“So get out and vote, before the water get bought up by Nestle and Coke. They already bought the hood up, raise the rent up some mo’, and police out here is tryna put my neck in the rope…” ~Al-One
I ran into Jessie Sponberg last night, and the first thing the Eastside Portlander said to me (after, “Whattuuuuup!”) was, “Have you seen my new video?” The sparkle in his eyes was so serious. My answer to him was a simple, “Yes, I have.” But in fact, I think it’s the best video he’s ever made.
You see, Jessie is no stranger to rap. Ask him about recording with Snaff and Mako without heat or AC back when Momentum Studios was in the Salmon Street building, or bring up getting free beats from Augustus and he’ll likely tell you a long-winded story about his long-abandoned rap career. That’s right, the guy running for mayor is not only a community activist, but an old school rapper at heart, and to us at WOHM that means a lot.
It should be noted that while he’s been one of the greatest advocates for social justice in this city, Jessie “Ozone” Sponberg was a terrible rapper, so the absence of his raspy voice on this track was a relief. A newly styled Al-One (of Sandpeople) led the charge in the new music video / commercial for the Sponberg campaign, and he’s flanked by veteran rappers Prologic, My-G and Brown Caesar. The Pale Soul-produced beat slaps something vicious, and the lyrical additions are mostly on point, discussing the issues that matter to the hip-hop community and why Jessie is uniquely positioned to address them. Shot and directed by Sam Lingle, the quality and concept of the video is very on point and fun to watch. Might even see somebody you know. #OutHere