Arrested Development has been an advocate of more positive hip-hop ever since the late 80's, and in light of recent events, the group's frontman Speech has launched a petition to change the sound and tone of urban radio.
Speech has started an online petition urging the FCC, Clear Channel Communications (the corporation that owns many of the country's radio stations,) and members of the media who help decide what hip-hop gets played and covered in the news, to reject acts that reinforce negative stereotypes and behavior and instead promote hip-hop that has a more positive message and image.
"I have loved Hip-Hop for over 30 years, it has changed my life and the lives of most of the people around me," Speech said. "I see it as the most powerful entertainment medium for social awareness and change in recent history and it has unfortunately been taken hostage by institutionalized racism, fierce corporate greed and unconscious artists. Over the last 25 years we all have become desensitized to the ever increasing barrage of content that glorifies negativity, Black on black murder, hatred, hyper sensuality, hyper criminality and gross misogyny."
Speech says the petition isn't meant to encourage censorship, but push hip-hop artists, recording companies, and the media into understanding how the art they produce affects the black community, particularly kids. "This toxic lyrical content is constant and literally changing the entire world around us and especially our Black brothers and sisters," Speech said. "I have a beautiful daughter named Zoe and a wonderful son named Jahi. I'd like them to grow up in a world where they can listen to Hip-Hop with a diverse range of topics as it was in the 80's and 90's. For every song talking about the harsh realities of the streets, let's hear songs about love, solutions and positive themes! Instead of simply complaining, lets change the narrative!"
By Michael Lacerna for RAPstation
