The 'n' word, and racist and sexist language in hip hop, are both big topics at this year's annual convention of the US's National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People.
As much previously reported, key players in the US black community have been calling on the hip hop movement, and the major corporations that fund it, to take more responsibility for the use of racist and sexist language in hip hop tracks ever since white shock jock Don Imus was sacked for saying "nappy-headed ho's", an incident that caused many to comment that black artists get away with saying much worse things. The campaign that has been building over the last few months should peak at the NAACP annual convention, with Eric B and Kurtis Blow both due to participate in a 'funeral' for the 'n' word yesterday.
Summarising the campaign, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said this weekend: "We don't believe it's a violation of the First Amendment to say to somebody you ought not to talk that way, you ought not denigrate women, you ought not condemn people because of the color of their skin. I heard somebody say that when Jay-Z talks about ho's, he gets a gold record. When Don Imus talks about ho's, he gets fired. We believe in equal justice and equal justice for everyone".