M-1 of dead prez Defends Hip-Hop on Fox News

M-1 of dead prez appeared on Fox News’ Your World TV show on April 12 to defend hip-hop in light of Don Imus’ firing. Your World host, Neil Cavuto, pressed M-1 about hip-hop’s use of derogatory remarks such as the term “ho” Imus used in reference to the Rutgers woman basketball team. M-1, however, was quick to defend hip-hop. “With personal responsibility taken at hand here, we’re talking about rappers who are coerced to say things other than what the reality of our community is and Mr. Imus, who obviously has said sentiments that come from his personal beliefs. I think you are comparing apples and oranges here even when you bring the rap community into question.”

Cavuto, however, wasn’t buying M-1’s answer and asked, “A ho is a ho, right? So, if Imus uses the expression and then you use the expression, you’ve both said it.” M-1, who was calm throughout the interview, responded by saying, “I don’t say ho and that’s my point exactly. Even the word ho existed way before 1976 when rap began. Ho is a relationship between the pimp and the pimpee.”

Cavuto proceeded to ask, “And there’s nothing wrong then with rappers saying it, right?” M-1 responded, “Well, of course there’s something wrong with both of those relationships. However, what governs that relationship is the historical relationship of oppression between black people and out white oppressors in this country. And that’s not a racist statement, that’s the reality that we live in.”