Shaboozey not joining Killer Mike to support Democratic congressional candidate in DeLand
Mark Harper- Democrat Josh Weil is hosting a series of events featuring celebrities in his congressional campaign against Republican Randy Fine.
- Weil is hosting a town hall featuring rapper Killer Mike.
- The event aims to boost voter turnout, particularly among young people, in the off-cycle election.
- Weil's campaign has also featured Grammy-winning gospel singer Le'Andria Johnson and R&B legend Patti LaBelle.
(This story was updated with new information.)
Josh Weil, a Democrat running to become the next U.S. House representative from Florida's 6th District, has scheduled a town hall which will feature rapper Killer Mike. Shaboozey was originally expected to perform, but it was announced Tuesday afternoon that he would not be attending the event.
Weil will tap into the star power at the Sanborn Activity Center in DeLand at 6 p.m. Thursday. The event is being billed as "a no-holds-barred discussion on our rights, culture and the power of our voices."
Weil is attempting to win a district won in November by incumbent Michael Waltz, who won 33 percentage points more than his Democratic opponent. Waltz's Jan. 20 resignation to become President Donald Trump's national security advisor opened the seat for the April 1 special election.
Republican Randy Fine, a state senator, is Weil's chief opponent on the ballot, which also contains the names of Libertarian Andrew Parrott and non-partisan Randall Terry.
Who are Shaboozey and Killer Mike?
Collins Chibueze — stage name Shaboozey — has combined rap, rock and country music and was featured on the Beyoncé album "Cowboy Carter" before his own record, "Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going," and specifically "A Bar Song," blew up. "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 19 weeks and remains atop the Hot Country Songs chart for a record 37th week.
It also topped charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.
Killer Mike, a rapper from Atlanta, is one-half Run the Jewels along with El-P. His collaborations include work with Outkast, Big Boi and Danger Mouse. Most recently, he won Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Album in 2024 for the single "Scientists & Engineers" on the LP "Michael," and is no stranger to progressive politics, having hit the trail on behalf of Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020.
DeLand is home to Stetson University, while the Weil campaign is planning an event at the Bethune-Cookman University Yard in Daytona Beach earlier in the day.
Events aim to raise interest in off-cycle April 1 election
Weil says he has raised enough money — at last check $9.5 million — to run a full-on messaging campaign, with TV, radio, newspaper, social media and billboard ads, as well as hiring some 300 canvassers to knock on doors and dial up voters. And the Killer Mike event isn't the only presidential campaign-style event to attract voters and drum up interest in the unusual special election.
Grammy-winning gospel singer Le'Andria Johnson, who was born in Palatka, appeared at a Weil event at Allen Chapel AME Church in Daytona Beach Sunday night.
And Weil's campaign is hosting R&B legend Patti LaBelle at a fundraiser Friday night at an unadvertised location in Daytona Beach.
At a town hall in Hastings Friday, Weil said the fundraising and campaign events are part of a plan.
"We cannot take our foot off the gas," Weil said. "We have to continue to press. Continue knocking on doors and continue dominating the airwaves, holding more and bigger events and getting more people out.”
Early voting for the election starts Saturday in the six counties — including all of Flagler and Putnam plus parts of Volusia, St. Johns, Marion and Lake counties — where voters will cast ballots.