Congress Examines Hip-Hop Language

Rappers, Music Execs, Lawmakers At Subcommittee Hearing

(CBS/AP)  Lawmakers, music industry executives and rappers disagreed Tuesday over who was to blame for sexist and degrading language in hip-hop music but united in opposing government censorship as a solution.

"If by some stroke of the pen hip-hop was silenced, the issues would still be present in our communities," rapper and record producer David Banner, whose real name is Levell Crump, said in prepared statements to a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing. "Drugs, violence and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop existed."

At the hearing, music videos showing scantily clad women were played; music executives in dark suits testified on the uses of the "B," H" and "N" words, and black civil rights leaders talked of corporate exploitation.

"We have allowed greedy corporate executives -- especially those in the entertainment industry -- to lead many of our young people to believe that it is OK to entertain themselves by destroying the culture of our people," E. Faye Williams, chair of the National Congress of Black Women, said in prepared remarks.

"From Imus to Industry: The business of stereotypes and degrading images" was the title of the hearing, referring to former radio host Don Imus, who lost his job after making derogatory comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team. The Imus incident has sparked debate within the music industry about black artists using offensive, misogynist and violent language.

Former rapper Master P, whose real name is Percy Miller, told the panel he is now committed to producing clean lyrics. In the past, seeing his relatives and friends shot and killed, "I just made the music that I feel, not realizing I'm affecting kids for tomorrow." But he said he found he didn't want his own children to listen to his music. "So if I can do anything today to change this, I'm going to take a stand and do that."

"This hearing is not anti-hip hop. I am a fan of hip hop," said subcommittee chairman Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who gained national prominence in the 1960s as the founder of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers. But he said there was a need "to address the issue of violence, hate and degradation that has reduced too many of our youngsters to automatons."

Record company executives defended the parental guidance labels and edited versions they said keep the more controversial material away from children and stressed that uniform standards or censorship won't work.

In the '50s people were deeply offended by Elvis Presley, and a decade later many were scandalized by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, said Edgar Bronfman Jr., chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group.

"We have a responsibility to speak authentically to our viewers," said Philippe Dauman, president & CEO of Viacom Inc., which owns such cable networks as MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET.

He said his company takes an active role in editing obscenities out of music videos and excising gang symbols or portrayals of violence, but "we also believe that it is not our role to censor the creative expression of artists."

Alfred Liggins III, chief executive officer of Radio One, Inc., one of the largest media companies that primarily serves African-Americans, said the company reviews the contents of songs before broadcasting them and takes care to comply with Federal Communications Commission guidelines. But "Radio One is also not in charge of creating content, or in the business of censorship or determining what is in good or bad taste."

"The language and the music we use, we understand it, most of us are not offended by it. It's adult music. When you see the parental advisory on it that makes it a choice, so parents have a choice. The whole thing is crazy and upsets me," Chicago rapper Twista told The ShowBuzz last week in reference to the hearing. "Rap is getting a bad rap and we're taking the blame for everything."

The hearing was reminiscent of, although tamer than, a similar event in 1985. At the earlier hearing, lawmakers where exposed to Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" and Twisted Sister's "We're Not Going to Take It," and the late rocker Frank Zappa hurled insults at Tipper Gore, wife of then-Sen. Al Gore, and Susan Baker, wife of then Treasury Secretary James Baker, who were urging the recording industry to voluntarily police itself on song lyrics.

[agnim]

CRUCIFIXION! American version

BARABBAS -- Mass murdering US President with his HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DEAD BODIES IN IRAQ!

JESUS -- Talkative & Insane Islamic Iranian Preeacher with his hundreds of MERE WORDS!

And the violence-loving Jews AGAIN yelled, "Crucify him!"
"Crucify him!"

"Crucify amadenijad, the WORDSMITH!"

"And give us bush, the warmongering MASS MURDERER!"

Some things never seem to change with the Jews. LOL

Message?

Americans, save yourselves from the wicked & wanton slaughter!
Extricate yourselves from the Middle East madness of endless vengeance and violence, which has been going on among Middle East war lovers for thousands of years now!

[agnim]

"Please, tell me this article is a joke!
Posted by oleander8 at 01:36 PM : Sep 26, 2007"

It''s no ''joke''.
It''s just another of the DIVERSIONARY topics to keep Americans dumbed down with respect to real issues.

That is why Americans were so shocked on 911: They have been put to sleep by the blood sucking vampires of private sector media.

[oleander8]

Please, tell me this article is a joke!

[emma915]

"If by some stroke of the pen hip-hop was silenced, the issues would still be present in our communities," rapper and record producer David Banner, whose real name is Levell Crump, said in prepared statements to a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing. "Drugs, violence and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop existed."

