Oprah Winfrey hosts Town Hall programs examining hip hop culture with industry heavyweights.
As an adjunct to the Russell Simmons' Hip Hop Summit, Winfrey dedicated two programs to discuss issues of misogynist and violent lyricism and imagery in modern hip hop.The Hip Hop Summit Action Network summarised the discussion that took place on the show. CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis noted "Hip hop is not perfect. We've got to make it better. But we make hip-hop better by making society better, because hip-hop reflects the contradictions of society." Noted positive and progressive Grammy-winning rapper Common stated, "If criticism could come with love, we can make some progress."
Essence Magazine Editor-in-Chief Diane Weathers stated, "You cannot go to the industry, people in the industry, and expect them to fix this. Women have to say, 'No.'" She also suggested that rappers who continue to marginalise women should lose their record contracts.
While Simmons scoffed at the idea that dropping artists would stop misogyny and the glamourising of drugs and violence, he shared the view of all the other panellists, expressed by Common, "We want to change this world and it starts with us." No doubt the debate will continue.
