H I P H O P M AT T E R S to use the word Nigga, Bitch, [and] Ho, as frequently as they say ‘What’s up?’ ” The letter berates Simmons for claiming to speak for the streets while socializing with the likes of Donald Trump and Martha Stewart and holding fundraisers for politicians like Hillary Clinton. Clemente asks Simmons, “How many fundraisers have you held for the numerous grassroots organizations?” The letter repre- sents a view that is widely held among hip-hop activists—that Sim- mons is out of touch with the movement’s grass roots and fails to appreciate, assist, or even acknowledge their eƒorts. In several media interviews he seems to equate access to big name rappers with access to hip hop’s pulse. Thus he can easily dismiss activists who in his words, “don’t know no rappers.” Though Clemente’s letter strikes a seemingly personal chord, it was consciously political and purposefully polemical. Deep down it reflects a growing anxiety within the movement about Simmons’s bid to control all things hip hop. Influencing how hip hop is pack- aged for global consumption is one thing. Influencing how it serves as a resource for political empowerment is another one. The concern about Simmons is a recognition that in a capitalist culture money equals power. Over the years Simmons has used his access to wealthy investors to establish a firm niche in hip hop’s widening commercial empire. Thus, Simmons’s vision of hip-hop politics will likely hold a seat at whatever political table or party the movement is invited to join. In an eƒort to outmaneuver the HSAN, Clemente and a group of young community activists organized the National Hip Hop Political Convention. The group convened hip hop’s first ever political con- vention five months before the 2004 presidential election. Reportedly more than two thousand delegates attended the aƒair. Like Simmons, the organizers realize that there is untapped political power in hip hop’s widening and maturing constituency. Unlike Simmons, the convention sought to gain its political prestige and influence from below, opting to be an organization comprised of the people rather than personalities. 158