Liberal Repercussion

From an interview of Russell Simmons, the Godfather of Hip Hop

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/09/60II/main598970.shtml

"I want to speak to that issue. 50 Cent, his mother was killed when he was 8. She was a drug dealer. 50 Cent has been shot a lotta times. Nine times one time. And he didn't die,” says Simmons. “His poetry is about -- it's his reality. You may not like the truth that's coming out some of the mouths of young people. But those are people that you wouldn't hear from at all.”

And he isn’t afraid to bring politics into this discussion.

“They brutalize their women and then they worship the gun,” says Rose.

“Worship a gun? George Bush worsh -- what! What,” says Simmons.

“George Bush is not the issue there,” says Rose.

“Not the issue-- why are we talking about that? Why aren't we talking about the ‘gangsta government’ we have? Why are we talking about gangsta rappers. They're imitating the gangsta government … You wanna point at the rappers,” says Simmons.

“The conditions of suffering that exist today in our impoverished communities are not acceptable. The reflection of those conditions are less concerning to me. And I work everyday about changing the conditions.”

posted by Rei Toei @ 11:04 p.m.