Hip Hop Reacts To Lyric Censorship...

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:39 pm

In the wake of Don Imus' on-air racist debacle, everyone from Rev. Al Sharpton to Russell Simmons and even Oprah have called the rap industry to task for its offensive lyrics. Rapper Master P has responded by forming a record label "with 100% clean lyrics" with his son, Romeo. The two have started Take A Stand Records, which will feature only those artists who have pledged to be role models, with proceeds going toward scholarship funds for underprivileged kids.

Although Master P admits he was once part of the problem and profited from explicit rap lyrics, he is now ready "to be part of the solution." While he doesn't expect "the entire industry to change overnight," Master P says, "There's too much negativity out there - enough with the stereotypes. Hip-hop is a movement, and it is time for it to move forward." Word.

Take A Stand's first socially responsible release is due in the fall, and will be a collaboration between P and Romeo called Hip Hop History.

Meanwhile, 50 Cent and T.I. each had something to say about the situation during the press conference on May 16 announcing the nominees for the BET Awards.

50 Cent 's comments started by pointing out what is, in his mind, a more important situation. "I think for a moment a lot of people forgot that our country's at war. They'll point to usage of content in music like hip-hop and say it maybe influences violence on some levels and not point to actual films that are released and have similar content. I personally believe on every level that it's easier to attack an individual than it is to go after a corporation. They'll go after a specific hip-hop artist as opposed to a Paramount or a Columbia Pictures."

After being questioned directly on whether 50 will continuye to use the words "bitch", "ho", or "nigger" in his music, 50 responded, "Music is a mirror and hip-hop is a reflection of the environment we grew up in, the harsh realities. If I ask you to paint a picture of the American flag and not use the color red, you'd have a difficult time. So to capture what we're trying to in this art form, I'm sure some conservative Americans can't actually ID with it because of their lifestyle and the way they've been brought up. They haven't been exposed to these realities. I understand it. I'm actually angry at some points when I'm confused or I don't have information. Again, I understand why I'm constantly being attacked on some levels. It's difficult to find hip-hop that has had any success that hasn't had content on some level that was a little racy."

Adding his perspective, an impassioned T.I. remarked, "What 50 was trying to put into words without losing his temper is it all starts at home. I'm a father of five. And my kids watch BET. They watch all kinds of videos, they watch movies, they listen to music, they like 50 and Lil' Wayne, whomever you can mention. But when my children look at these videos or listen to this music, I don't care how impressionable it is. They know they aren't going to have to deal with 50. They're going to have to deal with daddy. And that's the way it starts."

Against loud applause, T.I. continued, "We look to rappers, athletes and stars to raise our children instead of ourselves. To blame hip-hop when they should be looking in the mirror and blaming themselves ... you know, how much more time could I have been there for my child? I'm on CD. He [the child] listens to me but I can't listen back. I don't know what he's getting from it. You do. You know when you wake up and see him dressed in a shirt you've never seen him in before, and you figure this could be the beginning of something, why don't you stop and talk to him about it. Ask where he got the shirt from. If you don't do that, it will grow into something bigger and bigger."

"The things I say come from the life that I used to live," he said. "And this is a harsh reality. Now, maybe most of you were fortunate enough to not have ever dealt with that. Most of you all don't know what it's like to have to sell some dope or you aren't going to have nothing to eat for the next three days. Most of you all don't know what that life is like. I know the B-word, the H-word and the N-word are the words under attack right now. And I don't know if you know it or not, people, but there are b*tches, n*ggas and hos who live in America. And as long as that fact exists, I think rappers deserve the right to talk about it."

Credit to: TMZ.com, Billboard.com

Thoughts?

Dr Fever · Post by **Dr Fever** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:56 pm

so, are we trying to turn this country into some kind of quasi-futuristic version of some kind of "leave it to beaver"/"my three sons"-esque society??

good lord.

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:33 pm

Kudos to 50, TI, AND P for doing what they believe is the right thing to do.

I hope the community stands behind all of them in their efforts.

