How about some positive hip-hop news for a change? T.I. is ready to get down and dirty and help drive voter registration this year. He has merged forces with the Hip-Hop Caucus to lead a “Respect My Vote” campaign for the upcoming presidential election.

The grassroots voter registration drive will take T.I. and co to 17 cities across the U.S.

A list of target cities below:

• CA (Bay Area)
• FL (Miami)
• GA (Atlanta)
• IN (Indianapolis)
• MD(Baltimore)
• MI (Detroit)
• MO (St. Louis)
• NC (Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham)
• OH (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus)
• PA (Philadelphia)
• TX (Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston)
• VA (Richmond)
• (Washington, DC)

One of the architects of the awareness campaign is the man behind Diddy’s “Vote or Die” project. Here’s what he said in a press statement about the importance of youth vote:

“No matter who wins in November, if large numbers of young people do not vote, then we all lose. It does not bode well for the future of our country, and our democracy, if young people, particularly those who are not in college, are not engaged or involved in the electoral process. This campaign is critical in strengthening our democracy and thus protecting our freedom.”