Libertarian Party of North Carolina Endorses SB 512 to Make "Raise Up" Official Hip-Hop Song of North Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2024 (RALEIGH) – The Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) has officially endorsed NC Senate Bill 512, which, if passed, would adopt "Raise Up," by Petey Pablo, as the official hip-hop song of the State of North Carolina. This song has been an iconic part of North Carolina popular culture for decades, and adds to the deep and rich musical history of our great state.

However, art should never bend to the whims and pressures of those who would seek to sanitize it to fit their own mores. Like our state, art should be honest and free, not rendered tame out of fear of offending. We call on the sponsors of SB 512, Senators Natalie Murdock, Kandie Smith, and Lisa Grafstein Salvador, to amend the proposed bill to adopt the uncensored version of "Raise Up" as the official hip-hop song of North Carolina. We certainly wouldn't expect to censor old folk hymns or bluegrass songs; it should be the same with hip-hop.

LPNC Chair Ryan Brown said, "This one was actually a no-brainer. It might seem silly at first, but it's maybe one of the very few things where we can hope our state government might be competent, and, when there is so much division and polarization that the uniparty is feeding us, it's nice to have something we can all rally around with a smile, and remember we're North Carolinians first.

"There were some decent bills filed by both sides, protecting private property, affirming second amendments rights, ending dangerous prohibition laws, and holding bad cops accountable, in particular. There were also, as we expected, a lot of bad ones that, if passed, would increase the state's interference in your life, your wallet, and your child's education. Among all of them, this one should be easy for everyone to agree on, and then they can get back to fighting with each other while we, the people, suffer."

The LPNC encourages all North Carolinians to support this celebration of our state’s vibrant culture and identity. Let’s raise up together, unfiltered and unafraid. By embracing the uncensored version of "Raise Up," we honor the authenticity of our people and the unapologetic spirit that defines North Carolina. This small act could remind our leaders to prioritize freedom over control in all they do.

For additional Libertarian commentary on bills the NCGA has proposed, visit lpnc.org.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Rob Yates at [email protected].

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Libertarian Party of North Carolina
Libertarian Party of North Carolina (lpnc.org)

Ryan Brown
LPNC Chair
Libertarian Party of North Carolina
Ryan.B[email protected]

Rob Yates
Communications Director and Acting Press Secretary
Libertarian Party of North Carolina
<a style="color: #c00007;" href="mailto:communicati

Speech by the Chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina

Delivered March 11, 2025

Good evening. I’m Ryan Brown, Chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina. I want to thank you for being here with me.

Tonight, I’m here to offer a different perspective—one that cuts through the noise of the last two speeches you just heard by the Democrats and the Republicans, with the same old polished promises and finger-pointing. You can switch the scripts, and no one would notice a difference.

Instead, let’s talk about what’s really happening in our state and our nation. Let’s talk about the failures, the hypocrisy, and the solutions neither of these parties will touch. Most importantly, let’s talk about hope—real hope—for a future where people, not politics, come first.

First, let’s address the elephant (pun intended) in the room: the Republicans’ failure on the budgetary continuing resolution. In Washington, our GOP leaders had a chance to stand for fiscal responsibility, to demand transparency and restraint in a bloated federal budget. Instead, they caved like they always do. They supported a stopgap that keeps the government’s spending spree alive, piling more debt on our children’s backs while dodging tough choices. This isn’t leadership—it’s cowardice. North Carolinians deserve representatives who fight for principle, not just uniparty loyalty.

True to form, our U.S. Senators, Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, are expected to vote for the spending bill, virtually a carbon copy of Biden’s spending bill from last year. The Liberty Index—a measure of how well lawmakers protect our freedoms—came out last week for U.S. senators. Budd scored an underwhelming F with a 65% while Tillis scored an abysmal 15%. 

These numbers reflect votes that expand government overreach, erode privacy, and prop up corporate welfare. If they truly valued liberty, they’d reject warrantless surveillance, end crony handouts, and stop the war on our rights. Instead, they’re playing the same old Washington game.

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd represent the interests of big government and big spending. We deserve better.

Our new Democratic Attorney General, Jeff Jackson, voted for the reauthorization of FISA 702—a law that lets the feds spy on your calls, emails, and texts without a warrant. He’s all for government intrusion when it suits him, yet the so-called straight shooter is auspiciously silent on the ActBlue money laundering scandal right here in North Carolina, like AG Stein before him. Reports have surfaced of suspicious donations funneled through this Democratic fundraising platform—potentially millions in untraceable cash influencing our elections. Where’s the outrage, Jeff? Where’s the investigation? It seems his principles bend when it’s his party on the line. That’s not integrity—that’s fraudulence.

Governor Stein talked about our law enforcement officers being heroes and introduced several during his speech. If he is serious about protecting law enforcement officers, then it’s time for him to publicly support real body camera reform. We pay for the body cameras to see how our public safety is handled. Let’s make that information public. I have seen personally, firsthand, how rogue officers violating their oaths, are able to manipulate the restrictions on body camera access and use them to hide evidence of their crimes. SHaring the truth is good for everyone, all the time.

Further, if Governor Stein is serious about tackling the opioid epidemic, then it’s time for him to end the costly, violent, and destructive war on drugs. The War on Drugs has not only failed but it has led to the largest attack on our civil liberties in recent decades. Let’s not escalate the War on Drugs in North Carolina. Opioids are a problem because of government support for their corporate donors for decades. Turning victims into criminals and empowering drug lords is not the way to solve this problem. 

We have two parties that love to yell about how important our democracy is, but then work as hard as they can to disenfranchise anyone who doesn’t support them. Beyond partisan gerrymandering at the state and local levels, absurd lead times for elections, ballot harvesting, unclear ID rules, and all the other games the uniparty plays to try and rig elections in their favor, North Carolina has the dubious distinction of owning the only non-certified race in the country, 4 months and 7 days after the election ended. 

The Board of Elections is strictly partisan, despite our state now having more unaffiliated voters than republicans or democrats. In fact, just a few short years ago, governor Roy Cooper went to court to make sure it stayed that way. Tonight, I am calling on the legislature to make a bold move that reflects the population of North Carolina and change this structure. It’s time to put a Libertarian on the Board of Elections, and to add at least three unaffiliated representatives. We need to restore confidence in the Board of Elections and have elections the people can trust.

March 12, 2025 (RALEIGH) – Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) State Chair Ryan Brown will deliver the Libertarian viewpoint on the current state of politics in North Carolina, following the Democratic State of the State and the Republican response this evening. Brown’s remarks will offer a principled Libertarian perspective on the issues facing North Carolinians, challenging the status quo of the two-party system.