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CNN Live Today

Interview With Reverend Run, Bradshaw

Aired October 07, 2003 - 11:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Professional wrestling is a rough and tumble world, not unlike the world of politics. In both cases you can get slammed. Now WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, is teaming with rap and hip hop stars to register 2 million young voters before election day on 2004.
Joseph Simmons, Reverend Run of Run DMC, joins us in New York. And pro wrestling star Bradshaw, who's helping head up "Smackdown Your Vote" is in Hartford, Connecticut. Gentlemen, good morning.

REVEREND RUN, RUN DMC: How you doing?

BRADSHAW, WRESTLER: Thank you for having us.

KAGAN: You know I got to say, when I came in this morning I did expect to talk politics. I did not expect to talk politics with you guys. But I guess that's the point of getting involved in this campaign. Reverend?

RUN: Yes, well, we're happy to be teaming up with WWE, because we're going to get 2 million more in 2004. And I believe that we're going to engage the youth because we have the youth here. So there's nobody better than having rap stars and wrestlers. They understand us.

KAGAN: Bradshaw, in your former life as a football player and as a wrestler, were you thinking politics as a young person?

BRADSHAW: I always had a keen interest in politic, of things that surrounded me. My father served in the military and always was very active, always voted. So it was normal for me. That's what we're trying to do with the Hip Hop Summit.

You know, you got a guy like Reverend Run, who sold a jillion record, young people listen to him. Young people look at guys like the Undertaker. What we want to have these guys, have all of our guys tell young people, it's not only the best thing to do, to vote, but it's the right thing to do.

And we want to empower youth. They don't have a voice. And since they don't vote, they're not going get a voice. This is the future of America. And that's what we're trying is tell these young people, take charge of your own future.

KAGAN: Well I guess the point is they actually do have a voice, but they don't use it. And, Reverend Run, it's shocking how many young people do not get to the ballot box on election day. RUN: They need to realize that their vote is just as important as Bill Gates' vote. It's not less power in our vote than his. And you know Maybe we wouldn't be at war now, or war before if we would have went out and voted. You know maybe we would have had somebody else in office.

KAGAN: What you guys make out of what is happening in California today?

RUN: I'm excited. I'm on Arnold's team.

KAGAN: You are?

RUN: Yes. I love Arnold.

KAGAN: And, Bradshaw, what do you make out of the California recall?

BRADSHAW: I am as well. You see what happens when people get a keen interest in what is going on in politics. You're going to have a huge voter turnout today. they should have had that years ago and they wouldn't have this problem. It turns out now that most California voters believe the leadership is inept and they've got to change.

But the problem is they should have shown that awareness several years ago and come out to vote. What we're trying to tell people is when you have issues the time to correct them is not after they've already happened. You know we're talking about the privatization of Social Security. We're trying to tell young people, this is for you.

My father is 71-years-old and mainly lives off a fixed income. He's the type of person that votes for these things. What we're trying to tell young people is these new bills, this legislation that's coming out affects you and it affects your life in the future. Take charge now so you don't have a problem like you had in California, where after the fact you have to go back and recall something because public sentiment is so very much against it.

KAGAN: Well, good for both of you for putting in the time and trying to get the young people politically involved. A couple personal questions I have for you.

Reverend Run, we're coming up almost on a year since your partner Jam Master Jay was murdered. Still no arrests in this case. Any feelings as we're coming up on that very sad day?

RUN: You know, I kind of leave it in God's hands. Being a man of the cloth, I believe that Jay has done what he was supposed to do here on Earth and he's passed the test. He's out of the classroom. We had a record that said, "End like all fairy tales end. You'll see Jay again, my friend."

I believe it's in God's hands so I can't worry about it. I just know I got something else I got to do and that's to be helpful in this world. KAGAN: Well you've both been very productive. And what's it like to work with the other? I mean a rapper and wrestler?

RUN: Oh it goes hand in hand. You should go to www.hsan.org to begin your registration procession, www.hsan.org. That's where you need to go to begin your process for registering to vote.

BRADSHAW: Hey, this is one of the greatest tag teams of all time. You got the greatest name in hip hop history. You got the father of rap music. And you got the greatest name, the WWE in sports entertainment.

We've merged together for a common cause. We feel socially conscionable about what we need to do for America. We talked to people that is exactly the demo that is not being heard, 18 to 30- year-olds. And we want to make a difference. And this merger makes perfect sense. We both feel very strongly about America. And we both reached the people that aren't being heard because they don't vote.

RUN: We're tag team partners. We're gonna put the smack down.

KAGAN: Which is a scarier thought: Reverend Run in the wrestling ring or Bradshaw trying to rap?

RUN: I think they both scary.

(LAUGHTER)

BRADSHAW: I can't barely read a rhyming book, much less rap. I'll just listen to him. I promise you.

RUN: I got to get in better shape for that.

KAGAN: Stick to your specialties and come together on the politics. Appreciate it. Thank you, good luck.

RUN: God bless.

