Response: Troy Nkrumah on the National Hip Hop Political Convention

Last week I posted a provocative piece noting that the 2008 National Hip Hop Political Convention seemed to be getting bad reviews in private, and almost no reviews in public. I asked "what happened?" and threw in my own - and self-acknowledged ill-informed - guesses in an effort to spark a conversation. Troy Nkrumah, the organizer of the 2008 NHHPC responded in an email. Here's what he wrote. Published with permission:

Well at least you got your premise correct: the admitting that you have no idea what you are talking about.

I think where u went wrong in your analysis is in your numbers count.

The thousands that you count at the 2004 convention is the count of the folks who attended the free concerts in the park. Those were never members or voting delegates.

As one of the voting delegates and as the head of one of the largest delegations attending the 2004 convention (having brought out about 60 people from California), and as one of the organizers of the 2008 convention I feel I am in a better position to speak on the differences between the convention then yourself, who ever you are.

So let's see, not that this is in anyway a competition for participants in one years convention of another's but if the contexts are taken into account then maybe one can have a more clear understanding of the differences.
For instance:

• 2004 convention was working off a budget of over $350,000 much of which went into paying big name rap artists to participate (as entertainment) as well as national publicists.
• 2008 convention worked off of a $50k budget with no rap artists paid to put on any concerts.
• 2004 had an entire city govt supportive of it in Newark while 2008 had an entire city government opposed to the event.
• 2004 Newark as a geographical area is within 6hrs drive of about 20 major metropolitan centers where as 2008 Las Vegas is only within driving area of 3 larger metropolitan areas.
• 2004 the country was not in a recession and gas prices were at about $1.75 today we are at depression levels and gas is at a $4.00 level causing not only driving but also flying costs to be the highest in the country's history.

I can go on and on with the differences that effected the turn out of the two conventions. .. But it is not really relevant. The important point to note is that you misunderstand the actual numbers of participants as opposed to number of people who showed up for the entertainment side of things. We had 500 young people show up at a bboy battle that was part of the convention.. . So if you count the 3000 that showed up to see free concert with wyclef, busta rhymes and slick rick (and many more) in 2004 then also count the 500 that show up to support a dance event that was used as a youth alternative to violence in las vegas. Get the numbers right or do not use them. There were not 6000 or 1000 delegates at the 2004 convention. There was more like 400 max. I got the pictures and access to the delegate rolls.

And lastly, maybe the reason that no-one will give you the negative comments or feedback you seem to be so eagerly looking for is that because, even with the smaller turnout and the disorganization of workshops (which was partially a result of people partying at night and not showing up on time to the convention) maybe the quality of the discourse and trainings over shadowed the problems with the disorganization and lower turn out. Some seek quality over quantity.

Whatever the case is that you could not get a comment, maybe it would have helped if you just came onto this listserv and asked for a few well ground positions before you stated your not so well grounded position. Many of the folks on this listserv were present.

And for the record, the discourse on electoral politics was excellent in my opinion because it raised some much need dialogue that will not be heard at the corporate run DNC that you found to be more important to attend.

But hey that's just my opinion, I admit its probably somewhat biased but I await others less biased positions as well.