orrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have tremThe present predicament of hip-hop, in a strange way, is similar to the predicament in which Islam finds itself. Both have been taken hostage by extremists who do not reflect the mainstream of hip-hop culture or the Islamic religion. This notwithstanding, it is incumbent upon both hip-hop and Islam to clean up their acts. The misogynists, racists, and homophobes have garnered more than their share of attention, as have Islam’s jihadi terrorists and mad imams.

The defamatory language and negative imagery of hip-hop must be counterbalanced by positive messages and wholesome images. Similarly, the defamatory actions of Islamic extremist must be countered by the vociferous disassociation of mainstream Muslims. Hip-hop has roots in the music that preceded it, just as Islam has roots in the great monotheistic religions that preceded it. Hip-hop and Islam were natural progressions from what preceded them. The former liberally borrowed from the music that came before, while the latter is an abridged version of the monotheistic religions that preceded it. Not all of hip-hop is bad nor is all of Islam bad. Both have strong positives, which outweigh the negatives that have become fodder for news broadcasts and tabloid headlines.

Corrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have treme

their acts. The misogynists, racists, and homophobes have garnered more than their share of attention, as have Islam’s jihadi terrorists and mad imams.

The defamatory language and negative imagery of hip-hop must be counterbalanced by positive messages and wholesome images. Similarly, the defamatory actions of Islamic extremist must be countered by the vociferous disassociation of mainstream Muslims. Hip-hop has roots in the music that preceded it, just as Islam has roots in the great monotheistic religions that preceded it. Hip-hop and Islam were natural progressions from what preceded them. The former liberally borrowed from the music that came before, while the latter is an abridged version of the monotheistic religions that preceded it. Not all of hip-hop is bad nor is all of Islam bad. Both have strong positives, which outweigh the negatives that have become fodder for news broadcasts and tabloid headlines.

Corrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have trem

s of Islamic extremist must be countered by the vociferous disassociation of mainstream Muslims. Hip-hop has roots in the music that preceded it, just as Islam has roots in the great monotheistic religions that preceded it. Hip-hop and Islam were natural progressions from what preceded them. The former liberally borrowed from the music that came before, while the latter is an abridged version of the monotheistic religions that preceded it. Not all of hip-hop is bad nor is all of Islam bad. Both have strong positives, which outweigh the negatives that have become fodder for news broadcasts and tabloid headlines.

Corrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have trem

borrowed from the music that came before, while the latter is an abridged version of the monotheistic religions that preceded it. Not all of hip-hop is bad nor is all of Islam bad. Both have strong positives, which outweigh the negatives that have become fodder for news broadcasts and tabloid headlines.

Corrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have trem

orrective measures must be taken immediately to insure the survival and future growth of hip-hop and Islam. This is not a call for censorship; this is a call for self-regulation. As a culture, hip-hop is rich and truly international. Islam was always meant to be a universal religion. Hip-hop and Islam have tremendous influence throughout the world. People believe what they see and hear. If what they see and hear is primarily of a negative nature, they will naturally be left with a negative impression. It is disingenuous for hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons who has made hundreds of millions from hip-hop, with all of it’s negative language and imagery, to go on the Oprah Show and claim errant rappers are merely products of their environments, poets if you will, expressing their special truths and reality.

Those who profit from hip-hop must take responsibility for it. Similarly, those who say they are Muslim must take responsibility for their misguided brethren. Madrassas that teach hate should be closely monitored and where necessary closed. Both hip-hoppers and Muslims have many positive contributions to make. The question for each is when will those positive messages be heard? As it relates to hip-hop, which I might add is an entire culture; a serious commitment must be made on the part of the powers that be, to turn things around. It shouldn’t be anyone’s reality to view Black and Hispanic women as bitches or hoes. Nigga just like its predecessor nigger isn’t a term of endearment, regardless of how many rappers make that claim. The wo