What STUPID reasoning!!! If this is the case, then we demand that our leaders pass laws to those who choose to degradate their own to KEEP IT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. If that''s their way of life, and they choose to "entertain" themselves with rapping about it, do not allow them to pollute the entire nation''s children with it. Until the women in that "culture" realize what''s being done to them, we can do nothing for them. To allow them to sell it to the world via songs and movies is a bad thing. Can''t they see why people stereotype them? I feel sorry for those of color who are trying so hard to raise their children to respect themselves and the color of their skin.

If they bring this to the forefront of the entertainment industry, then they cannot continue to call people like Imus racist! Bringing it out of their communities and into ours makes it mainstream, so buck up and smile at the fact that all those racists who like the beat of the music are putting big money in your low-slung pockets.

[agnim]

"Congress Examines Hip-Hop Language"

Congress should be more concerned with the BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS, with their participation in the MASS MURDER OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN IRAQ.

We waste time as a nation over MERE WORDS, while America''s MASS MURDERING IN IRAQ is ignored!

[name_verify]

Negros have a secret code language.

[rushlimpdrug]

next on their agenda:
Congress to examine the porn industry.

[hwy71so]

The issues are there because those in that environment wear them like a badge of honor!!!!!

[babyj0205]

CONGRESS IS CRAZY AND ALL THE REST OF OUR WORTHLESS CONGRESSMEN.ALL THE PROBLEMS THATS GOING ON AND WERE DISCUSSING HIPHOP.MAYBE ITS TYME FOR ANOTHER BRIBE TO SHUT THEM UP

[setumstrt9]

Our tax payers money hard at work. Way to go Dems!!!

[crater7]

WOW!

NOW THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS, I''M SO GLAD TO SEE OUR CONGRESS TAKING ON THE HARD ISSUES OF THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR COUNTRY. THIS ISSUE RANKS WELL ABOVE THOSE UMIMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE, LETS SEE, IRAQ, IRAN, HOUSING CRASH, ECONOMY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, HOMELAND SECURITY, HIGH MEDICAL COST AND CHIDREN WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.RISING FOOD COST, RISING TAXES, SKY-HIGH FUEL COST, OUTSOURCING OF MIDDLE CLASS JOBS, OH-OH, LETS NOT FORGET THAT UNIMPORTANT ISSUE OF TAINTED FOOD AND POISION TOYS IMPORTED FROM CHINA. THERE ARE LOTS MORE UNIMPORTANT ISSUE THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED.

STAY THE COURSE................

[mike71067]

"Congress Examines Hip-Hop Language"??

What''s there to ezamine? The lyrics are stupid and vulgar, and the "music" sounds like a pair of sneakers bouncing around in a dryer.

[speakinup]

bobgee_1999, I believe crzmeat just proved yuor point.

[olebd]

OH HE*LL TO THE NO!

I like the idea that payola is the only reason why this form of whatever it is has been able to stick around for so long.

It is very amusing. Some go as far as to call it a culture. I think of it more as a circus act. Clowns like the baggy clothes too.

[navyretired2]

"Maybe the American public should convene to determine if Congress should be allowed to exist--they are about as worthless and as immoral as a republican trolling for **** love in a restroom or a democrat with bribe money in the freezer.
Posted by toldyouso21 at 01:43 AM : Sep 26, 2007"

I''m down yo! Hook ''dat *** up DAWG!

[Krazcarl]

bobgee1999...Seeings your so inteligent what point were you trying to make it escapes me. Your drunk or a troll...hows my spelling

[bobgee_1999]

But he said there was a need "to address the issue of violence, hate and degradation that has reduced too many of our youngsters to automatons."

No, it was stupidity that did that. Most people are stupid (especially the twit that said any particular type of music raised IQ scores). It is hardly surprising that stupid people are attracted to stupid music. It''s like the old thing about violent cartoons causing violent kids (when it could just as easily be that violent kids are attracted to violent cartoons). Most people that post on this site can''t even spell or form a coherent sentence; it''s far too much to expect critical thinking from them.

[Krazcarl]

I''m not a fan of hip-hop not my style of music but nevertheless if folks want it cool lets not get into artist rights to express themselves as they see fit that''s a very slippery slope and the goverment has no business there, like the old poem it was OK till they knocked at my door.

[billpl-2009]

nothing to worry about anymore

Jackson buried the n-word...the world is now safe

LOL

[michellem99-2009]

Black folks can write decent music in hip hop. The gents are right they may understand it but it is lowering themselves..I see more white folks into to it..I see no need to call each other the H and the N word. We as a people can''t combat the gang issues as long they will disgrace themselve in hip hop, baggy clothes, if the black folks dealt with this and cleaned their acts up then congress would not have get in this issue. I have seen somes of the visuals and frankly they are poor in every way. Now white folfs are not off the hook..Censering it won''t work as they will still put it out...WARNING ON THEIR CDS is the way to go..