It was only a matter of time before Capitol Hill weighed in on matters concerning sixteen bars, video girls and foul language.
In a move reminiscent of the congressional hearings of the 90’s surrounding “gangsta rap,” Illinois Senator Bobby Rush is calling for a special hearing that will focus on misogyny and degradation, with a special focus on the degradation of black women in the industry.
An article that appears on Variety‘s web site states the hearing will focus primarily on Hip Hop lyrics, but Rush says he is not targeting any particular genre, medium or artist. In addition to artists, Rush wants to talk to the individuals at the top.
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“I want to talk to executives at these conglomerates who’ve never taken a public position on what they produce,”Rush said. “But it’s been surprisingly very difficult to get them to commit to appearing.”
The hearing, titled From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degradation is tentatively set for Sept. 25. The witness list is still being compiled and as of press time, Master P is the only artist slated to attend.
Others on the list are said to include Philippe Dauman of Viacom and Doug Morris of Universal Music Group.
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Rush vows to take a holistic approach to the hearing and wants to hear from those on all sides of the spectrum; those who make the music, those who market the music, and those affected by the music.
Members of African American women’s interest groups have also been invited to attend and speak.
For Hip Hop fans who fear that new censorship laws may surface from the hearing, Rush says that he supports the First Amendment entitling artists to freedom of speech, but also supports artistic responsibility.
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“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.”
