One thing the Imus firing has inspired is a look at hip-hop culture in general and its role in what happened with Imus. With that in mind, this post on who’s responsible for hip-hop at Huffington caught my eye:
In addressing its misogyny problem, hip hop will have to question one overlooked but unavoidable fact fact. Hip hop is owned by whites. The most powerful man in hip hop is not Puff Daddy; it is David Geffen of Sony Records. Contrary to popular belief, Russell Simmons is not the brains behind Def Jam Records; Rick Rubin is (there goes my chance to be invited to HBO’s Def Poetry Jam). A fed up black blogger recently discussed the whites who control what is arguably the most important hip hop record label: “And no no no. Russell Simmons did not co-found Def Jam. Nor did he ever run Def Jam. Rick Rubin ran Def Jam. Later Lyor Cohen ran Def Jam. Nor did Russell ever sign Def Jam’s big acts. LL Cool J? Rick Rubin. The Beastie Boys? Rick Rubin. Public Enemy? Rick Rubin. Oran “Juice” Jones? Lyor Cohen.”
If Democratic candidates are really so disturbed by what’s happening, there’s an easy solution… give David Geffen’s money back.