Let’s face it: you wouldn’t normally expect to turn up at a political convention. Listening to a seemingly endless amount speeches has the potential to be a snooze fest. But this year’s Democratic National Convention has done its best to flip that narrative on its head — especially during the delegate roll call.
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After President Joe Biden’s surprise exit from the campaign, Democrats moved to officially nominate Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in a virtual roll call on August 7 in order to meet Ohio’s deadline for inclusion on the November ballot. Dems opted for a ceremonial roll call at the convention, which was way more party than painful.
With a little help from DJ Cassidy, states had the chance to pledge their delegates to the Harris-Walz ticket to songs that best represented their state.
Here are the Blackest songs we heard during the event.
“California Love” (California)
Tupac and Dr. Dre’s hit “California Love” was an obvious choice for the Golden State, home of Democratic Presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Turn Down For What” (Georgia)
Georgia won the night when Lil Jon made a surprise appearance at the convention to represent his home state of Georgia during the roll call to perform “Turn Down For What.”
“Let Me Clear My Throat” (Washington D.C.)
If you were partying in the late 1990s, you already know what happens when DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat” comes on. The D.C. native’s 1996 hit was a perfect choice for D.C.’s roll call theme music.
“Kiss” and “1999" (Minnesota)
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is a huge Prince fan, which is why the state had to choose two hits from the state’s other favorite native son when they were called to cast their votes.
“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (Indiana)
Gary, Indiana is the birthplace of one of the most famous musical families – The Jacksons. And “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” is one of Michael Jackson’s biggest dance hits.
“Empire State of Mind” (New York)
New York represented during the DNC roll call with “Empire State of Mind” by New York City natives Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.
“The Next Episode” (California)
New York may be the birthplace of hip-hop, but California showed up with another hip-hop hit, “The Next Episode” from Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” (Texas)
Do we even need to explain why The Lone Star State chose Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” for their theme music?
“Twisting the Night Away” (Mississippi)
Mississippi paid tribute to its rich musical history, choosing “Twisting the Night Away” by Sam Cooke, who was born in Clarksdale, Miss.
“Celebration” (Iowa)
The DNC roll call was a party, and Iowa’s choice of Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration” was right on time.
“Alright” (California)
California Democrats sent a message of hope to the convention with the choice of Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Alright.”
“Motownphilly” (Pennsylvania)
Philadelphia is home to lots of musical talent, but the state chose “Motownphilly” from Philly R&B group Boyz II Men.
“Black and Yellow” (Pennsylvania)
Pennsylvania also chose “Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa’s love letter to Pittsburgh and its NFL team, the Steelers.
“Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” (South Carolina)
Barnswell, S.C. native James Brown has an amazing catalog of hits, but his 1970 classic “Get Up” is arguably one of his funkiest tracks – which is probably why his home state chose it for their roll call song.
“Respect” (Maryland)
Maryland sent a powerful message to the rest of the country with its choice of “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.
“Not Like Us” (California)
The California Dems had to sneak in “Not Like Us” from Compton-born Kendrick Lamar, which definitely felt like less-than-subtle shade thrown at the folks on the other side of the aisle.
“September” (Colorado)
The Earth, Wind & Fire classic “September” is a Black cookout favorite and was Colorado’s choice for the roll call – a nod to Philip Bailey, one of the band’s lead singers who was born in Denver.
“Girl on Fire” (North Dakota)
The Democrats from North Dakota felt the energy from the Harris campaign and chose “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys as their song.
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)“ (Connecticut)
Connecticut was proud to pledge its delegates to the Harris-Walz ticket, which is probably why they chose Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)“ as their roll call song.
“American Woman” (Montana)
We’re not sure why Montana chose the Lenny Kravitz version of “American Woman,” a song originally released by Canadian rock band The Guess Who in 1970, but we’re definitely not mad.
“Raise Up” (North Carolina)
“Raise Up” by Petey Pablo, who hails from Greenville, N.C.,was the perfect choice for the Tar Heel state.
“The Way I Are” (Virginia)
Virginia chose “The Way I Are,” the 2007 hit from Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E. The track is a nod to Timbaland’s Norfolk, Va. roots.
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