Lady Gaga and other artists performed for delegates attending the Democratic National Convention that featured the Camden Rising event Thursday. The concerts were held at the BB&T Pavilion before Hillary Clinton’s speech on the final evening of the convention. The event was free, and access was possible only through invitation.
According to Philly.com, the audience was made up by people with connections with the DNC and Camden residents that cover almost all the 7 thousand seats that covered the arena. Many city employees received tickets to the show and about 25 thousand gathered on the lawn.
Camden is one of the poorest cities in America, and the Camden Rising event sought to help collect money and to bring light to the New Jersey city.
The insurance executive and Democratic superdelegate, George Norcross, and the president of lobby group General Majority PAC, Susan McCue, were the organizers of the event that excluded media.
A spokesman for Norcross said that the artists contracts prohibited press at the event, including Lenny Kravitz and DJ Jazzy Jeff performances, says the CBS. But the spokesperson said to Phllis.com that the request came from Lady Gaga, Kravitz, and Jeff.
Lady Gaga is a well-known Democrat and early this week she expressed how moved she was b Michelle Obama’s speech saying she was “choked up with tears of American pride.”
Other icons have participated in the DNC including young actress and director Lena Dunham and big stars like Meryl Streep. The Republicans has had famous people at their convention as well, but their impact has not been as significant as the Democrat performers and celebrities. Supporting the Republicans are Scott Baio, Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson, and Jon Voight.
Norcross is not the only Democrat in the family, and his brother, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross are supporting Clinton for the coming elections.
For George Norcross the DNC celebration in Camden is a major step to show people Camden resurgence in the past years and what people is doing to make it a better place. He continued and said that the efforts of many, which includes the building and trade craftsmen that rebuild urban areas show the transformation on Camden. He stated before the concert that the Philadelphia skyline in the background made it a perfect time to tell Camden’s history and promise.
But not everyone thinks Camden is as reformed as Norcross says
Gary Frazier, who is a Green Party candidate for Camden City Council and an organizer for Black Men for Bernie, stated at a pro-Bernie Sanders that they would send a clear message about the real city struggle.
Frazier said that he has lived in Camden a great part f his life, and he asks how Camden has changed and reformed when violence in the city has youth killing youth.
State police statistics released this week shows that in the first six months of the year crime rose almost 14 percent. The numbers also highlight that Camden’s homicide rate had more than doubled.
When Norcross says that Camden has changed, he refers to the aspect of buildings and the cities waterfront. But Frazier claims that the town neighborhoods have long suffered from the drug trade and the loss of industry.
Source: CBS News