All across the country African American College students are targeting Hip-Hop artist and Rap singers. Young African American women are perturbed about the manner in which they are being portrayed in Rap videos and Hip-Hop gangster's songs. These Young African American woman are showing their unacceptance of this old phenomenon by taking their complaints to the American public.

The music industry has departed from the sweet soul sounds of the 1979 Sugerhill Gang " RAPPERS DELIGHT" and Rick James "GIVE IT TO ME BABY". It has transgressed from talking about the mean streets of Los Angeles, New York, Newark, and Chicago. To songs like "PIMP JUICE", "THONGS", and "TIP DRILL". These new songs have little or no respect for African American woman or woman in general. The Hip-Hop and Rap music industry has moved from talking about police brutality, being poor, not finding a job, or falling in love with their sweethearts. With performers like, Doctor Dre, Easy E, and Snoop Dog to the new videos of woman being portrayed as sex toys who are at the hip-hop stars whim.

Videos should be informative, creative, fun, and have a decent dance beat. The International Hip-Hop group called OutKasts seems to have the right idea and they are exciting to watch.

The most resent lightning flash and storm of protest was cause by singer NELLY. Most of you might know him as (the guy with the Band-Aid on his cheek). This is his trademark. In the new video "TIP DRILL" Nelly swipes his credit card down the crack of one of his dancers behind. Thank God-ness she was wearing something.

Nelly was scheduled to visit Spelman College and participate in the annual African American Bone Marrow Drive. Nelly did not appear at the scheduled time and might not ever visit this fine campus. The current views on campus impacted his decision not too appear.

There is no doubt that if he had visited the Spelman campus he would have seriously considered changing his video style. Misogyny is now the big issue in this gender of music. Yes, it's has been around for a few decades but it has deteriorated to an indescribable ugliness. These new videos are similar to music porn. Young America should not have to watch this with their favorite music.

One sleepless night this spring, I found myself watching Black Entertainment Television (BET). Shocking images appeared on the television screen. The late night BET channel aired the show called "Un-Cut", which could have been more appropeietlly named DANCING with NO CLOTHES ON or DACING NAKED. These new brash videos lasted for about almost an hour. These x- rated videos have fuzzed out female breasts and genitals required by law.

The (FCC) Federal Communication Commission should investigate these late night shows.

What does this mean to many Americans? How will young African American Males and Females interpret these actions? Last week THE GRAYLINE express the need for respect and self esteem in our community with the Bill Cosby article.

The students of Spelman, Clark, and Morehouse held a community meeting in April about this important issue. These meetings have also produced many petition drives and phone campaigns. These meetings also have created dialog between young males and females regarding these explicit videos. Certainly, this should have happened years ago. Maybe now the Rappers and Hip Hoppers will listen to the consumer.

These bright young African American students are inquiring if it is possible for Janet Jackson to clean up the American media with her Super Bowl exhibition last winter. Why then has that same American Media ignored these late night exhibition of Black Female chests and bikini bottom-shaking late night videos?

The question is "Do we want American to view Young African American females in this manner?

There is no doubt that this creates a misrepresentation of the true Black American experience. Once again the slave mentality raises its ugly head with the aid of the African American males. Non African American youth will be viewing these videos and obtaining very bad impressions of young African American females.

BET, the only Black orientated cable station changed ownership in 1999. The transition of ownership has left Black America with an unsuitable cable product. The former shows on this network were very informative as well as entertaining. Programming included many Black world news shows and Black political affairs symposiums. There were many causalities after this new ownership transfer. The first casualty happened to be Travis Smiley and the famous Travis Smiley Nightly News Show. It was replaced with a show called RAP CITY. Please allow me to ask you, what kind of information are you going to get from the show Rap City?

In case you were unaware who the new owners of BET are white and that might explain some of the changes in BET programming. We all know that education is to key to freedom. BET was and should continue to educate America about the Black experience not exploit the Black experience. Should white males be owners of a Black television station? Every reader of Gibbs Magazine should answer that question.

The young women of Spelman College are saying that both the rappers and the woman are responsible for this resent phenomenon. The men of Morehouse stated that these women are doing what they are paid to do. This may be true but the question remains, "Where is the self-respect and self-pride"? Poor young woman will do almost anything to put food on the table, a roof over their head, and heat in their house. That may mean degrading herself on a Rap or Hip-Hop video.

The new modern slavery is alive and well, perpetrated by African American males.

These Rap or Hip-Hop artists have the power and the control of the production of their art. As African American males, these Rappers and Hip Hoppers should be uplifting and helping their young African American sister.

This is what the beautiful young Black sisters at Spelman College are trying to convey to the African American brothers at Clark, and Morehouse. This simple action by these young African American students could be the death knell of Hip-Hop and Rap just like the struggling last gasps of Disco some thirty years ago. When young Americans started protesting the numbing, mindless, dance tunes by throwing out disco records, burning eight tracks and crushing cassette tapes, DISCO DIED.

Take note that the Spelman sisters may well have started a new political and social movement in America. Only time will tell how successful their collective actions will affect the American Hip Hop and Rap music industry.

THAT IS THE GRAYLINE!