Who are we to tell you who to vote for? We're Complex. We probably have some Democrats here. We probably have a few Republicans lying around. But really, we're the people who turned Rick Ross into Jaws. We'd like to think we're here to provide you with relief from the world of Democrats and Republicans. We're gonna tell you what a lot of people should be telling you:
Vote your heart. Vote your conscience.
But what if you still don't have anyone to vote for?
What if (like some of us) you find that the candidates in front of you—for whatever office—simply don't fit any of the visions you have for the future of America?
What if (like some of us) you want to make a statement about that very problem without simply choosing the lesser of two evils?
Whether it's for President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, State Senate, City Council, or Student Council, if you don't have anyone you want to vote for, follow our lead:
In the 2012 election, Complex endorses Lil B, The Based God (aka Brandon McCartney, aka The Based God) for any—and potentially all—high office in the land.
Lil B reflects a set of values that are, quite frankly, universally humanitarian.
For example:
LIL B IS FOR THE ARTS. Complex would be nothing without great American artists. Pop culture, you should know, is one of America's greatest exports. And Lil B is a great exporter of it. In July, he released an 855-song mixtape. For free. And that's just one mixtape. While Mitt Romney wants to cut funding to the National Endowment for the Arts, and Barack Obama is forced to fight for the money to support it, Lil B circumvents all with a bit of hard work, elbow grease, and a desire to bring his art to his fans, for free.
LIL B IS PRO-MONEY: Just because he drops tapes for free doesn't mean Lil B is an anti-capitalist. On the contrary. His album I'm Gay (I'm Happy) was digitally released on revenue-generating sales platforms like iTunes in June. It was only the next day that he gave it away for free.
Why vote for a candidate you don't care about when you can make a statement instead?
BUT LIL B IS NOT GOING TO CAPITALIZE ON HUMANS, WHO HE SUPPORTS SUPPORTING: Lil B spoke at New York University in April as a visiting scholar—which reminds us: LIL B IS PRO-EDUCATION—and delivered a speech explaining his approach to distributing his work:
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Yes, LIL B PAYS HIS TAXES. Which is more than some candidates can say.
LIL B ISN'T BLIND TO THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE FREE MARKET, HOWEVER. In that same speech, he explained (kind of):
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What happened to humans? Incredible question.
LIL B CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. Specifically, the practice of hydrofracking. From that same NYU speech, B noted: "Who knows about hydraulic fracking? Let’s stop fracking! Stop messing with the Earth, bruh." Do you know how many candidates advocate for the environment? None, because the environment doesn't have money to pay them off. Lil B, however, speaks for trees, plants, and the people. The Based God will not frack your bitch.
LIL B CARES ABOUT THE INNER-PEACE OF ALL HUMANS, WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO INTER-HUMAN RELATIONS: "Even if you’re pissed off," he explained in his lecture, "still stay positive. If you got a friend doing bad, be like, 'Stay positive.' That’s the only way. Positivity, happiness, forgiving, forgiving, forgiving. Forgiveness? Forgiving. I think that’s number one. Forgive and say, 'Man, we only human. Man, nobody hates you.'" Imagine that as an approach to bi-partisan politics.
LIL B SUPPORTS THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE, IN ALL RELATIONSHIPS, OF ALL LABELS: Lil B supports the LGBT community, no matter how L, G, B, or T they may or may not be. In an interview with MTV about his album I'm Gay (I'm Happy), he explained: "I'm very gay, but I love women. I'm not attracted to men in any way. I've never been attracted to a man in my life. But yes I am gay, I'm so happy. I'm a gay, heterosexual male.I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that's why I'm doing it."
And finally, and maybe, most importantly...
LIL B IS HONEST ABOUT LYING, SEX, AND HIS SENSE OF MORALITY, WHICH IS MORE THAN ANY AMERICAN POLITICIAN IS HONEST ABOUT: You know what politicians do quite well? They lie. They lie often. Lil B? He doesn't lie, or rather, if he lies, he's clear about lying.
In an interview about his absurdist AIDS-awareness anthem "I Got AIDS," Lil B explained: "A lot of guys think it’s cool to have sex with a lot of women. I’m not having sex with all these women. I lie about it a lot; I lie about having sex with 40 girls. I’m not doing that, and I want people to know: If you are doing that, you are at high risk of getting AIDS or other STDs and you need to make sure you get tested. This is me paying back to the world and just being truthful, honest, and doing something that I feel is right."
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Is voting for a rapper who isn't even legally eligible for most positions going to make a difference?
On a macro scale...probably not.
But as an American, it's your right to express your dissatisfaction with the presented options. It's your right to express your dissatisfaction with the American electoral system, period. And sure, you can do that by not voting. Or you can pencil somebody else in: Yourself. Your mom. Someone else's mom. The RZA. Ryan Gosling. Ryan O'Neal (that would be fun). Whomever.
That said, for all of the reasons above—and more—Complex suggests writing in Lil B as the candidate of choice for high office (whichever one that might be).
Why vote for a candidate you don't care about when you can make a statement instead?
If you feel like sending or Tweeting us (#Vote4BasedGod) pictures of yourself voting for Lil B today, by all means, feel free.
Be thankful you live in America, where a man can find success on the promise of having sex with other men's wives and girlfriends. Thank you, Based God. It wouldn't be the same country without you.
Signed,
The Complex Politics Desk Editorial Board
[Ed. Note—Also, as B's running mate, Complex is endorsing Riff Raff for any and all Vice, Deputy, Lieutenant, or Manchurian Candidacies. That one's less about what America's politics needs and more just what it deserves.]
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