Rapper Ludacris on Giving a Hand Up, Not a Handout

Rapper and actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges was in Washington this week to present Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) with an award from his charity the Ludacris Foundation – but first he stopped by CBS News' Washington bureau and the set of "Washington Unplugged."

Ludacris told moderator John Dickerson he works to "give a hand up, not a handout."

"I like helping kids who want to help themselves," he said. The Ludacris Foundation helps expand the arts to middle school and high school children.

"They need more individuals stepping up to the plate," the rapper said of children his foundation helps.

On giving the Congressional Leadership award to Congresswoman Waters, Ludacris said "I just think she is a great woman and a great individual." He suggested the relationship between the two bridged the generation gap.

In a later interview, Waters praised the rapper for reaching out to her generation. "For more mature people like me to be recognized by younger people is really important," she said.

She argued that Ludacris' style of music should be more widely accepted.

"The hip hop culture has a profound influence on our country on our young people – for many many years it has been known as violent or vulgar," she said. "Instead of running away from it we should embrace it."

Hip hop was not the only thing Waters defended – she explained her recent comment that her colleague Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) is only one of many members of Congress who may "make mistakes" when filing tax forms and following ethics rules.

"We live in the real world," Waters said, defiantly. "Mistakes are going to be made in your life."

Members of Congress, she complained, have to have "full time lawyers, full time accountants…yes mistakes are going to made."

"Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.