Date: Thursday, October 14, 2004 [b] HIP-HOP COMMUNITY DEFENDS MICHAEL JACKSON, CONDEMNS NEW EMINEM VIDEO[/b] Source: RONN TOROSSIAN — RACISM AND DISRESPECT FOR BLACK CULTURE AND ITS ICONS NOT TO BE TOLERATED SAYS MAGAZINE CEO RAY BENZINO– NEW YORK, NY, October 13, 2004- The Source Magazine, the largest magazine devoted to hip-hop music, culture and politics applauded today as BET (Black Entertainment Television), pulled the newest Eminem video Just Lose It from its video rotation. BET Chairman and Founder Robert Johnson personally removed the video, which mocks cultural icon Michael Jackson and shows an overall level of disrespect for black culture and its icons. Eminems latest racial misstep comes on the heels of racist charges first leveled against him nearly two years ago by The Sources CEO Ray Benzino. These charges intensified last November, after tapes where Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, is heard rapping using blatant racial epithets and making disparaging remarks about black women. The Just Lose It video is vindication for Benzino and The Source who were accused of overreacting by mainstream media outlets, other artists, and so called hip-hop activists. For too long influential people in the hip-hop community have stood by Eminem while he has made a mockery of the culture that inspires and motivates our young people to achieve and be proud of their black heritage, said Ray Benzino, CEO of The Source. I am proud of both Robert Johnson of BET for pulling the video, and for comedian Steve Harvey for urging MTV and VH1 to do the same. We as the leaders in the Hip-Hop community and music industry need to step up and realize that Eminems lyrics and actions are tearing down the very culture that people like Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, and Public Enemy have built from the ground up. I urge all members of hip-hop to come out and support Jackson, one of the most important, cultural icons of our time. No one should stand behind this mockery and only by supporting the airplay of Just Lose It are we giving Eminem a way out. Furthermore, The Source called upon Eminems management to pull the single from his upcoming album, and to publicly apologize to Michael Jackson for his offensive portrayal of the King of Pop. As one of Black Americas most visible icons, the magazine views any criticism of Jackson as a direct snipe at the culture itself. The Source has weathered a consistent storm of criticism since first going after Eminem two years ago. Portrayed in the mainstream press as having a vendetta against Eminem, despite the publication having actually given the rapper his first big break when it featured him in its March 1998 Unsigned Hype section, the magazine has never backed off its claims that Eminem is a racist and an imminent danger to the hip-hop community. Source: http://www.mjjsource.com/index.php/articles/hip-hop-community-defends-michael-jackson-condemns-new-eminem-video
HIP-HOP COMMUNITY DEFENDS MICHAEL JACKSON, CONDEMNS NEW EMINEM VIDEO
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