Hip-hop artists urge fans to vote

Simmons said it was important for young people to be politically aware

Hip-hop artists are urging young people to get involved with politics and head to the polls in the US presidential election in November.

The Hip-Hop Summit, which uses rap music's influence to get young people to vote, is touring the US and signing people up to the voting register.

Rap mogul Russell Simmons, who founded the US rap record label Def Jam, said young people must make a difference.

"It's very important that we flex these muscles in November," he said.

Simmons told crowd of music fans at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Saturday: "Those of us who work in the hip-hop industry know this is the best generation in the world.

"And come November, they are going to see that this is the most powerful generation that the world has seen."

The Hip-Hop Team Vote said it recently registered 50,000 voters in Los Angeles and 80,000 in Philadelphia.

During Saturday's event, the organisers said they had signed up at least 70,000 Michigan voters - including 40,000 in Detroit.