http://www.blackvoicesblogs.com/2007/04/30/rev-al-sharpton-taking-it-to-the-streets/


Who knew that two weeks after Don Imus's ouster and Oprah Winfrey's big "Town Hall" meeting, the saga demonizing hip-hop culture would continue.

Last week "Hip-Hop CEO" Russell Simmons asked the industry to ban "The N-Word," "The B-Word" and "The H-Word."

This week, Reverend Al Sharpton is staging a "March of Decency."


On May 3, the former presidential candidate and formidable civil rights activist will co-lead a march from Sony Music's United States headquarters on Madison Avenue and continue to Time Warner's Columbus Circle headquarters.
Universal Music Group's Broadway offices are also a part of the marching trail.

"I think it is important that we make a strong appeal as consumers to demand standards that will not offend us or dehumanize us based on race, gender or any other category," Sharpton said. "This march will be lead by Tamika Mallory, Councilwoman Darlene Mealy and other women, but we encourage that it be attended and supported by all and I am proud to be a part of it."

According to Sharpton's longtime spokeswoman Rachel Noerdlinger, the children of late "Godfather of Soul" James Brown will also march. May 3 would've been the music pioneer's 74th birthday.

Through its new Decency Initiative, the Sharpton-helmed National Action Network will call for record companies implement a code of conduct for artist in their lyrics. The primary focus of the march is to protest sexism, racism, and homophobia in music and the image that is perpetuated in the recording industry that glamorizes misogyny, Noerdlinger explained.

Such BS in my mind.

I don't think anything should be banned, I just think it should voluntarily be less commonplace. I'm generally opposed to censorship, and in some rare cases powerful language is useful for artistic expression. At the same time I think it's overused and past the point of being powerful. The most moving hip-hop I know (and I've heard some interesting "underground" stuff too) was Public Enemy, and they didn't rely on naughty language to make their points.

When Tipper Gore first proposed the explicit lyrics warnings I was against it, but somewhere along the line I heard an argument that made sense to me. Too often some well meaning but uninformed uncle ends up buying some foul mouthed stuff for his 8 year old niece and it's embarrassing to him and the family.

People should have a right to know what they're buying in music in the same way they know what kind of movie they may be taking a child to. Imagine if many kids movies had "R" rated content and there was no way of knowing what you were in for till it was too late. At least with movies there are rules such that kids can't go to R movies without permission from adults, but the same certainly isn't true for music, especially in the computer age.

Censorship sucks, but so too does children being exposed to adult language and themes without an adult's permission. if censorship is the wrong way, and it probably is, what then is the right way to assist grownups who don't want their children exposed?

If they ban certain words thats bull**** cuz thats not the problem. The problem is the record companies are pushing this music. Hip-hop is the most broad musical artform ever. A song like "Throw some D's on it", "Ballin", or whatever nonsense that's out is only the half of what the music is capable of.

As a grown man, I don't listen to the radio at all and haven't done so in about 6 or More years. Some stations claim to be "where hip-hop lives". Let me tell you something. I AM HIP-HOP! How is someone gonna tell me where hip-hop lives and they don't even play the hip-hop I like.

How do I stay in tune to what I like? Well since they don't play the artists I like on the radio I have to keep my ear to the ground and look for something to come up.

For example, Krs-1 hasn't made a "hit record" since the mid 90s and the dude still puts out albums no thanks to any promotion other than somebody else that fell out of the spotlight droping his name. He is supposed to have an album drop this fall and the only reason I know that is through a public access show! They just happened to have DJ premier, who is a legendary DJ that is not getting played not that he every really was anyway, on there and he mentioned he just finished working on it with Krs-1.

That is the problem right there. Again, I'm a grown ass man. I have kids and I am around other kids in my family. The kids can like hip-hop just as much as I do, but they will not hear anything the radio is playing in my house!!! Nor would anyone tolerate any nonsense booty music, or over the top lyrics that seem to just curse and carry on for no reason.

If the music is not making you think, painting a picture or expressing a possitive feeling, what the hell is the point of listening to it? Music is supposed to define a generation. The last 5 years have been oblivion. Only when people look back on this era will they realize how out of touch with reality they were at the time and be embarrassed.

Anyway, there always was demoralizing music out there but we New Yorkers didn't buy that ****! All the 2live crew nonsense, nwa, corny ass MC hammer? No way in hell. The industry signs and promotes the market. Public enemy still make music. They come out with albums every couple years. They have a project coming out soon as well. They will never get the support of a major label. A lot of them are making them themselves and promoting it like they are just coming into the business.

What sells? Beats and catchy hooks. That's what they are pumping. All this down south crap is not hip-hop. Its a minstrel show. The industry is signing the losers left and right. There is a new artist everyday sounding the same. They have New Yorkers putting out downsouth music. People don't even know who they are. Back when hip-hop was in its prime EVERYBODY sounded different. If someone copied another, THEY WERE WACK!!! And they fell off the face of the earth like they should. Yes some of the major labels are run by black guys. They are worse than anything cuz they know what it is, instead they are playing "the game" like the major labels did to them so they can make their money. Funny **** is their labels are under the umbrella of the major distributors so it doesn't even matter anyway.

The most anticipated artist that I personally am waiting to hear more from is Killah. Yeah the killah that posts on this board. Ever heard any of his material? I like his sound and what he is trying to say. You heard that from me.

Al sharpton is a idiot. He is a clown that has a little rep and thinks that he is the Marcus garvey of his day. If the idiot was marching for stricter penalties for people that sell explicit lyric material to minors then it would make sense. That's not the case.

Who is listening to this crap? The kids!!! That includes the club hoppers nowadays. Yeah you wanna dance and have fun but the music today sounds like you are going to jail rather than a party.

Again that's the industry.

The industry doesn't control me so I don't give a ****. Its when they are talking about banning and censoring **** is when it is being taken outta hand.

MTV is pushing this ****. The record companies are pumping it. The radio stations are breeding it. Its all bull****.

I'm very passionate about this topic the same way I am about gentrification and whatever nonsense that is going on in AMERICA.

Thing is everyone is hiding behind so many masks that things are just gonna get worse and people will where the "times change" mask.

Whatever.

I am not into Rap but I will sign under everything you sad.
It is not just about Rap.
This is old story. I am 25 years Hard Rock and Heavy Metal fan and all I can add to the list of my favourite artists is S.O.A.D, Corn, and Goodsmack... Not too much and they are not even close to masters yet if ever get there.
The quality music is still done by guys who are now in their 50th.
Music industry and mainstream radio/tv stations pushing crap all 25 years I am following music.
Music should have soul into it and who cares if lyrics have f-word.
If it is crap it is crap.
The things they fear most is the music with the meaning and purpose because it is a powerfill thing to fight the lies and buls..t that establishment is pushing into us.

sharpton is a racist piece of trash, that has no cred to anyone that has half a brain. This guy constantly ruins reputations, puts blame where it doesn't belong, and preaches to people that lack intelligence to think for themselves in order to use them for personal and financial gain.

HE is an attention whore that needs to be stopped because he does more to foster hate and the overall lack of accountability that people need, he gives people an excuse to be angry when in fact, it only does more to hold them back.

His racist fat ass was there insighting the crown heights riots, the twana sprawley case, the duke lax case, and has used far worst language than imus. How this piece of human garbage is a loud to publicly make any comments is beyond me.

Anytime anyone brings up hip hop, its an expression of the streets, its talk about tough love, etc. There are a ton of great artists out there and blame has to fall on the record execs for giving creative freedom to gang banging fools that are two steps away from jail....If it was actually legitimate on sharptons part, this would be a good thing but he is the paris hilton of politics