 This dialogue was sparked by the insulting comments made by Don Imus concerning the Rutgers women's basketball team. Imus lost his job, but later secured a million dollar contract with another station. While he appears to have been rewarded, the hip hop industry is left under public scrutiny. As this dialogue played out in the media, the voices of the people who create hip hop and rap music were silenced. Read his whole statement.
Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee. My name is David
Banner. I am an artist for Universal Recordings, a producer, and label
executive.
Thank you for inviting my testimony.
This dialogue was sparked by the insulting comments made by Don Imus concerning
the Rutgers women's basketball team. Imus lost his job, but later secured a
million dollar contract with another station. While he appears to have been
rewarded, the hip hop industry is left under public scrutiny. As this dialogue
played out in the media, the voices of the people who create hip hop and rap
music were silenced. We were not invited to participate on any panels, nor given
the opportunity to publicly refute any of the accusations hurled at us. While
Congress lacks the power to censor, it is of the utmost importance that the
people who's livelihood is at stake be made a vital part of this process.
I am from Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson is one of the most violent cities in the
United States. Much like Washington, DC, Jackson stayed in the murder capital
run. When I was growing up, it always ranked as one of the top ten cities for
the highest number of murders per capital. Being located right below Chicago, a
lot of kids got in trouble up there and were sent to Jackson by their
grandparents, who were from Jackson.
The by product of this migration was violence. I was blessed to have a very
strong man for a father, and a very-very strong woman for a Mother.
Honestly, rap music is what kept me out of trouble.
Statistics will never show the positive side of rap because statistics don't
reflect what you do, if you dont commit a murder or a crime. When I would feel
angry and would think about getting revenge, I would listen to Tupac.
His anger in a song was a replacement for my anger. I lived vicariously through
his music.
Rap music is the voice of the underbelly of America.
In most cases, America wants to hide the negative that it does to its people.
Hip hop is the voice, and how dare America not give us the opportunity to be
heard.
I am one of the few artists who went to college. I still see my friends who, as
college graduates, are unable to get a job. The truth is that what we do sells.
Often artists try to do different types of music and their music doesn't sell.
In America, the media only lifts up negativity.
People consider me a philanthropist. I give away close to a quarter of my yearly
earnings to send children from impoverished neighborhoods to different cities
and to Disney land. This gives them another vision. Rap music has changed my
life, and the lives of those around me. It has given us the opportunity to eat.
I remember sending 88 kids from the inner city on a trip. I went to the local
newspaper and TV station, only to be told that the trip wasn't newsworthy. But
if I had shot somebody, it would have been all over the news. I threw the
largest urban relief concert in history. That never made the front cover of a
magazine. But as soon as I say something negative, rise up against my own, or
become sharp at the mouth (no pun intended), I am perceived as being
disrespectful to Black leaders. That negativity overshadows all of the positive
things that I've done as a rap artist.
Some might argue that the content of our music serves as poison to the minds of
our generation. If by some stroke of the pen Hip hop was silenced, the issues
would still be present in our communities. Drugs, violence, and the criminal
element were around long before hip hop existed. Our consumers come from various
socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures. While many are underprivileged, a large
percentage are educated professionals. The responsibility for their choices does
not rest on the shoulders of hip hop.
Still others raise concerns about the youth having access to our music. Much
like the ratings utilized by the Motion picture Association of America, our
music is given ratings which are displayed on the packaging.
These serve to inform the public of possible adult content. As such, the
probability of shocking the unsuspecting consumers sensibilities is virtually
impossible. If the consumer is disinterested or offended by the content of our
music, one could simply not purchase our cds. The music that is played on the
radio must comply with FCC guidelines. Again, this provides a safeguard.
Ultimately, the burden of monitoring the music that minors listen to rests with
their parents.
Some argue that the verbiage used in our music is derogatory. During slavery,
those in authority used the word Nigger as a means to degrade and emasculate.
There was no push for censorship of the word back then. The abuse that
accompanied the label Nigger forced us to internalize it. This made the
situation easier to digest. Our generation has since assumed ownership of the
word. Now that we are capitalizing off the use of the word, why is it so
important that it be censored? The intent and spirit of the word Nigga in rap
music does not even remotely carry the same meaning nor historical intent.
Attempting to censor the use of a word that merely depicts deep camaraderie is
outrageous. People should focus less on the offensive words in our music, and
more on the messages that are being conveyed.
The same respect is often not extended to Hip hop artist as to those in other
arenas. Steven King and Steven Spielberg are renowned for their horrific
creations. These movies are embraced as art. Why then is our content not merely
deemed horror music?
Mark Twain's literary classic Huckleberry Finn is still required reading in
classrooms across the United States of America. The word Nigger? appears in the
book approximately 215 times. While some may find this offensive, the book was
not banned by all school districts because of its artistic value. The same
consideration should be extended to hip hop music.
As consumers, we generally gravitate to and have a higher tolerance for things
that we can relate to. As such, it is not surprising that the spirit of Hip Hop
is not easily understood. In the 1971 case of Cohen vs. California, Justice
Harlan noted that one man's vulgarity is another man's lyric. The content and
verbiage illustrated in our music may be viewed as derogatory or unnecessary,but
it is a protected means of artistic expression. In 2005 Al Sharpton, who is a
proponent of censorship, stated on CNN that rappers have the right to talk about
the violence they come from;if they're going to rap about it and sing about it,
they have the First Amendment right. Much like imagery supplied via television,
literature, and by other genres of music, we merely provide a product that
appeals to our patrons.
Our troops are currently at war under the guise of liberating other countries.
While here in America, our rights are being threatened daily. This is
illustrated by homeland security, extensive phone tapping and ill placed
attempts at censorship. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves getting
closer to a dictatorship.
Traditionally multi-billion 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's been here.
It's the American way.
I can admit that there are some problems in hip hop.
But it is only a reflection of what is taking place in our society. Hip Hop is
sick because America is sick.
Thank you.
David Banner
David Banner
Certified
Album Instores NOW!
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