was eager to help increase voter turnout.
As a moviegoer, I found the concept of revising the Rock the Vote campaign to “Turn Out for What?” particularly intriguing. This shift in perspective encourages people to vote based on whatever issue resonates with them most, making them more inclined to cast their ballot. I was captivated by how effortlessly this idea tied everything together.>
When he performed “Turn Out for What?” at the convention, it felt like completing a full cycle of 10 years. I knew this political group would go wild, and we all hoped it would be an amazing part of the night. But we’re ecstatic that it turned out to be one of the most viral moments of the entire week!
I worked for Governor Walz back in 2010, but now I run a social impact consulting firm that collaborates with philanthropists, celebrities, and corporations to boost civic participation. Incidentally, this project was masterminded by a group of women who have been friends for decades. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience, and it felt like coming full circle. This is one of those moments that truly matter. Interestingly, my phone started buzzing with messages from people outside the political sphere, expressing their interest in politics – something quite rare for me. It’s thrilling when such connections are made because you know you’re resonating with your target audience, the very people we aim to inspire and engage.
Juda: This significantly elevated the anticipated standard for future roll calls, and Lil Jon’s team is deeply appreciative to the DNC for allowing him to deliver on this occasion and create an exceptional moment, not just for them but also for hip-hop. We are genuinely thankful that they entrusted this responsibility to Jon. As a renowned figure from Atlanta, Georgia, it was undoubtedly one of the greatest honors of his life to be involved in this event and truly represent Georgia.
I’m thrilled to keep brainstorming ideas with Tamar, and I’m confident that we’ll discover some enjoyable activities to share. You can count on it!
Some of the examples of the “to the Walz” viral meme that inspired the convention appearance:
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2024-08-23 02:17