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Shallow Nation

October 6th, 2008 at 8:50 am

Video & Photos: Jay-Z Last Chance for Change Rally in Miami ft. Wyclef 10-5-08

Jay-Z performs at Last Chance for Change Rally, Miami, Florida, October 5, 2008

Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z performed at the Last Chance for Change rally and concert in Miami Florida on October 5, 2008. The free concert at Bayfront Park Amphitheater, which featured rapper Wyclef Jean, was a part of a voter registration drive on behalf of the Barack Obama Presidential campaign.

Bobby Gravitz, Obama’s South Florida communications director said giving away tickets at campaign offices was a strategic move. “You cannot walk into one of our campaign offices without us figuring out whether you’re registered to vote,” he said. “And if you’re not registered, we get you registered.” Gravitz said the Obama campaigns registered hundreds, maybe thousands of South Florida voters yesterday.

By early afternoon, all the tickets to Sunday’s show were gone.

The Obama campaign has drawn on celebrity appeal before. Oprah Winfrey did events for Obama in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Dave Matthews did a free concert in Indiana in an effort to sign up new voters. “The campaign is always looking for opportunities to draw in unregistered voters and folks that haven’t been engaged,” Gravitz said.

Of course, a free Jay-Z concert is play towards a particular demographic. “Jay-Z is obviously a huge draw with younger voters and African American voters,” said Gravitz. “But we’re not expecting a single soul to vote for Barack Obama because Jay-Z tells them to. We expect them to vote for Barack Obama because they understand how he’s going to change this country.”

Source: The No Spend Zone - Free We Can Believe In

Today, October 6, is the deadline in most states for U.S. citizens over 18 to register and vote in the November 4 Presidential election. Visit Rock the Vote to fill out an online registration form to print and mail today. It is a very quick and easy process.

Photo credit: WireImage