Russell Simmons—The godfather takes a stand

Before many music executives understood the value of giving voice to young urban artists who yearned to tell their stories, Russell Simmons had figured out how to harness their talent and share it en masse. He helped craft the nomenclature of hip-hop from its earliest days. Thanks to Def Jam Records and later Def Poetry Jam, Simmons has provided a platform for countless once-unheard voices.

As the messages in hip-hop music today have come under fire--unlike many of his music industry peers--Russell Simmons has stepped up to address where the music is today and where it is headed. Post-Imus he sent shock waves of his own by suggesting that artists avoid the use of words that unnecessarily offend. It remains to be seen if this suggestion actually sticks.

After a quick, vegan lunch at the Johnson Publishing Company offices in late April, EBONY accompanied Simmons as he hopscotched around Chicago to plug his newest self-help book, Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success, and to answer questions about hip-hop, misogyny and bad words.

Here is what the "godfather" of hip-hop had to say:

On whether hip-hop artists--and other musicians--will temper their language at Simmons' request:

Whether they follow my lead or not, it's a reminder that we can be more responsible. I want to be more responsible in terms of what I give to the mainstream. Yet, you can't be more responsible and somehow [your] record be less of a depiction of truth. An artist has one responsibility--to paint the picture that's in his heart. I want to protect that first. Second thing is I want to make sure that everyone does not have to get offended so that they can understand the words.

On why radio stations---and many others--have remained mum on the subject of profane language:

No matter what they say, they're gonna beep [on the air] more bitches, hos and [N-words] than they ever beeped in their life. Radio stations and everybody arc doing what I say whether they say it publicly or not. So I ain't worried about them. But I would like them to say it publicly out of respect for the people who are struggling with it.

On hip-hop music as a mirror of Black male chauvinism:

The rappers focus you on the truth and you focus on the rappers. The mirror offends you and you want to break the mirror. Sexism and misogyny are horrible, and it's better than it was. We don't want to admit what they're [the rappers] showing us. It makes us feel bad about ourselves. At the Million Man March, Black men were very, very uncomfortable when we said we will not beat our women. It was a moment of truth. I say this to you not to single out Black men. Poverty creates these conditions and these conditions create these words. We want to escape poverty, but we don't want to accept the results of it. It does force self-study.

On whether the discussion of dirty language will inspire greater creativity in hip-hop:

It just inspires them to be more creative. Maybe they won't put the word bitch in at all if they find out it keeps [getting] beeped [out.] Freedom of expression is about ideas more than language. They can't stop the ideas. They can say anything they want.

On whether he's losing cool points by asking some rappers to do something decidedly very uncool and whether full-scale censorship is soon to follow:

I'm not worried about them. Ten years ago when I went through this [the first time], I was probably their age. I remember going to the Senate and having all those discussions. I didn't feel strongly one way or the other, but I did feel strongly not to give any ground. I didn't feel it was going to hurt the business. I didn't realize what the threat was. Some people in the industry don't realize that the alternative could be devastating to the business that all the artists think they're defending.

People say you have to be nasty to sell records. Is that true?

I've never [tried to be] trendy. If you feel something, then do it. Just 'cause there's a bunch of hot records in a certain space doesn't mean that's where it's going. This all depends on how creative the people in the genre are. If they keep repeating themselves, it gets boring. If someone comes along with something creative, it gives it a spark.

On rappers who refuse to clean up their language:

This whole debate is good for it. They're happy you guys don't like it. It's inspiring. They're gonna say bitch more than ever now.

On corny lyrics and hard beats:

Honesty and authenticity are the most critical elements in this poetry. You need to hear the truth in their voices. And if you can't hear it the first time, maybe they tricked you a little bit with a good track and good chorus. And after you bought the album and listened to it, you knew they were full of [it]. They could not survive and have a lasting conversation with a consumer.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning