North Jersey
Newark elects Lords of The Underground rapper to city council
Dupre Kelly, of rap trio The Lords of the Underground. was elected as a city councilman for Newark’s West Ward.
From selling platinum records to politics, Dupre Kelly aka “DoItAll” can literally do it all. Kelly is officially the voice of the people after being elected city councilman for Newark in a runoff election.
Dupre Kelly : from hip-hop to politics
The Newark-born rapper won the West Ward council seat by a margin of 1,858 to 1,312 — 58.6% to 41.4% — over Chigozie Onyema, 35, a lawyer and former state official, according to results posted by the Essex County Clerk’s Office.
The election would make Kelly, 51, the first major hip-hop artist elected to public office.
“I am the first platinum-selling hip hop artist in the nation of the United States of America to ever win an election to an official seat,” Kelly said at the Robert Treat Hotel, where supporters gathered after polls closed.
HBCU and Newark bred
Aside from politics, Kelly is a Shaw University graduate and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
After success in the entertajnment industry, Kelly returned to Newark to give back to his community. According to his website, Kelly founded the non-profit 211 Community Impact whose mission is to “stimulate interest in community issues and foster action for change by providing innovative community educational programs, public policy information and resources.”
Musically, he’s known as “DoItAll”, one third of the platinum selling rap trio The Lords of The Underground, who was signed to Queen Latifah’s label Jersey Kidz. The 90s hip-hop group was most famous for the hit “Chief Rocka”.
In 2018, Kelly ran for Newark city council but unfortunately lost. But he never wavered. He ran again in 2022, this time being victorious.
If his victory is certified by the Newark City clerk, Kelly will be sworn in to a four-year term on July 1.