Hip Hop Hearings on Capitol Hill are Explosive
by Davey D

As you know Congress held hearings on Hip Hop yesterday up on Capitol Hill. Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush wanted to see why there is so much music being pushed by corporations that highlight racial stereotypes and disrespect toward women. Overall the hearings were explosive from the start. One of the Congressmen from New York Anthony D Weiner, posed the question as to why artists today don’t step it up and do like artists did in the past and pen songs that talk about social issues in the community. He cited Shinehead who at the height of the crack epidemic in the late 80s saw fit to write a song that spoke out against crack. He wanted to know why we don’t see more artists who have different types of conversations like the way Tribe Called Quest or Brand Nubian did in year’s past.

Weiner also noted that Congress won’t be able to solve this issue of questionable content, because it’s a business decision. He talked about the move Chamillionaire made to not curse on his new album. He suggested that Chamillionaire was making a shrewd business decision to fill a void and capture an audience that doesn’t want to hear cursing. He hoped that other artists would see the wisdom in this and follow his lead.

The hearings consisted of three panels. I could only peep the first two due to long delays that took the Congressmen to the house floor. I will get the audio for the women’s panel which I heard was compelling.

The first panel featured folks from the music industry. Here we heard some extremely weak remarks from record label and commercial radio executives that included Doug Morris of Universal Records, Ed Broffman of Warner Brothers Records, Philippe Dauman of Viacom and Alfred Liggins of Radio One…

All these clowns sat there and acted like they were giving one big commercial. The cat from Viacom was especially sorry because he started pointing out that BET was now positive because they now feature early morning gospel shows. He bragged about the TV show they have where they’re looking for the next big gospel singer. I felt like jumping through the TV and asking, where the hell is Teen Summit’? Why did you bozos take off that Emmy Award winning show?

I felt like jumping through the TV and shaking dude up and asking ‘Where the hell is Tavis Smiley? What happened to Ed Gordon? How come we don’t have BET Nightly News anymore?

The folks who really need to be reached and ideally inspired aren’t rushing to wake up super early on a sunday morning to watch a gospel show. If gospel is really hittin’ that hard, then why isn’t it running right after Rap City or right before 106 & Park? We would’ve heard a lot of buzz around this new gospel show like we did when BET put on Hot Ghetto Mess.

What’s interesting to note is that BET CEO Debra Lee was in the audience but she didn’t get up to speak. I guess she didn’t wanna have Congress grilling her about all the good church people led by Reverend Coates who apparently didn’t get the memo and showed up 500 deep at her home last weekend to protest their dis-satisfaction with BET programming. I guess all those good church folks who were protesting hadn’t seen BET’s new gospel show.

Note to Debra Lee-It’s not that hard. There’s not much to do. Just put on some smart relevant shows that will reach our youth-iHint-Bring Back Teen Summit.

With respect to the label heads Morris and Broffman, they backed away from taking any sort of responsibility for what they put out as they attempted to paint a rosy picture of their record labels. Like the viacom cat they cited all sorts of projects their working on including jazz and country albums. It was comical watching them scurry around all the questions and downplay the important role rap music plays in making them rich. In fact at one point Morris who heads up Universal which includes Intersscope and Def Jam made the outlandish statement that rap is only a ’small part’ of what they sell.

At another point Morris claimed that he doesn’t censor his artists and they can put out what they want. That statement was later contradicted by David Banner who is on Universal. Too bad no one in Congress knew enough to ask Morris why Young Buck wasn’t allowed to put out his anti-police song.

What Broffman and Morris wound up doing was trying to flip the script and lobby for more protection from piracy on the Internet. They started crying about how all their music is being stolen. I guess they were hoping that somehow we would blame the Internet for any questionable material they release. Luckily the Congressman Weiner from New York stepped in and shut that argument down.

He seemed annoyed that Morris wasn’t following all the hearings Congress has had on Internet piracy. He pointed them out and looked at the label executives as if he wanted to say “Damn we held these hearings to help y’all dumb asses out-why don’t you know about them?’ He even told Morris if you wanna have a discussion about the Internet and whether or not music is really being stolen he can come back next week for a whole other hearing.

I guess when you’re the CEO of a big record label it’s hard to keep up on the political happenings that your record label spends lots of money lobbying Congress to do.

For those who don’t know, the major labels spends thousands of dollars each year lobbying Congress to pass laws that will limit what we can and can’t do on the Internet under the guise of protecting their precious copyrights. This would include the recently passed increased royalty rates for Internet Radio. This would include the attempts to get former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to put forth a far reaching, punitive Intellectual Property-copyright Bill.

