BBC News - 2003/06/17 14:27:46 GMT
Rap album for veteran politician
Veteran British politician and former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn is releasing a collection of his speeches set to rap music. The record - a collaboration between Mr Benn, 78, and rap artist Charles Bailey - was inspired by an anti-war speech given by Mr Benn at Hyde Park.
The album is almost finished and will be released at the end of the summer.
The former Chesterfield MP said the album will be good for democratic society: "We need to connect the people to the political process - otherwise democracy itself will be at risk," he said.
"I have made hundreds and hundreds of speeches in my life in the House of Commons that my constituents have never heard."
Top ten hits
Rapper Charles Bailey said: "Tony Benn touched me with his speech about the Iraq War in Hyde Park - and I wanted to meet him and do something with him.
"I am trying to make politics interesting for people who don't usually vote.
"I want to make politics sexy - that's what I am into."
Mr Benn said: "He is talented producer and has a good record in making videos about black people joining the police and gun crime and voting in the referendum - if it gets through to people that is what it is all about.
"We live in a dangerous world and if we don't talk things out we are going to be trouble."
Tony Benn's Greatest Hits is a collection of his top 10 speeches, and will available on the internet at www.politicos.co.uk in August.