CONGRESSIONAL HEARING TO LOOK INTO HIP HOP LYRICS AND IMAGES

Congressional hearing in the works to discuss the degradation of black women and hip hop

Hip Hop will be on the frontlines later this month when a congressional hearing is convened on September 25th. The hearing, which hasn’t been officially announced, will be titled From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degradation, and the content of hip hop videos and lyrics is one of the topics that will be discussed. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, said, “I want to engage not just the music industry but the entertainment industry at large to be part of a solution….I want to talk to executives at these conglomerates who’ve never taken a public position on what they produce. But it’s been surprisingly very difficult to get them to commit to appearing.”

So far, Philippe Dauman of Viacom, Doug Morris of Universal Music Group, Edgar Bronfman Jr. of Warner Music Group and rapper Master P are scheduled to appear as witnesses, but the list is still being finalized.

“Absolutely you know I think that’s first and foremost. We got to raise the standards in our own homes, you know what I’m sayin’? Like, like the quality of life has to be raised in order for us… You know the music is just a part of it.”

Rush added, “I respect the First Amendment, but rights without responsibility is anarchy, and that’s much of what we have now. It’s time for responsible people to stand up and accept responsibility.”

T.I. agrees that people need to take responsibility but he believes it starts in the home with parenting and improving the overall quality of life. The rapper said,