Russell Simmons – Is An Idiot, Recommends Censorship
Billboard.com reports: In the wake of radio host Don Imus‘ firing over racially insensitive comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, many activists in the black community have turned their attention to rap’s misogynistic lyrics and begun to question what steps the music industry should take to police itself.
Now, Russell Simmons and Dr. Benjamin Chavis, on behalf of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, have issued a recommendation that the recording and broadcast industries voluntarily censor the “misogynistic” words “bitch and “ho” and the “racially offensive” word “nigger” from future recordings.
“We recommend the formation of a music industry Coalition on Broadcast Standards, consisting of leading executives from music, radio and television industries,” the HHSAN statement continues. “The Coalition would recommend guidelines for lyrical and visual standards within the industries. We also recommend that the recording industry establish artist mentoring programs and forums to stimulate effective dialogue between artists, hip-hop fans, industry leaders and others to promote better understanding and positive change.”
Some rap artists believe the issue is being taken out of context. “I call women ‘hos’ in my music but that doesn’t mean I’m trying to degrade someone. That’s just the way we talk,” female rapper Remy Ma tells Billboard.com. “I think ‘Pac said it best: once you take the power away from the word, it doesn’t mean the same thing.”
(+56 rating, 23 votes)
even if you don’t like hip hop, you should realize there’s plenty of “offensive” aspects of metal which people would love to censor too.
oh man i cant say wazz up to all my niggers, hos, and bitches now thats fucked up
Man, theres such a double standard when it comes to shit like this. Black people can be as racist as they want but as soon as a white man says something even slightly racial the whole nation wants the man’s head. And another thing, do people not notice that there are white chicks on that team too and they too have some nappy ass hair. I can see where what imus said could be construed as racism but theres no way of knowing for sure if it was mean to be racist unless your are Imus himself.
What a nappy headed ho.
What I found ironic was that nobody ever mentioned that not less than 7 seconds later he called them “jiggaboos” too — I thought that to be more “racist” than “nappy headed hos” — I still think he got a raw fucking deal. Should he have been punished, yeah – he shouldn’t have said it. Fired? That’s a stretch.
PS – The Duke Lacrosse Guys are still waiting on a fucking apology from Jesse Jackson and the rest of the rightwing black empowerment and equality brigade. Fucking jackass hypocrites.
What the fuck is “right wing” about ANYTHING Jackson or Sharpton do? That’s like calling Reagan a socialist.
Rightwing, leftwing – whatever the fuck….
Who cares? Don Imus is a racist back from the time when it was ok to be racist. those people will be dead soon anyway then we can all be one big honkeynigger family.
Soon they will want me to stop screaming Nappy Headed Cho’s, when I walk down the street. Perish the thought!
gay as hell. but loved the title
“We recommend the formation of a music industry Coalition on Broadcast Standards, consisting of leading executives from music, radio and television industries,†the HHSAN statement continues. “The Coalition would recommend guidelines for lyrical and visual standards within the industries.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me they want to find a way to sue or fine the shit out of artists for their art if it’s against what this ‘coalition’ wants.
Someones gotta smack some sense into these bitches and tell them to SHUT THE FUCK UP because it seems that whenever certain people open their mouths, they spew shit all over everything
two things- 1) Imus is not a racist, he has fired someone for being racist on his show, it was just a bad joke.
2) Why does anyone care about what a 50 year old man who dresses like a 15 year old says?
As someone of multiracial heritage, I want it known, Jesse and Al do not represent me, I do not support race-baiting
too bad the faces or your races are idiots.