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:45 pm

And I don't know if you know it or not, people, but there are b*tches, n*ggas and hos who live in America. And as long as that fact exists, I think rappers deserve the right to talk about it."

I guess that about sums it up...

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:48 pm

I would make a certain reference to someone....

But nahhhhh....

EZ103.3FM · Post by **EZ103.3FM** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:31 am

So to capture what we're trying to in this art form, I'm sure some conservative Americans can't actually ID with it because of their lifestyle and the way they've been brought up.

'...art form...'

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:59 am

Sure it's an artform. I have enormous respect for anything that I can't do! But just because we don't understand it or can't relate to it doesn't mean it's any less legit. But I can't shake the feeling that rap music as a whole is being judged from this perspective, by people who don't "get" the intrinsics of it.

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:11 am

Wow. Finally, someone who "gets" it.

Thanks, Spike.

Hoosier Daddy · Post by **Hoosier Daddy** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:19 am

SPIKE NESMITH! wrote:... rap music as a whole is being judged from this perspective, by people who don't "get" the intrinsics of it.

I'm waiting for someone who "gets it" to explain it to me.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat May 19, 2007 2:00 pm

So, let's say I grew up having sex with same-aged little girls from next door. Is it OK for me to rap about subject matter that is, in effect, pedophilia?

I highly suspect it wouldn't be.

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Sat May 19, 2007 5:33 pm

Lester, that's a retarded example and you know that.

Until you've lived there, in that world, you really don't know.

Lester, the equivilent would be a Soldier's life. Like yours. Or a Full-Time Soldier. Someone who gets sent over for long periods of time. You can explain what that world is like...but the people listening will never fully "get it."

[/please don't take that as a true comparison. Just using an example you'd understand]

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:22 pm

Rap is only reflecting the way people that it is primarily targeted to speak, the way that country talks about bass boats, cheatin' and drinking and the way that opera....well whatever it is that they talk about.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:51 pm

Bob Loblaw wrote:Lester, that's a retarded example and you know that.

It is? How so? I'd be rapping about "what I know"... and if my story is true, I am highly offended that you would call my example "retarded". Obviously, you don't "get it".

Greg Goodfellow · Post by **Greg Goodfellow** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:56 pm

Daveinthemorning wrote:

'the way that opera....well whatever it is that they talk about.'

They talk about the fat lady.

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Sat May 19, 2007 6:59 pm

So, if your first time was before the age of 18, and you talk about it now that you're over-age, is it pedophilia?

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat May 19, 2007 7:04 pm

If you're 15 and take nude pictures of your 15 year old girlfriend, you can end up as a registered sex offender... so I'd say "yes".

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:25 pm

Pictures of nude underage children and discussing, as an adult, losing your virginity at the age of 14, are WORLDS apart on the Pedophilia scale.

Your argument is still retarded.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:03 pm

Only because you don't "get it". Just like violent hip-hop lyrics are retarded.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:22 pm

But how are they retarded if they are just reflecting the life they live or see every day?

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:58 pm

I try to be open to everything, including music.

Though I'll likely never fully "get" everything hip-hop talks about, as I've never lived in the projects, I try to at least see where they are coming from. I find the violent lyrics a turn-off as well. But I realize that they are trying to tell us a story about what ghetto life is like, which is very, very much different from typical White America...

Conversely, I mostly feel the same about country music. While the lyrical content is clean, I find much of it trite and boring. I can't relate with it very well. I find the narrow-mindedness that seems to accompany much of country music culture (i.e. the crucification of the Dixie Chicks for having an opinion) outright disgusting.

But I can still see the cultural reference points from which the music and the greater lifestyle is inspired.

Any way you cut it, censorship is un-American. If the hip-hop artists voluntarily agree to self-censorship, that's one thing. But if the government ever takes a keen interest in this, then we are all in big trouble.

We've already been kicked down the slippery slope of big government censorship. The objective now is to slow us down as much as possible. But I fear that long-term, it is already too late...

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Hip Hop Reacts To Lyric Censorship...

Hip Hop Reacts To Lyric Censorship...

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