{{Short description|Political service group}} {{multiple issues| {{unreliable sources|date=December 2015}} {{update|date=December 2015}} {{ref improve|date=February 2012}} }} '''Citizen Change''' is a political service group, founded in 2004 by rapper Sean Combs, and backed by musical artists Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and 50 Cent.<ref>{{cite web |title=All aboard P. Diddy's political party plane |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/all-aboard-p-diddy-s-political-party-plane-wbna6346580 |website=Today |date=27 October 2004 |accessdate=January 18, 2019}}</ref> The stated aim was to get young people and minorities to vote.<ref name="People">{{cite web |last1=Silverman |first1=Stephen P. |title=P. Diddy to Kids, Minorities: Vote or Die |url=https://people.com/celebrity/p-diddy-to-kids-minorities-vote-or-die/ |website=People |accessdate=January 18, 2019}}</ref>
==History== The campaign's message, promoted on t-shirts and other things, is "'''Vote or Die!'''", a phrase adapted from Join, or Die, a well-known cartoon by Benjamin Franklin.
===2004 United States presidential election=== Combs said at the time that its mission was to make voting "hot" and "sexy."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quart |first1=Alissa |title=They're Not Buying It |work=The New York Times |date=6 November 2004 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/06/opinion/theyre-not-buying-it.html |accessdate=January 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Vargas |first1=Jose Antonio |title=Vote or Die? Well, They Did Vote |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35290-2004Nov8.html?noredirect=on |newspaper=Washington Post |accessdate=January 18, 2019}}</ref> The 2004 campaign included a line of "Vote or Die" t-shirts, an album, a voter registration push in cities and campuses nationwide, and commercials on such outlets as MTV and BET.<ref name="People"/>
===2008 United States presidential election=== Combs invoked the phrase, "Obama or Die", at the BET Awards 2008.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Elsworth |first1=Catherine |title=P Diddy leads rapper 'shout out' for Barack Obama |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/2200788/P-Diddy-leads-rapper-shout-out-for-Barack-Obama.html |website=The Telegraph |accessdate=January 18, 2019}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
* In the ''South Park'' episode "Douche and Turd", Combs and his associates chase Stan Marsh around with weapons and literally threaten to kill him if Stan does not vote. * In 2012, the "Vote or Die!" t-shirt concept was resurrected for the Democratic National Convention in the form of parody "Vote Obama" t-shirts.
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Sean Combs}}
Category:Voter turnout organizations Category:2004 United States presidential election in popular culture Category:Youth politics {{poli-org-stub}}