Hell a few years ago, the record labels lobbied Congress to pass a law so they could keep those copyrights and not have them revert back to the original owners because they feared the Internet. Morris who heads up the largest and richest record label seemed to somehow not know this when he asked Congress to help them out. Even though he’s a white dude I yelled at my TV’ Negroe Please…stop wasting our time.’

The testimony from Alfred Liggins of Radio One was even more sickening. I’ll give him credit cause he showed up. I know Clear Channel and Emmis were invited, but them cats never stepped foot in the door. I told Rush’s office when they hit us up about the hearings, if Clear Channel shows up, me and couple of other folks will most definitely show up to testify and do like Too Short ‘Blow the Whistle’ on their shady shannigans.

Anyway with respect to Liggins, he went on an on about how Radio One does Gospel Shows and that was their tangible proof that his radio chain has a commitment to uplifting the community. (Please note how everyone likes to falls back on those Sunday morning 4am Gospel shows to prove how ‘good’ they are). Like Isaid before, if Gospel is that good, play Yolanda Adams right after Lil Scrappy at 5 in the afternoon. If Gospel is what everyone is rushing towards, have that bumping on Saturday night alongside Fiddy Cent during the mixshows. Hell play some Christian Hip Hop. There are hundreds of groups out there who have bumping songs that praise the Lord.

Memo to Alfred Liggins: Since Gospel music is proof positive that Radio One is stepping out to uplift the community, please play groups like KJ-52,or Gospel Gangstaz out of Compton. Play The Cross Movement out of Philadelphia, Marky J out of Houston or the Grits out of Tennessee.

What was also laughable was Liggins not talking about how records get on the air and that people have to pay some sort of fee like thousand bucks just to get your record listened to..oops I guess I’m not supposed to put out those lil backroom secrets… Yes indeed the payola question never came up which is too bad cause they would’ve had a field day. But like I said at least dude showed up.

Click the Link Below or Hit the player to HEAR Music Industry Testimony from
Doug Morris, Alfred Liggins and Ed Broffman during yesterday’s Congressional Hearings.

http://odeo.com/audio/16668893/view

Yesterday’s second panel which included rappers David Banner, Master P and author Michael Eric Dyson was intense. Banner came out swinging as he dropped a brilliant opening statement. He covered all the major points, but then he lost folks when he refused to take any sort of responsibility for some of his work.

He referenced the things he does in the community, but some of the Congress people who grilled him jammed him up by pointing out that folks don’t see videos of him helping out Katrina victims and talking to the youth. They hear his music and know his videos and they wanted to know if he felt conflicted that some of what he puts out may be negatively impacting young women. Banner held his ground and refused to buckle.

It was Master P who actually came off looking and sounding good. He took full responsibility for what he did in the past. He apologized for what damage and hurt he may have caused and offered solutions to the problems.

Dyson held his own and help put things into context.. However, I wasn’t feeling him justisfying the use of the N word. I thought we moved past that page.

Below is the opening statements from David Banner, Master P and Michael Eric Dyson. They make some compelling arguments.. As I noted, Banner hits a homerun with his opening remarks..In part 2 you will hear the grilling they get from Congress..

Click the Link Above to Hear Testimony From
David Banner, Master P and Michael Eric Dyson
http://odeo.com/audio/16669623/view

Below is part 2 of yesterday’s explosive testimony on Hip Hop from David Banner and Master P. Here Banner gets seriously grilled but he manages to hold his ground a bit, but could’ve done better had he not been so damn evasive on some of the questions. Master P came off looking like a hero and an eloquent elder statesmen within Hip Hop.
Q&A Session of Banner, master P, Dyson Panel
http://odeo.com/audio/16700223/view

Original Article Found Here
The HHCF Invites Bill O’Reilly to 1st Chess Kings Invitational

Dear Mr. Bill O’Reilly,

As you may already know, on October 13, 2007, the Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF) is scheduled to host the Chess Kings Invitational and Scholarship Tournament. The HHCF is a non-profit organization that uses music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence.

As founders of the HHCF, we respect your intelligence and often appreciate your intent on most issues. However, over the years, I have become increasingly concerned with your attempts to denigrate the Urban Communities and specifically the Hip-Hop Community. I believe you to be a man who often goes against the grain of satisfying everyone and often choosing to just go with your heart. Because of this, I am confused as to why you choose to join the mainstream, out of touch, understanding of Hip-Hop and its effect on the nation.

