BET Special "Hip Hop versus America"

BET Special Sept 25 - Hip Hop Vs America

Honest, Candid Town Hall Meeting Features Voices Across the Full Spectrum of Opinion Including Nelly, T.I., Chuck D, MC Lyte, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Stanley Crouch, Cornel West, Mike Jones, Master P, Kim Osorio, Dr. Ben Chavis, Judge Mablean Ephraim and Karrine Steffans

This does not seem like a balanced cast of characters.

Aside from the rappers I know that Michael Eric Dyson, Dr. Ben Chavis and Cornel West will side with the rappers. I figure that Stanley Crouch, and Judge Mablean Ephraim will be more critical of their antics.

The wild card is the newly reoriented Rev. Al Sharpton. This will be the first test of his "new religion" having been backed into the corner by the Don Imus situation and forced for the sake of consistency to go on the attack against hip hop. Now keep in mind that Sharpton has had ample other occasions to pick up this same fold. He opted to punt since there was no counter force holding him accountable at the time. Thus it is my view that this is just a temporary "catching of the spirit" by Sharpton to go against the verbal excesses in Hip Hop. We'll see based on his performance.