Never fear, Russell Simmons is here! The hip hop pioneer has a solution to the Imus-spurred public relations crisis hip hop is going through: do the same ineffective thing you’ve always done, but this time more rigorously. In other words, continue to ban “bitch,” “ho,” and “nigga” from the airwaves, but this time let’s not let any slip through the cracks! It’s the Iraq War approach to problem-solving. I don’t get it, but maybe that’s why I’m neither rich nor powerful.
Expressing concern about the “growing public outrage” over the use of such words in rap lyrics, Simmons said the words “bitch,” “ho” and “nigger” should be considered “extreme curse words.”
“We recommend (they’re) always out,” Simmons, the pioneering entrepreneur who made millions of dollars as he helped shape hip-hop culture, said in an interview Monday. “This is a first step. It’s a clear message and a consistency that we want the industry to accept for more corporate social responsibility.”
Last week, Simmons called a private meeting of influential music industry executives to discuss the issue. However, no music executives were associated with Monday’s announcement by Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
Calls to Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Atlantic Records were not returned. The Recording Industry Association of America and Warner Music Group declined to comment.
Reaction to the announcement was mixed.
Of course curse words and racial epithets need to be kept off radio versions of songs, which kids of all ages listen to. Who is going to argue with that basic principle? At the same time, bleeping out a word or changing “bitches” to “ladies” won’t always change the meaning of the song or keep young people who don’t know any better from buying or, more likely, downloading the uncut version. Whether the content of popular hip hip is a problem that needs to be solved or a core characteristic of the genre that true fans understand, it’s a situation that lies in the hands of the rappers writing the songs, not music execs. Or am I just being a bitch?
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No, you aren’t being a bitch, this whole “idea” is ridiculous. I don’t understand why people like Russell and Kevin Liles are so afraid to say that those rappers need to clean up their acts! What’s with that? Do they really believe what those guys are talking about? Sure, there are some women out there who find themselves in compromising positions, but that doesn’t mean a damn song needs to be pushed onto the airwaves to tell the dirty deeds. Especially not when there’s so much more that Black people need to be concerned about in this world, forget this country…this world.
I agree 100%, Lauren. The speech lies in the hands of the artist. I think critics and consumers alike will let the artist know whether his or her craft is appreciated.
By the way, Russell Simmons was on The Colbert Report last night and it was the worst CR show I’ve ever seen. Not only did he come off as impatient, angry, and pushy, but also racist. All this while promoting some spirituality = wealth book. Boooo, Russell. Booooo.
[…] • Let’s fight misogyny with censorship! Perfect solution! [SH] […]
This entire “rappers need to clean up their acts” debate wouldn’t even be an issue (well, not as much), if Simmons and other power players pushed other forms of hiphop as hard as they do the gangsta/playa. Basically, this is all about marketing - with enough money, you can sell anything to anyone but a puppet like Russ is so afraid to lose some chedda. Fuck that. The minds of the up and coming generation are at stake, and the last thing they need is to constant see themselves as bitches, hos, and niggas. Life is already hard enough without such a mental blockade.
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