Common, Charlamagne tha God to perform at Columbia concert for Jaime Harrison
With less than two weeks until Election Day, Jaime Harrison remains locked in a close race with Lindsey Graham for one of South Carolina’s seats in the U.S. Senate.
In an effort to draw support from voters, Harrison’s campaign announced it is holding a drive-in concert on Monday in Columbia which will feature award-winning rapper Common and be emceed by South Carolina native Charlamagne tha God.
Harrison, a Democrat, will also appear at the concert at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on Benedict College’s campus, where he will make a speech.
More speeches from guests are expected at the drive-in event, according to a news release from the Harrison campaign.
The concert will start at 6:30 p.m., and gates at the stadium, near the intersection of Two Notch Road and Forest Drive, will open at 5 p.m.
RSVP’s are required to the “socially-distanced concert,” but admission is first-come, first-serve, and attendance will be capped when the venue is at capacity, according to the release. Guests are required to stay inside the cars throughout the event, Harrison’s campaign said.
Information on the capacity was not available, but there is a limit of four people per car, and face masks are required for each person, the Harrison campaign said.
In addition to wearing masks or face coverings, everyone in attendance is asked to follow proper social distancing protocols, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, according to the release. Harrison’s campaign asks anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, or who might have been exposed to someone diagnosed with the coronavirus, to stay away from the event.
For those unable to attend in person, the concert will be streamed at jaimeharrison.com/live as well as at facebook.com/JaimeHarrisonSC.
In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Harrison has held similarly designed drive-in rallies during campaign stops across South Carolina, where those in attendance stayed inside cars and honked their horns in approval.
Harrison has more rallies planned for Spartanburg in the Upstate region on Oct. 31, followed by an event on Nov. 2 in his hometown of Orangeburg, according to his campaign.
In a high-profile race that has captured national attention, Harrison is trying to unseat Graham, the three-term Republican incumbent and South Carolina’s senior senator.
A recent Morning Consult poll showed Harrison was up two points over Graham. However, a poll by the New York Times/Siena College gave Graham a six-point advantage.
In addition to record-setting fundraising efforts, Harrison is calling on Common and Charlamagne tha God to help his bid.
During his career, Common has won Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for his music and launched his own record label — Think Common Entertainment.
Charlamagne Tha God is one of the hosts on “The Breakfast Club,” a nationally-syndicated morning radio show on New York’s hip-hop station, Power 105.1 FM. The Moncks Corner native also is the author of two books, including the New York Times bestseller, “Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It.”
He got his start as a radio personality in Columbia on hip-hop and R&B radio stations Hot 103.9 and 93.9 FM.
Among other celebrities who have shown support for Harrison’s campaign are actors Kerry Washington, Josh Gad, and comedian Amy Schumer.
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This story was originally published October 25, 2020 at 10:41 AM.
