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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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Two senators who are active in the fight against violent and sexually explicit videogames today joined the Entertaintment Software Ratings Board in touting new public-service announcements about the board’s ratings system for such games.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., called the PSAs “a great first step” toward educating parents, consumers and retailers about the voluntary ratings. “[W]hat’s essential is that we don’t overlook the real impact on our children that games can have if they’re too young to really understand and can’t really cope with what’s coming at them.”

She added that when games are rated “M” for “mature,” that should mean something both to the people who buy the games and to those who sell them. The PSAs are designed achieve that goal, Clinton said. “It’s the holiday season, and these PSAs are great gift for parents.” Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., joined her at the press conference.

Clinton also mentioned a media guide for parents that she has on her Senate Web site. “Parents are really hungry for this information,” she said. “They want to know how to navigate this new world. … The bottom line is what parents don’t know can hurt their kids.”

The PSAs feature the presidents of Best Buy and GameStop, companies that have policies against selling M-rated games to children younger than 17 and T-rated games (for “teen”) to children younger than 13. The PSAs have made their way onto the YouTube video-sharing site, along with previous PSAs featuring elected officials like Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Here are samples: