With the presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump imminent, a key and pressing question for many voters is the impact the outcome will have on their lives.

In the world of social activism, hip-hop legend Chuck D – part of the iconic group Public Enemy, known for anthems like “Fight the Power” – says that while his choice in the contest is clear, he has advice regardless of the outcome: “Be prepared.”

After speaking on a panel on addressing the impact of intergenerational trauma and racism on youth mental health, Chuck D talked with U.S. News this past week at SOCAP Global, a social impact and investment conference held in San Francisco. He shared his thoughts about the election, health challenges facing youth today and how a nonprofit he’s affiliated with – Hip Hop Public Health, launched in 2011 to promote health literacy in underserved communities – can help improve youth well-being.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Could you tell us about your work as an advisor for the Hip Hop Public Health initiative, and why it was such a priority for you to be a part of their work and message?

Hip Hop Public Health I think is an antidote to a lot of the illnesses and sicknesses that plagued us, but new ones that developed (as well), more from the mental aspect. We have these tools, these technologies, but sometimes they’re toys, sometimes they’re weapons. So are we managing these gadgets because we can’t master them? Are they mastering us?

The conversation now is even beyond hip-hop. Because hip-hop was just a singular force in saying, “The gift of music could liberate you.” It’s morphed into a lot of different areas. So, you always gotta have a solution if you actually see that there’s problems going on today in new generations and new people growing up.

Before it was, “Let’s concentrate on the physical” because people are eating the wrong foods, not working out enough. Now we’ve seen this weird dynamic of mental with the physical – it’s almost like tit for tat that we have to go at.

What are ways in which technology (like smartphones) can be used to address youth health issues?  

It’s an apparatus, it’s either going to be a toy or a tool. The older you get you have to be taught that it’s a tool, and less of a toy. And if it’s a tool, then it can be used for your benefit and not at your expense.

What are your thoughts on this year’s presidential election: Who are you voting for and what impact do you think the outcome will have on these types of investments and these types of initiatives?

How could somebody, if they know anything about me, not think that I’m going to choose Kamala Harris? No. 2, I don’t think that males should run more than 25% of the rest of the planet for the rest of this century. I think male-rule dominance should be over in order for this world to be in a safe place the next 10 years.

I would tell people, at anything, be prepared. When I grew up, I’m from 1960: So we knew at that particular time growing up as kids, young people, no matter who’s going to be running anything, be prepared, prepare yourself that nobody is going to be on your side, and put in detailed work of understanding what you’re in the middle of.

And my No. 1 rule as a grown person who’s been traveling the world for the last 40 years is: Don’t break the law in any country. You can change the law, but you can’t break the law.