"The gospel of Sen. Barack Obama might not have opened up the heavens, as Sen. Hillary Clinton sarcastically suggested in a recent speech, but it apparently opened the eyes of one of her self-described friends and supporters, Russell Simmons. The music mogul, entrepreneur and staunch yoga practitioner endorsed Obama over the weekend.

"I see him as a different kind of candidate," Simmons said, echoing a refrain that is repeated over and over by converts to Obama's political message. "I see him as more of a spiritual inspiration, as much as a politician. The idea that other people are experiencing a change in themselves. I see that as an important part of the process."

A day before two decisive Democratic primary votes in Texas and Ohio, the question is not what Obama can do for Simmons. It's what Simmons can do for Obama. Simmons is the third richest man in hip-hop, with a net worth of more than $300 million, behind the rappers-turned-music-executives Jay-Z and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. Young black voters have turned out in droves to cast ballots for Obama -- and Simmons could inspire even more.

Obama's campaign said Simmons will jet to Cleveland tomorrow to make appearances at a barber shop, a community college, a public housing complex, and a favorite stop of both Democratic candidates, a local high school.

But first, Simmons "dropped some knowledge," the hip-hop term for divulging previously unknown nuggets of information. "I did hear that the Obama camp got a call from Sean Combs," Simmons said. "I did hear from 50 Cent's camp that he didn't know about Hillary anymore."

What does that mean? He won't say. And Combs and 50, a.k.a., Curtis James Jackson III, couldn't be reached for comment. Combs and Jackson have been politically active in the past. Four years ago, Combs led a now defunct get out the vote effort for youth called "Vote or Die!""