Rapper Scarface of the Geto Boys Came Close to Houston City Council Seat

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Rapper turned political candidate, Brad “Scarface” Jordan, left, visits  with voter Michele Lemon and her son outside of an early voting location  in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston, Texas.
Rapper turned political candidate, Brad “Scarface” Jordan, left, visits with voter Michele Lemon and her son outside of an early voting location in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston, Texas.
Photo: John L. Mone (AP)

Hip hop and you don’t stop!

A rap music trailblazer has blazed new trails in southern political circles.

Brad Jordan, also known as Scarface — a member of Houston’s pioneering rap group the Geto Boys, ran for City Council and came close to winning.

Last week, it was pretty much established that the revered lyricist had what it took to shake up the political scene when he was carried into a runoff election to represent District D, which reportedly has more than 200,000 residents and stretches into the south and southeast sides of Houston.

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At Saturday’s runoff, the Houston Chronicle reported that former educator Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, 66, out-polled Jordan for the seat held by Dwight Boykinswho opted not to seek re-election to pursue an unsuccessful mayoral bid.

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But the former Def Jam Records rapper was a formidable contender since joining community efforts to combat the crime, poverty and gang violence his lyrics glorified during his 1990s hip-hop heyday.

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The 49-year-old Mind Playing Tricks on Me rapper told the Associated Press that he wanted to be proactive in making a change to the chronic poverty and crime that afflicts his neighborhood.

“You can sit back and point out the problems or you can address them and bring solutions to the table,” he told the outlet.

2017 data compiled by Boykins stated that African Americans make up 53 percent of the district and that 30% of the population earns less than $25,000 a year.