From the droves of people who filled streetcorners and churches to hear the voices of Malcolm and Martin, to the hundreds of thousands of people filling up arenas around the world to hear Eminem and T.I. rap; hip-hop and politics has always been sewn together as an enigmatical fabric. Created as an outlet for expression by youths involved in the woeful transactions of life on the street, hip-hop has transformed from a grassroots civilization promoting positive creativity into a cavalcade of empty material that attracts big conglomerate dollars. But the true essence of the movement seems to have been rejuvenated by the rise of President-elect Barack Obama. An intelligent, charismatic leader -- who lists Jay-Z and Ludacris as two of his favorite musicians -- Obama’s election gives MCs a plethora of topics to expand upon; no more limitations to the lucre-fueled wet dreams rotating on the radio. As we prepare for a historic inauguration, eight people who embody everything that is hip-hop discuss the parallels between their culture and politics.

Saul Williams (poet, writer, actor, MC): “I would say that Barack means the same thing to hip-hop that he does to America at large. We cannot afford another eight years of the same mess that has run commercial hip-hop, which has basically been held under the thumb of 'gangsta' republican rule where a few men have made their greed well known and projected a lack of ethical integrity, financial superiority, and labeling anyone who dares follow an ethical code of their own the street words for terrorist: 'snitch' or 'hater.' These so-called 'haters' may have simply raised the question 'When will you sing about something that uplifts or that doesn't glorify the drug trade (i.e. war)?' Barack affects that by now being the most visible living symbol of a hero for youth and the African-American community, whose most recent 'heroes' have been self-professed drug dealers who brag on 'time served' and using hip-hop to launder dirty money and 'college dropouts'.”

Lady Sovereign (Jay-Z protégé from the UK): "[Obama] has some sort of realness to him, doesn't approach things like everyone else does. He has a real charm, I know that's not a reason alone to vote someone for president, but he's a breath of fresh air. America needed a change, and he seems like he will actually achieve that."

Bun B (One half of the legendary hip-hop duo UGK): “By no means are the struggles of Black America over. With Barack Obama as the nation's first black president, Black America has the initiative and inspiration it needs to wipe out all the old excuses and get on the ball. Keep in mind, not everyone is happy about the election results; so we still have to be on guard for haters in the midst. The powers that be are not only elected officials, but the corporations who lobby them as well.”

David Banner (MC and founder of nonprofit Heal the Hood): “Barack is the beginning of the change. In order to globally change the perception of hip-hop, hip-hop artists will have to make a change themselves. Most of the times, the world only gets to see or hear the end result, but hardly ever gets the opportunity to see and understand what makes people act a certain way. Hopefully, with Barack's leadership, the world in general will have the opportunity to see the whole picture.”

Jake Paine (editor in chief of HipHopDX.com): Hip-hop is open to political discussion. Previously, 50 Cent defended George Bush at a time when his public approval rate was on a decline, let alone in the hip-hop community. Although 50 subsequently fielded a barrage of questions on his opinion, he remains a towering voice of rap music. Also, Scarface, a deeply respected veteran in hip-hop, accused John McCain of racism during the election, and was hardly championed for this subjective opinion. I think the more likely thing we'll see is rappers and MCs continue to criticize America when things are not being done in government. The way the last few months have gone, I doubt we'll see much criticism of the President. [If we do see criticism], the rapper better have enough status and merit in the claims to dodge the inevitably impending 'publicity stunt' cat-calls from the streets and fans."

K’NAAN (MC from Somalia who boarded the last commercial flight to ever leave his country): “Well, I think Obama's presidency has already changed the way people of color view themselves, which was never an issue of an absent natural capacity, but rather the constant political voiding to exercise those capacities. But for the rest of the world, the change comes in a different way, in that, those who have seen people of color under the context of North America's past, now have the opportunity to reexamine and redraw their most sturdy conclusions.”

Tabi Bonney (MC from Washington DC): “Politics is definitely the new hip-hop! Hip-hop is the voice of the people and the new generation, which is now able to vote. That being said, our music speaks on the issues, problems, and good things of our society. I think it is one of the purest forms of expression. Through our artistry you can document the times of history and what was on the mind of the people; everything from Reaganomics up to Obama.”

The Get ‘Em Mami’s (Super-femme MCs whose music was featured on the HBO series The Wire): “We'd have to say that Barack would have to be equivalent to Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and 2Pac mixed -- if he was an MC. He's already got his Beyonce, because Michelle is the hottest chick in the political game! He basically saved hip-hop. His campaign made the hip-hop community come together, and that's something no rapper could do.”

Photos: Tabi Bonney by Joshua Cogan; Saul Williams by Evan Cohen