I will say that I do not support every twist and turn Hip-Hop has taken over the last decade plus. But like life in general, you are not going to like everything your high school friend does. Therefore you must enjoy the aspects you still love while trying to help mold the items you don’t love into something you can learn to love again.

Throughout the years, you have painted this slanted image of what the subculture of Rap is about and the content you have grow so deeply to rally against. Now, I am not sure how many rap songs you have listened to over the years, but I am pretty certain based on your comments over the years, you haven’t spent any true time in researching this genre. For every 50 Cent single that hits the airwaves there are triple the amount of positive Hip-Hop songs that never make the airwaves.

I believe that your ugly, slanted and negative views of Hip-Hop are created by your lack of knowledge, research and overall desire to just be a part of the discussion. I can’t help but question the charge you lead against Pepsi for choosing Ludacris as a spokesperson. Although I agreed that his music is very influential and should he should be hired as a spokesperson for a product geared towards mature young adults and above. However, he does a lot for the youth despite the nature of much of his content. This you cannot deny. But then, Pepsi launches a campaign with the drug addicted and vulgar Osbourne Family. I did not see you display the same level of outrage! What happened?

That very action alone makes millions of viewers wonder if you were really concerned about the well being of today’s youth. It seems you just flat out have issues with those in underserved communities and the artistic outlets that help them get through life with a sense of being.

Recently your image was once again tarnished by your poorly planned verbalization of your statement on Blacks in restaurants. I am sure in your opinion, this was just overblown. However, the masses do not seem to feel this way. This situation was just proof to the HHCF that you have not received the proper exposure to all the positive aspects of Hip-Hop.

The HHCF is extending an invitation for you to attend the HHCF Chess Kings Invitational and Scholarship Tournament. At this venue, you will be engage with rappers, athletes and the many others in a positive community event. In addition, you are invited to participate in the HHCF and Commonwealth Clubs panel “Life Strategies: The Blueprint for Victory”. This panel will explore positive strategies youth in underserved communities can implement to improve their future and the future of their communities. I am certain you could add some positive insight.

We send you this open invitation in hopes that you will start enjoying the positive aspects of the urban music industries and the communities that embrace them.

Yours,
Adisa Banjoko & Leo Libiran
www.hiphopchessfederation.org

A Texas Statement

Hip-Hop Congress’ beat, lyrics focus on Bobcat pride
By Jessica Sinn
Texas State News Service
Original Article Found Here
San Marcos — Cheerleaders and mascots are not the only school spirit icons at Texas State University-San Marcos. Some home game tailgate parties wouldn’t be complete without Hip-Hop Congress’s freestyle beats and lyrical flows – chock full of Bobcat pride.

Hip-Hop Congress, a university organization, recently released its first Texas State themed mix-tape “A Texas Statement.” Julius Garcia, a freshman studying communication studies at Texas State, said this is the first time the university sponsored an album as a recruitment tool for Hip-Hop Congress.

Garcia, an Austin native, said the 19-track album, available on the music Web site purevolume.com, is steadily attracting a worldwide fan-base.

“An insane amount of people are downloading and listening,” Garcia said. “We’re getting calls from people who are asking us to do shows in New York, and we have fans from all over the world, including Japan, Australia and France.”

Garcia, Hip Hop Congress recruiting chair, manages the Web site’s downloading account. He said “Holding it Down at Texas State” is the No. 1 most downloaded track.

“If you go to Texas State, if you live around Texas State or if you know someone from Texas State, the song gives you pride,” Garcia said.

Hip-Hop Congress recently hosted a “Texas Statement” release party at Lucy’s in San Marcos. Garcia said the deejay’s intricate mixture of electric drums and base generated an energetic response from the audience.

“DJ Phil Da Funk, really knows what he’s doing,” Garcia said. “He plays what the crowd wants to hear and adds his own style and flare to the music.”

With upbeat lyrics like “The rising star of Texas, that’s who we are,” and “You may be a student once, but you’re a Bobcat for life,” the compilation is geared toward promoting Texas State and academic success.

“The album is completely clean,” Garcia said. “There are no harsh lyrics, no innuendos, there’s nothing on the album that could offend anyone. It’s acceptable for all ages and it sends a positive message for everyone.”

Garcia said he focuses on changing materialistic Hip-Hop lyrics back to an outlet of genuine expression. He said he scripted his song “Bounce Back,” with positive, heartfelt lyrics.

