Barack found himself criticized Monday by one of rap and hip-hop's leading producers, Russell Simmons, who challenged the brother to stop criticizing rappers' lyrics.(Latest Results On How Presidential Candidate Barack Obama Is Doing Here.)
"My response to Sen. Obama is that you have to talk about the poverty and ignorance that creates such a
climate that the poets can talk like that," Simmons told ABC News. "And all the politicians owe them an education and an opportunity for a better life — and maybe they'll say something better."WHAT THE HELL IS SIMMONS TALKING ABOUT?
This is not a "criticize" or "do something" conversation. This is about Black folk no longer co-signing on images and lyrics that denegrate our women just so a few, ala Simmons, get paid.
It's also about holding the village accountable. Everyone who's got a hut needs to demand that the schools are safe, demand that our children have books, demand that victimhood is no longer a place we're trying to hang out in.
Wake up Russell, and get to work on that hip hop summit so you can empower us, instead of making excuses. (Details on summit here)
Co-founder of Def Jam Records, Simmons also appeared on Oprah today in a panel that included hip-hop artist Common; Jason Whitlock, a sports columnist for The Kansas City Star; Bruce Gordon, former president of the NAACP, writer Stanley Crouch, and Rev. Al Sharpton via satellite.
The Oprah Winfrey show issued a release: "The group will address whether or not there is a double standard in this country, what behavior different races are willing and not willing to tolerate, and why women and minorities often are targets for derogatory and degrading comments. Winfrey asks the panel to consider if this incident could be a 'tipping point' for American society."
I'M GOING TO WIN - TAKE THAT TO THE BANK!
WASHINGTON, April 15 — As Hillary seeks to reassemble Bill's Democratic money machine, some of those major fund-raisers have already signed on with Barack.
Obama's biggest fund-raisers include at a minimum, a dozen major fund-raisers for former President Clinton. His released info shows the extent to which the Democratic Party establishment, once presumed to back Senator Clinton, is drifting.
But Hilary's campaign proved it still had the support of some deep pockets. About 5,100 big contributors accounted for about three quarters of the $26 million combined that she raised for the primary and general election, pulling her very slightly ahead of Mr. Obama by just $200,000 in total fund-raising for the quarter.
Her campaign also reported about $1.6 million in debt. Mr. Obama’s campaign spent $6.6 million, ending up with $18.2 million for the primary and $190,000 in debt.