Vote or Die

Diddy weighs in on Obama's win:

I've got some severely conflicted feelings about this. On the one hand, there's no arguing with the thoughts and sentiments expressed here, and I don't doubt that Diddy means what he says in this video. But on the other hand, I've got a somewhat jaded response because, as far as I know, Diddy hasn't put a dime into this election cycle.

Diddy dropped a ton of money on getting out the youth vote in the last election cycle. Primarily a media campaign, "Vote or Die" hijacked the youth message in the media and it disappeared the day after the election, leaving nothing behind - not local chapters, not organizers, and not even a list for other organizations to build upon. For whatever good it did (and that is highly debatable), at the end of the day Vote or Die represents a huge waste of time and energy that built little of lasting import for the constituencies it tried to empower.

This truly is an historic election and he could play a huge part in it. A lot of groups are picking up the ball that Diddy himself dropped. The Hip Hop Caucus, The League, The National Hip Hop Political Convention - all are working to make sure young people of color are engaged this year. If Diddy is serious, he should be helping these groups and helping Obama make the most of this historic opportunity. If he means what he says, it's time to step into the ring.