“’Bounce Back’ is about getting knocked down when life is hard, but you bounce back up and keep fighting,” Garcia said. “It’s just a positive message, and the more you listen to a song, the more you hear the positive message. It’s not just about the beat, snare and the drums; it’s about the content and the message.”

Garcia said Hip-Hop Congress works toward diminishing negative stereotypes that seem to stigmatize the rap and hip-hop genre. He said Hip-Hop Congress uses its innovative sounds to promote education, and to improve the community through projects like Bobcat Build and special fundraisers.

“We’re kind of like an ‘edutainment’ DARE program,” Garcia said. “We’re not just entertainers, we’re educators.”

Sherri Benn, Texas State’s assistant vice president for Student Affairs and the director of Multicultural Student Affairs, said Hip-Hop Congress strives to help people understand the deeper, more complex culture of hip-hop.

“I wouldn’t say that we are trying to ‘vanquish the gangster stereotype’ because we simply see ‘gangsta’ rap as one sub-culture or genre within the larger hip-hop culture,” Benn said. “’Gangsta’ rap is not the defining representation of hip hop, though it’s often mistaken for being so.”

Benn, who is the chapter advisor, said Hip-Hop Congress’s goal is to positively impact the university, as well as its surrounding communities.

“The feedback we’ve received from those who have heard various tracks from the mix-tape, from high school and Texas State students, has been outstanding,” Benn said. “That’s exciting to us.”

Benn said the compilation enables the university to showcase creative talents of its students through a medium that speaks the language of this generation. With the mix-tape, she said Hip-Hop Congress can engage students, alumni and parents in a positive and culturally relevant way.

“Since the mission of the Texas State chapter of Hip-Hop Congress is to unite cultures through the art of hip-hop by encouraging creativity, expression and social activism, our goal with the mix-tape is to use one element of hip-hop culture to promote Texas State, help facilitate school spirit and pride in our institution, as well as give something back to our communities – both on and off campus,” Benn said.

For more information about Hip-Hop Congress, call the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at 245-2278 or visit www.msa.txstate.edu.

A Call to Action from Artist/ Activist Mos Def To Students and All Concerned Young People to Show Support for the “Jena 6″ on
Monday, October 1st, 2007 at Noon, Central Time

Artist/ Activist Mos Def along with M1, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Change the Game, the National Hip Hop Political Convention, and student leaders from 25 campuses is calling for a National Student Walk-Out to rally and show support for the Jena 6, who are being denied their human rights by the Louisiana criminal justice system.

The Case of the Jena 6
Last fall, when two Black high school students sat under the “white” tree on their campus, white students responded by hanging nooses from the tree. When Black students protested the light punishment for the students who hung the nooses, District Attorney Reed Walters came to the school and told the students he could “take [their] lives away with a stroke of [his] pen.” Racial tension continued to mount in Jena, and the District Attorney did nothing in response to several egregious cases of violence and threats against black students. But when a white student–who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses, taunted a black student, called several black students “nigger”–sustained minor injuries from a school fight, six black students were charged with second-degree attempted murder. Last month, the first young man to be tried, Mychal Bell, was convicted. He faces up to 22 years in prison for a school fight. Although his conviction has been thrown out in adult court, he is still in jail!!

Mos Def is asking students worldwide to assist in the fight against racial inequality and show solidarity for these young people, who have been treated very harshly by the law. The prosecution of these young men symbolizes a terrible miscarriage of justice, by punishing students who opposed segregation in their schools and disregarding the threatening acts of others who advocate it.

Judge J.P. Mauffray and District Attorney Reed Walters have engaged in a string of egregious actions, the most recent of which was the denial of bail for Bell on Friday. We call for:

1. All charges against the Jena 6 be dropped
2. The immediate release of Mychal Bell
3. The United States Department of Justice to convene an immediate inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the arrests and prosecutions of the Jena 6;
4. Judge Mauffray to be recused from presiding over Bell’s juvenile court hearings or other proceedings;
5. The Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel to investigate Reed Walters for unethical and possibly illegal conduct;
6. The Louisiana Judiciary Commission investigate Judge Mauffray for unethical conduct; and
7. The Jena School District superintendent to be removed from office.

Mos Def — “I continue to extend my invitation to all concerned parties, artists, and people of power and influence in the world today throughout every field of endeavor to unite in resistance against racism and state negligence in the face of terror in the neo-Katrina State of Louisiana.”

For more info contact info@mxgm.org

www.mxgm.org
www.freethejena6.org