Hip Hop City

If the Hip-Hop Generation goes to the polls today, it will have its own slate of candidates to vote for.

At some polling places around the city, in addition to Democratic sample ballots and fliers for vaious candidates, some voters were handed a small slip of paper called the "2005 Cincinnati Hip-Hop Voter's Guide," which included recommended candidates for Cincinnati mayor, council, Hamilton County Municipal Court and the Cincinnati school board, along with advice and commentary on seven state and city ballot issues.

There was no disclaimer at the bottom of the Hip-Hop ballot saying who had paid for the political ad. There is a fledging nationwide organization called the National Hip-Hop Political Convention, which, on its web site, says it was formed to "funnel the political and cultural power of the Hip-Hop Generation into mainstream political activities.''

The Hip-Hop ballot being distributed Tuesday recommended Mark Mallory for mayor and five candidates for city council - incumbent Charterite Christopher Smitherman, Democrat incumbent Laketa Cole, and independents Curtis Wells and Ishaq Nadir.

Incumbents William Mallory Jr. and Cheryl Grant were endorsed for municipal court judgeships, as were challengers Fanon Rucker and Ted Berry Jr. The Hip-Hop school board candidates are Eileen Cooper Reed and Catherine Ingram.

The Hip-Hop answers to state issues 1 through 5 is "yes,'' as it is for Cincinnati ballot issue 8, which would require council to vote on its own pay increases. But the Hip-Hop ballot lists a big "Hell No!!!!'' on Issue 9, which would roll back the city's share of the property tax.