Sharpton Laments Rap and Hip-Hop Lyrics

Jun 03, 09:40 PM

Current Headlines: The Rev. Al Sharpton has made Detroit the second stop on his national campaign to clean up rap and hip-hop lyrics.

Speaking to a crowd Saturday in front of Detroit's Motown Museum, Sharpton lamented about the way that hip-hop often portrays women and African-Americans, The Detroit News reported.

The 1960s were the Motown sound and James Brown, Sharpton said. But they did not call us the n-word and they did not degrade women.

Sharpton said that if he made similar comments about Jews or Italians, for example, he would be justly punished.

The record companies already have standards, Sharpton said. They just don't apply it to the African-American community.

Sharpton was joined by many supporters who told the newspaper they believe strongly in his effort to build a stronger community by eradicating offensive language in popular music.