Free read, Feb. 3-7: Remembering Al Allen, the new "New Detroit," mayoral race fundraising
Here's what was happening in your neck of the woods this week.
Happy J Dilla Day, faithful subscribers!
This week, Detroiters are celebrating the life of hip hop icon J Dilla and mourning the death of legendary TV reporter Al Allen, who died Tuesday at the age of 79.
Allen brought an authenticity to television that Detroiters came to know and love.
“When you think about Detroit broadcast media, you saw the same familiar Black faces like Carmen Harlen, Diana Lewis and her daughter,” Model D managing editor Aaron Foley tells me over the phone. “News stations would hire products of Detroit or people who look like Detroit to build trust. Al Allen being on air for so long, people identified him with the station — he stood alone. He had household name recognition among Detroiters, people just know who he is.”
Every morning after a snow storm, Allen was the one who told students and parents whether school was closed for a snow-day, Foley said.
An Arkansas native, Allen’s first job in Detroit was at WGPR-FM, the first Black-owned TV station in the country. The station is now the WGPR Broadcast Museum, which I recommend visiting if you’re interested in Detroit’s rich broadcasting history.
Here’s what else I was thinking about this week:
“New Detroit” has a new meaning thanks to viral rapper
Rapper Lelo’s “Limbless” is the soundtrack to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest Instagram post.
If you haven’t heard of Lelo, he’s a well-dressed, soft-spoken 24-year-old who I’ve met a few times through a friend who makes some of his beats. Lelo’s style takes inspiration from Chicago rapper Lucki’s frayed vocal inflection and spaced-out beats.
“Limbless,” which Gilgeous-Alexander shared to his 3.7 million Instagram followers, has over 3 million plays on Spotify. Lelo is averaging nearly 900,000 monthly listeners on the streaming service.
He uses the slogan, #NewDetroit, to promote his music.
The same phase has been used over the last decade by cultural commentators to describe spaces created for new residents who bought up cheap houses during the early 2010s.
Searching that hashtag into Twitter will return half Lelo and his fans posting his music, half longtime Detroiters using the phrase to criticize a Bedrock advertisement or express bewilderment at the presence of MoGo bikes outside a neighborhood Church’s Chicken in 2017.
I’m all for Lelo taking “New Detroit” as his own. You can listen to his music on Spotify and Apple Music.
Poll finds Michiganders are ready for an independent
Nearly two-thirds of Michigan voters say they would be at least somewhat open to an independent candidate in Michigan’s upcoming governor’s race.
The Detroit Regional Chamber released findings from its latest statewide poll of 600 registered Michigan voters, which found 63.4% of voters believe Michigan should elect an independent governor who is not affiliated with either major party.
The chamber’s poll was conducted between Jan. 2-7, probing voters on the economy, inflation, democracy, and openness to independent political candidates for governor.
The chamber says its findings are in line with national data from Gallup, which reports the share of voters who identify as independent has been growing over the past 20 years, from 31% to 43%.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for governor as an independent, used the poll in a campaign statement. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are running as Democrats, and Aric Nesbitt, a West Michigan Republican, is also running to replace term limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2026.
Mayoral fundraising paints picture, but still too early
City Council President Mary Sheffield has raised the most of all Detroit mayoral candidates, according to the latest campaign finance reporting period ending Jan. 31.
Sheffield reported raising more than $160,000 with nearly $468,000 in cash on hand. Much of her fundraisers are small money donors. She’s been supported by the Moroun family and her largest donor is Rock Holdings PAC, which is funded by Dan Gilbert and members of his family.
Non-profit leader Saunteel Jenkins spent most of the $53,000 she raised this cycle. Her $52,632 spent in the latest filing period is the most by a candidate so far. She has $116,000 on hand, with most donations coming from consultants and executives.
Former House Speaker Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit, raised nearly $130,000 in the filing period, reporting $129,583 in his war chest. Health insurance CEO Antonio Pollicella of Howell gave the maximum contribution, $8,325. He received a nearly $7,000 donation from the MI Forward PAC, which is funded by Mark Bernstein and Blue Cross Blue Shield, among others. His biggest donation was $25,000 from the Operating Engineers Local 324 PAC, of Bloomfield Township.
City Council’s Fred Durhal has raised just over $112,000, reportedly spending only $311. The connections he made during his time as a state representative from 2015-19 are reflected in his list of contributors. He’s received money from the PACs of former state Sens. Curtis Hertel and Adam Hollier and former state Sen. Jim Ananich. Former city employees, Brad Dick and Antoine Bryant, donated too. Durhal’s largest donor is the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters, who gave $10,000 in December.
Malachi Barrett put together this map showing most of the money being raised is coming from outside of Detroit, with thousands of dollars coming from out-of-state donors.
I’m told big name donors are keeping their powder dry until voters coalesce around one or two candidates.
While Sheffield is the frontrunner as of today, insiders expect Triumph Church leader Solomon Kinloch to raise a significant amount as well, should he launch a campaign.
Both Kinloch and Tate are actively working toward formal announcements, I’m told.
This race will likely be the most expensive in the history of Detroit mayoral campaigns — a symptom of the state of politics we find ourselves in.