From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degradation

[Soul]

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.),
http://i15.tinypic.com/2itmn3d.jpg
Full Story -Congress is set to hold hearings on the entertainment business (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971328.html?categoryid=16&cs=1)

"I want to engage not just the music industry but the entertainment industry at large to be part of a solution," said Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, which will hold the hearing.

"I want to look at not only the problem caused by misogynistic content in some hip-hop music but also some of the pain that emanates from this degradation,"

"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."This could get ugly.

[Cero]

I'd be happy if he could just get 50 Cent's new song from playing 1000 times a day on the radio while I'm at work

[Bishop]

The entertainment industry has always been a farse when it comes to African Americans. Let me rephrase that; INDUSTRY has always been a farse when it comes to African Americans.

Unfortunately, Congress can have all of the hearing it wants but nothing will be done. The entertainment industry is about the business of making money - not about portraying a realistic image.

I was never a big fan of BET but I did support the station for its efforts. It originally gave artist a venue to expose their music when the biggies such as American Bandstand and MTV would not. When Viacom purchased BET, it became an embarassment to our community. Don't get me wrong, I like to see a lil ass shake'n too but DAMN!

Viacom turned BET into a trainer station for its other brands such as MTV, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. Take a look at the quality. Not just the content but the computer graphics and the quality of the picture. It does not match what the other Viacom divisions produce. I can honestly say that the station produced better quality across the board when it was Black owned.

Viacom has a Statement of Corporate Responsibility section on their website. The first paragraph says, "Viacom's social commitment leverages the power of its brand and the strength of its audience relationship to encourage action on a variety of pro-social issues that are important to our partners, employees, audience, shareholders and communities alike."

Now think about what you see on BET. This is their portrayal of promoting pro-social issues?

Racism is the background thread of this.

Many who run the major organizations have a unrealistic fear of African-Americans. All they have ever known is what they have been told and what they have seen on television - Blacks are an underclass of animals who thrive in violence and suck the living blood out of this great country. They also have big di#^s, can run fast and dance real good too; just keep them away from the white women!

It is this mindset that permeates the industry. Anything sticking to this "model" is what makes them comfortable. Let's face it, how many Presidents, Govenors and Mayors have been elected on racist agendas.

When NWA, ICE-T, and a few others started the Gangsta Rap thing, it hit really hard. Not just because it was something new but the record company execs felt this was something the Black Community could relate to. That alone is racist!

I don't see the record companies pushing incest songs to southern or Virginian whites!

Let's look at the double standards in Entertainment:

How the hell does Lindsay Lohan get caught for drunk driving with cocaine in her car and servers very little time but Michael Vick goes to jail for dog fighting?

Of all the roles Denzel Washington has played - he wins an Academy Award for being a crooked cop?

Halle Berry gets fu#% up the ass by a white dude and wins an Academy Award but is never acknowledged for her role in the Dorthy Dandridge Story or Losing Isaiah?

When Halle Berry did the Flintstones movie, she was the only character a toy doll was never produced.

OJ Simpson!!!!

Ice-T's Body Count rock-n-roll song "Cop Killer" vs Eminem's Murder, Murder.

Birth of a Nation

These are only a few examples but you will never get these record, tv, and movie execs to fess-up because the bill they would have to pay would be too high.