GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 980

Short Title:      Adopt Official Hip-Hop Song.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Murdock, Smith, and Salvador (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate

May 4, 2026

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to adopt the song "raise Up" AS the official hip‑hop song of the State of North Carolina.

Whereas, in 2023, hip‑hop fans across North Carolina and the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip‑hop music; and

Whereas, North Carolina's Historically Black Colleges and Universities have helped shape the rich and diverse sound of North Carolina's hip‑hop artists; and

Whereas, North Carolina is the home state of Petey Pablo, J. Cole, Rapsody, 9th Wonder, Phonte, Big Pooh, and many other hip‑hop icons; and

Whereas, Moses Barrett, III, henceforth referred to as Petey Pablo, was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina; and

Whereas, Petey Pablo is a Grammy‑nominated platinum rap artist that was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2024; and

Whereas, "Raise Up" was released in August 2001 as a tribute to the people of North Carolina and maintains its cultural significance as an anthem for the State; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 145 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 145‑52.  Official hip‑hop song.

The censored version of the song "Raise Up" by North Carolina rapper Petey Pablo is adopted as the official hip‑hop song of the State of North Carolina."

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026‑2027 fiscal year and the 2027‑2028 fiscal year to be used for the North Carolina Music Heritage and Tourism Initiative (Initiative). The Initiative shall use funds for (i) a statewide promotion campaign entitled "First in Flight, First in Sound," including traditional and digital advertisement, documentaries, and branded content, (ii) planning and holding of hip‑hop related festival and concert events, (iii) partnering with local governments and HBCUs for promotion of the Initiative and campaign, (iv) creating a hip‑hop music heritage trail, and (v) creating an interactive application for mobile devices that can be used by attendees, participants, HBCUs, and local businesses for Initiative and campaign information and promotion. The Initiative shall take steps to ensure the cultural and hip‑hop music scenes throughout the State are represented, including, at a minimum, Greenville, Fayetteville, Durham, Charlotte, and Raleigh. The Initiative shall have two honorary chairpersons that represent North Carolina hip‑hop music and hip‑hop music heritage.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.