Lil Jon’s Rise to Stardom at the Democratic National Convention

Lil Jon’s brief but stirring appearance at the Democratic National Convention, where he represented Georgia during a musical roll call, was a real treat for viewers. What many may not know is that his appearance was the result of a weeks-old viral meme connecting him to vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. This moment also marked a decade-long commitment from Lil Jon to encourage voter turnout.

The idea to surprise everyone with Lil Jon came from political operative Ashley Spillane and Lil Jon’s longtime publicist, Tamar Juda. They approached the White House and the Kamala Harris campaign to leverage the current meme for the convention. With campaign leaders’ approval, they decided to incorporate Lil Jon into a state-by-state musical roll call, creating a standout moment at the DNC.

The meme started when TikTokkers reimagined Lil Jon’s “Get Low” lyrics as “to the window, to the Walz” in response to Harris’ VP pick. Spillane and Juda, who had worked together a decade ago on a Rock the Vote campaign transforming Lil Jon’s lyrics to promote voting, saw the opportunity to excite voters and delegates. They shared the idea with each other and then approached the campaign to make it happen.

Ashley Spillane reminisces on how they got the ball rolling. Spillane and Juda, both political and hip-hop enthusiasts, quickly shared the viral meme. They brainstormed on how they could capitalize on it to energize voters. Spillane then contacted the White House’s Colleen Loper, who found the idea exciting and matched them with Carla Frank, a key campaign member.

Tamar Juda introduced the idea to Lil Jon, who was immediately on board, eager to create a memorable and impactful moment. Juda emphasizes how special it was to see women spearhead this initiative, reflecting the empowered and inclusive spirit of Harris’ campaign. Lil Jon was proud that women were behind this successful effort.

Colleen Loper and Carla Frank conceived the idea of integrating a roll call performance with Lil Jon, blending “Turn Out for What” and “Get Low” to energize the floor. Jon made sure to incorporate the essential message of “We’re not going back,” aligning with Kamala Harris’ campaign slogan.

Jon prepared by pulling up “Turn Down for What” and integrating it into one file with “Get Low,” making sure to highlight his messages. His team strategically kept his presence a secret during rehearsals to maintain the surprise element. Instead, his road manager attended the rehearsal to ensure everything ran smoothly.

Lil Jon shared in an email his excitement about DJing for the Georgia Delegates at their DNC party. His publicist Tamar Juda and Ashley Spillane helped coordinate his performance for the GA roll call. Jon emphasized the importance of tweaking the lyrics to incorporate Harris’ slogans and messages, creating an impactful moment he was proud of.

Ashley Spillane recalls how Lil Jon previously collaborated on a 2014 Rock the Vote campaign during the midterm elections, rephrasing “Turn Down for What” to “Turn Out for What” to encourage voter participation. This initiative was welcomed again at the convention, coming full circle after ten years and excited the attendees immensely.

Tamar Juda mentions how Jon was delighted to use his influence to encourage people to vote through his music. The success of the convention performance went beyond expectations, creating a viral moment that resonated throughout the week.

Spillane speaks about how these full-circle collaborations have a deep personal meaning. The mix of long-standing friendships and political goals coming together was a powerful experience. Engaging non-political people in political moments shows that efforts are reaching their intended audiences.

Juda comments on how this performance raised the bar for future roll calls. Lil Jon’s team appreciates the DNC’s trust and the opportunity to leave a significant impact through hip-hop. Jon’s representation of his home state, Georgia, was a deeply proud moment for him.

Spillane looks forward to more impactful projects with Juda, promising that they will come up with exciting ventures.

Some of the “to the Walz” viral memes that inspired the convention appearance: