Rap Censorship Essay

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RAP SHOULD NOT BE CENSORED!

BY: FARHAN YUSUF

Rap should not be censored because everybody has the right

to their freedom of speech, as it is in Section 2 of Charter of Rights

and Freedoms. “Us as rappers express our thoughts and the whole

world is after us.” (pg. 171, Sexton) Rap has done a lot to our

world, as a result our society has improved. Laws are stated for

music censorship. Rap censorship is wrong, there are cases, songs,

and interview to prove that.

Lot of people think that rap music promotes violence and that

it is negative to the society! While so much emphasis is placed on

the detrimental effects of some rap music, there’s little

acknowledgment of rap’s positive cultural contribution and social

activism.

Jive’s KRS-One, known to his community as “The Teacher”

is just one example of the good work being done. KRS-One now

lectures at universities such as Harvard, Yale, Vassar and Stanford

on his philosophies “The deepest part of being black is being

African. The deepest part of being African is being human,” he

has started. “The deepest part of being human is being universal.

And the deepest part of being universal is being balanced. It’s all

according to where to start and stop studying.”

The rap artists have been involved with such organizations as

Stop the Violence, Heal and the National Urban League (for which

KRS-One raised $600,000) One of his projects “Break the Chain,”

was made into an audiocassette soundtrack with his songs and

spoken words. The project promotes literacy and cultural

awareness and teaches black history.

Pubic Enemy criticized for excessively violent lyrics. Even

they have launched a Black Awareness program. The members

have also raised and contributed money for various causes such as

Urban Development Program, a nationwide program by which

youths build houses for the homeless.

In the States, Public Enemy toured 20 cities in the “Unity for

Peace” tour and raised money for such local charities as the Boys

and Girls clubs. Chuck D frequently speaks about issues of

empowerment in a lot of universities.

Eazy-E participates with charity groups like the Athletes &

Entertainers for Children and the “Make A Wish Foundation.”

Eazy-E also filmed and narrated a public-service announcement on

fire safety for the Compton Fire Department.

There a lot of other rapers who work for their communities. Such

as:

The Coup who organized the Mau Mau Rhythm Collective.

Which focus on African-American history and politics.

D.J. Woody Wood of Three Times Dope (3XD) is the project

coordinator for Youth Outreach Adolescent Community AIDS

Project. He also founded the Celebrity AIDS Awareness

Project (CAAP), a national AIDS education program.

Doug E Fresh was a spokesperson for Voter Jam 94, a

campaign for black and Latino youth. He works with the New

York Board Of Education and speaks at high schools about

issues of confidence and self-esteem

Ahmad speaks at schools and centers such as Ofman

Learning Center, where runaways and gang members try to

make a fresh start.

Grave Diggaz also can be found talking to kids at school and

youth centers.

MC Eiht participates in performing and playing basketball

games with well know athletics to benefit youth centers. Such

as The Truce Foundation in Las Vegas.

There are also many record companies who help society out:

Dangerous Records, uses rap to promote peace by releasing

some albums about street violence. They have given $5,000 to

the Stamps Youth Foundation, a Los Angeles-based

organization that works with gang members trying to change

their lives.

Another label, Priority Records, has joined with Los Angeles

radio station Power 106 to compile an album that will help fund

the building of performing-arts center.

There are some laws for music censorship. Which is benefit

to rappers.

For the most part there is technically no such thing as “music

censorship” Censorship is a very harsh word especially when it

comes to popular music. Many musical artists claim to be

censored by radio stations, religious and community groups,

retailers and even their own record labels. They claim their rights

and freedoms have been violated.

The Freedom of Speech read as follows:

“Congress shall make no law representing an

establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise

thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or

of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition

the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Music is not censored on the basis of art, it is censored on the

basis of obscenity. If a work of art, music, or literature is found to

be obscene - then it can be subject to legal censorship. Again, that

only applies to the government. The courts don't have the right to

force Wal-Mart to carry an album.

You have become the victim of attempted censorship, an

effort to prevent information from reaching the public. It is a

violation of freedom of the press, both of which are guaranteed by

the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Here are a number of cases which have result in the arrest of

shop owners and banned some albums.

January, 1990

In one of the most famous cases of music censorship, police

in Dade County, Florida set up a sting to arrest three retailers

selling copies of a record by 2 Live Crew to children under the age

of 18. Objections to 2 Live Crew started with the break-through of

their hit "Me So Horny." Similar prosecutions regarding 2 Live

Crew record sales happen in Alabama and Tennessee. No

prosecutions result in standing convictions. Members of 2 Live

Crew were also prosecuted for performing the material live in

concert.

1990

Members of the rap group N.W.A. receive a letter from the

FBI saying the agency did not appreciate the song "Fuck The

Police." Law enforcement groups all over the country agree.

April, 1990

A Florida grand jury determines that four rap albums

(including "Freedom of Speech" by Ice-T) are legally obscene.

Area retailers quickly pull the records from the shelves to avoid

prosecution.

In 1992 when 2 Live Crew put out an album “As nasty as

they want to be,” within days, all retail stores in Broward Country

ceased selling the record. 2 Live Crew brought this action under

42 USC 1983, seeking an injection and declaration of their rights.

Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973). To be obscene

there must be proof of all three of the following factors:

1) The average person, applying contemporary community

standards, would find that the work taken as a whole, appeals

to the prurient interest.

2) Measured by contemporary community standards the work

depicts or describes, in a patently offensively way, sexual

conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law.

3) The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic,

political, or scientific value.

The US Supreme Court has defined prurient as “material

having a tendency to excite lustful thoughts” Roth v. U.S., 354

U.S. 476 (1957). Nasty’s lyrics and the titles of its songs are replete

with references to female and male genitalia, human sexual

execration, oral-anal contact, fellatio, group sex, sexual positions,

sadomasochism, the turgid state of the male sexual organ,

masturbation cunnilingus, sexual intercourse, and the sounds of

moaning.

Mike Kinsley: Six sheriff deputies burst into a record store in Fort

Lauderdale this afternoon, handcuffed and arrested

the owner. His crime? Selling a record album to an

undercover cop.

Omar: Freedom of choice. Freedom of speech.

Mike: The album was called “As Nasty as they Wana Be” by 2

Live Crew. Bestseller over 1.7 million sold. On Wednesday

Florida federal Judge ruled it obscene. Quote, “An appeal to

the lois not the intellect”

Omar: There are some 600 words in the album which are either -

most people would consider dirty, obscene, and filthy.

Mike: A 2...

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