KAGAN: Appreciate that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired October 7, 2003 - 11:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Professional wrestling is a rough and tumble world, not unlike the world of politics. In both cases you can get slammed. Now WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment, is teaming with rap and hip hop stars to register 2 million young voters before election day on 2004.
Joseph Simmons, Reverend Run of Run DMC, joins us in New York. And pro wrestling star Bradshaw, who's helping head up "Smackdown Your Vote" is in Hartford, Connecticut. Gentlemen, good morning.

REVEREND RUN, RUN DMC: How you doing?

BRADSHAW, WRESTLER: Thank you for having us.

KAGAN: You know I got to say, when I came in this morning I did expect to talk politics. I did not expect to talk politics with you guys. But I guess that's the point of getting involved in this campaign. Reverend?

RUN: Yes, well, we're happy to be teaming up with WWE, because we're going to get 2 million more in 2004. And I believe that we're going to engage the youth because we have the youth here. So there's nobody better than having rap stars and wrestlers. They understand us.

KAGAN: Bradshaw, in your former life as a football player and as a wrestler, were you thinking politics as a young person?

BRADSHAW: I always had a keen interest in politic, of things that surrounded me. My father served in the military and always was very active, always voted. So it was normal for me. That's what we're trying to do with the Hip Hop Summit.

You know, you got a guy like Reverend Run, who sold a jillion record, young people listen to him. Young people look at guys like the Undertaker. What we want to have these guys, have all of our guys tell young people, it's not only the best thing to do, to vote, but it's the right thing to do.

And we want to empower youth. They don't have a voice. And since they don't vote, they're not going get a voice. This is the future of America. And that's what we're trying is tell these young people, take charge of your own future.

KAGAN: Well I guess the point is they actually do have a voice, but they don't use it. And, Reverend Run, it's shocking how many young people do not get to the ballot box on election day. RUN: They need to realize that their vote is just as important as Bill Gates' vote. It's not less power in our vote than his. And you know Maybe we wouldn't be at war now, or war before if we would have went out and voted. You know maybe we would have had somebody else in office.

KAGAN: What you guys make out of what is happening in California today?

RUN: I'm excited. I'm on Arnold's team.

KAGAN: You are?

RUN: Yes. I love Arnold.

KAGAN: And, Bradshaw, what do you make out of the California recall?

BRADSHAW: I am as well. You see what happens when people get a keen interest in what is going on in politics. You're going to have a huge voter turnout today. they should have had that years ago and they wouldn't have this problem. It turns out now that most California voters believe the leadership is inept and they've got to change.

But the problem is they should have shown that awareness several years ago and come out to vote. What we're trying to tell people is when you have issues the time to correct them is not after they've already happened. You know we're talking about the privatization of Social Security. We're trying to tell young people, this is for you.

My father is 71-years-old and mainly lives off a fixed income. He's the type of person that votes for these things. What we're trying to tell young people is these new bills, this legislation that's coming out affects you and it affects your life in the future. Take charge now so you don't have a problem like you had in California, where after the fact you have to go back and recall something because public sentiment is so very much against it.

KAGAN: Well, good for both of you for putting in the time and trying to get the young people politically involved. A couple personal questions I have for you.

Reverend Run, we're coming up almost on a year since your partner Jam Master Jay was murdered. Still no arrests in this case. Any feelings as we're coming up on that very sad day?

RUN: You know, I kind of leave it in God's hands. Being a man of the cloth, I believe that Jay has done what he was supposed to do here on Earth and he's passed the test. He's out of the classroom. We had a record that said, "End like all fairy tales end. You'll see Jay again, my friend."

I believe it's in God's hands so I can't worry about it. I just know I got something else I got to do and that's to be helpful in this world. KAGAN: Well you've both been very productive. And what's it like to work with the other? I mean a rapper and wrestler?

RUN: Oh it goes hand in hand. You should go to www.hsan.org to begin your registration procession, www.hsan.org. That's where you need to go to begin your process for registering to vote.

BRADSHAW: Hey, this is one of the greatest tag teams of all time. You got the greatest name in hip hop history. You got the father of rap music. And you got the greatest name, the WWE in sports entertainment.

We've merged together for a common cause. We feel socially conscionable about what we need to do for America. We talked to people that is exactly the demo that is not being heard, 18 to 30- year-olds. And we want to make a difference. And this merger makes perfect sense. We both feel very strongly about America. And we both reached the people that aren't being heard because they don't vote.

RUN: We're tag team partners. We're gonna put the smack down.

KAGAN: Which is a scarier thought: Reverend Run in the wrestling ring or Bradshaw trying to rap?

RUN: I think they both scary.

(LAUGHTER)

BRADSHAW: I can't barely read a rhyming book, much less rap. I'll just listen to him. I promise you.

RUN: I got to get in better shape for that.

KAGAN: Stick to your specialties and come together on the politics. Appreciate it. Thank you, good luck.

RUN: God bless.

KAGAN: Appreciate that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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