Congress Hears The Rap Against Rap Music
September 30, 2007, 4:10pm
For more than two decades, Congress had its own “Rappin’ Rep” in the form of New York Democrat Major Owen, who retired at the beginning of this year. But that strain of modern music, much of it marked by violent and profane lyrics, is still relatively unknown to most lawmakers in Congress.
All the more reason to hold a hearing about it, don’t you think? That’s just what the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection did last week — and it generated some pointed commentary from rappers and lawmakers alike. Here’s a sampling, via video excerpts compiled by CapNews.Net.
- Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill.: “You can’t justify to me the use of the word nigger because my slavemaster used it. … [T]here is no justification at all. My slavemaster raped my mama and my ancestors. I am not going to buy into that. … I can’t condone that at all. I have to deny that approach. I do not want to adopt the morays, the metaphors, the machinations and the mentality of my slavemaster. I want to move myself and my community from those kinds of anchors.”
- Rapper/producer Levell Crump (aka, David Banner): “Traditionally, multibillion-dollar industries have thrived on the premise of violence, sexuality and derogatory content. This capitalistic trend was not created nor introduced by hip-hop. It has been here. It is the American way. … Hip-hop is sick because America is sick. … If Congress wants to change hip-hop, they can charge with Congress Heights. That’s right down the block. If you want to see why we rap the way that we rap, go to Congress Heights.”
- Rapper/producer Percy Miller (aka, Master P): “It’s definitely a problem from society, but we are inflaming this problem by not being responsible, and I want to take that responsibility.”
- Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.: “I come to work every single day trying to do better for the people that you’re sending your message to. My question to you is, are you willing to try to do better in communicating a message that is more positive?” To which Crump responded: “I am willing to work harder to change the conditions in which I come out of so maybe I won’t have to talk about it. … There’s nothing that you can look at in my music and say that it doesn’t exist in my community.”
Categories: Illinois, Massachusetts, Entertainment, Civil Liberties, Edward Markey, Culture, Bobby Rush
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