The last time snipers took to the streets of Washington D.C., mayhem ensued and brewed into the latest national crisis.This time, however, a different breed of snipers is taking to the streets of the Chocolate City as presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is using a hip-hop street team to bolster his bid presidential campaign.Kucinich has partnered with a D.C based hip-hop group to form the Dennis Kucinich Hip-Hop street team.Members of the street team, also known as snipers, have passed out pamphlets
to partygoers and poets around the local clubs and spoken-word venues.The Ohio Congressman is attempting to raise his profile in the city where most of the national attention has gone to the likes of Dr. Howard Dean and
retired general Wesley Clark. Yu-Lan Tu, the DC/MD State Coordinator for the Dennis Kucinich for President Campaign, believes the street team is alternative way to introduce their platform to the nation’s capital.”We are trying to use innovative ways of getting out the votes not only to raise awareness for our candidate,” he said. “But to also support a primary that is trying to bring awareness to the fact that residents of DC lack representation in Congress.”With eight candidates vying for the presidential nomination at this year’s Democratic National Convention in Boston, hip-hop has become very influential in winning the bid.General Clark has quoted OutKast lyrics during the campaign trail; Al Sharpton has already held a fundraiser at Jay-Z’s 40/40 club; and Contrabandit.com and the Source recently co-sponsored a presidential forum in Iowa.